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West Bromwich Albion fans will be hoping for a far more positive result next up in the Championship after a shock 2-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle last match.

The promotion hopefuls should be boosted by the fact transfer deadline day saw them welcome in some fantastic last-ditch deals, which included the drama of EFL sharp shooter Adam Armstrong joining the Hawthorns ranks right at the death.

This could end up being a joyous reunion story for both Tony Mowbray and Armstrong, with the 27-year-old an absolute goal machine when previously under the 61-year-old’s guidance at Blackburn Rovers, alongside also strutting his stuff with ease in the second tier with Southampton.

Armstrong's record under Mowbray

Indeed, the ex-Newcastle United centre-forward and Mowbray would end up being a match made in heaven at Ewood Park over multiple goal-laden campaigns.

Across four seasons with Mowbray at the helm, Armstrong would end up bagging a sizeable 64 strikes from 160 clashes, with their final campaign together – until now – seeing the potent attacker fire home a mammoth 28 goals from 40 Championship appearances.

Therefore, there will be an expectation in the air that Armstrong will be able to deliver the goods in a similarly explosive manner when donning West Brom blue and white, with the second-tier side’s wasteful finishing letting them down in Devon.

The experienced EFL performer is just fresh off a promotion-winning season at the level too, where his ice-cold prowess in front of goal stood out once more, with 24 strikes coming his way from 49 games at St. Mary’s.

Fitting in Armstrong to his starting lineup moving forward will give Mowbray somewhat of a selection headache to address, however, with this long-standing Baggies servant potentially axed for the 27-year-old to become his new team’s leading man.

How Armstrong's signing could impact the West Brom squad

Jed Wallace might now be shoved out of the first team picture for Armstrong to take centre stage, with the seasoned West Brom forward struggling for large spells of this campaign.

He does have a goal and an assist next to his name since Mowbray took over the reins from the departing Carlos Corberan, but Grady Diangana has more of an apt reason to stay put as one of his new manager’s starting strikers, having torn Portsmouth to shreds with two strikes in a recent 5-1 demolition job.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Wallace

Games played

27

Games started

5

Minutes*

27 mins

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Touches*

13.5

Accurate passes

6.0 (78%)

That bumped up Diangana’s second-tier goal total for the season to four strikes – which is far superior to Wallace’s measly one when looking at the table above – with the 30-year-old no doubt fearful that he will fade back into the fringes of the team off the back of Armstrong’s statement arrival.

With Karlan Grant also at Mowbray’s disposal and boasting six league strikes, there does feel like a lack of space for the ex-Millwall man in his camp, with the Baggies number seven not even getting a look-in down the right wing now, owing to Tom Fellows making that position very comfortably his own.

With his contract up next summer, conversations will soon need to be had over the 5 foot 10 attacker’s future at the club, with a concern that will gradually slide more and more down the pecking order.

It would be a sad ending for Wallace at the Hawthorns if he was moved on shortly, considering the “unbelievable” number seven – as he was once lauded by ex-Sheffield United defender Jack O’Connell – does boast 13 goals and 14 assists from 120 West Brom appearances.

But, with Armstrong now coming through the door among other developments, Wallace’s days at the Championship promotion chasers look to be numbered.

West Brom must regret losing “class act” who's outscoring Armstrong & Grant

West Bromwich Albion missed a trick not getting the best out of this former dud.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 5, 2025

Shaheen Shah Afridi is part of the World Cup squad but is absent from the 18-member side for the England series

Umar Farooq15-Sep-2022A knee injury has seen Fakhar Zaman miss out on Pakistan’s squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup, while Shan Masood, who is yet to play a T20I, has been called up.Fakhar was named as one of the travelling reserves, though, along with Mohammad Haris and Shahnawaz Dahani.Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, was named in the main squad as Pakistan look to get him fit in time for the global event. Mohammad Hasnain, meanwhile, edged out Dahani.Related

Mohammad Wasim backs Babar, Rizwan to improve strike rate

Pakistan have problems, and they begin at the top

There were no wholesale changes to the side that played the Asia Cup earlier this month. Usman Qadir kept his place despite playing just one match in the tournament and limited match-time prior to it.Pakistan’s squad for T20 World Cup 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdAfridi and Fakhar were also absent from the 18-member roster for the upcoming seven-match T20I series against England.”Fakhar Zaman has also been rested from the England T20Is so that he can recover from the knee injury he sustained when he landed awkwardly while fielding in the final [of the Asia Cup],” chief selector Mohammad Wasim said.A PCB release stated: “Afridi is expected to resume bowling early next month and will join the squad in Brisbane on October 15. Wasim Jr has been included after recovering completely from the side strain he suffered during the Asia Cup.”Changes can be made to the squad till October 15, without needing the approval of the World Cup’s technical committee.Masood is part of the squad for the England series as well, while allrounder Aamer Jamal and legspinner Abrar Ahmed have received maiden international call-ups. Both impressed in the ongoing National T20 Cup. The first match of the series is on September 20 in Karachi, which will host four games in total before the series moves to Lahore for the final three matches.ESPNcricinfo LtdAfter the England series, the team will head to New Zealand, where they play a T20I tri-series against New Zealand and Bangladesh in Christchurch from October 7-14.Pakistan play their first World Cup match against India at the MCG on October 23. They will also play New Zealand, Afghanistan and two qualifiers in the group stage before the top two sides go to the semi-finals.T20 World Cup squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir
: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz DahaniEngland series squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Aamer Jamal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Haris, Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir, Abrar Ahmed

With Chelsea looking to clear any deadwood still lurking from past transfer failures, Italian giants Milan are now reportedly plotting a January move to sign a defensive addition who could quickly follow in Fikayo Tomori’s footsteps.

Chelsea transfer news

Having forced several players to watch on from the reserves in the first half of the campaign, Chelsea must now use the January transfer window to show any struggling players the door. That should include the likes of Ben Chilwell, who has gone from vice-captain to nothing more than a Stamford Bridge outcast in a shocking fall from grace.

In desperate need of a move – especially if he wants to regain his England place in time for the 2026 World Cup – former club Leicester City have reportedly shown interest in Chilwell’s signature this month.

Approach made as Chelsea hold initial talks over £60m Premier League star

Enzo Maresca’s side have held initial talks.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 19, 2025

He’s not the only one who needs a departure, either. The likes of Carney Chukwuemeka must also seek minutes away from Stamford Bridge this month. Still just 21 years old, the attacking midfielder represents a young player who can’t afford to waste away his development in the Chelsea reserves.

The same can be said for one of Enzo Maresca’s defenders, who is long past the developmental stage and at the peak of his powers – but still in need of the minutes that Milan could yet swoop in to hand him this month.

According to TEAMtalk, Milan are now plotting a January swoop to sign Tosin Adarabioyo (among three Chelsea teammates) in what could quickly turn into a Tomori repeat. The 27-year-old only arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer, but has struggled to gain a consistent starting place ever since.

In Italy, meanwhile, Milan have seen just how successful such a signing can be after benefiting from the arrival of Tomori before his recent struggles began. Now, as a former Chelsea defender potentially leaves the San Siro, Adarabioyo could arrive as a fresh face from the Blues’ backline.

"Special" Adarabioyo needs move

With Trevoh Chalobah recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace, Adarabioyo could yet find himself further down the Chelsea pecking order than ever before, and he does not have time to wait around on Maresca’s bench. If Milan come calling, it’s a move that the 27-year-old simply must make at this stage of his career, especially given the success that Tomori has enjoyed in Italy.

It’s at the San Siro that the former Fulham defender could rediscover the form that resulted in quite the praise from Marco Silva last season. The Fulham boss told reporters (as relayed by beIN Sports): “He is a key player for us. He is one of the leaders in our dressing room and we need these guys to step in in the right moments and he did it.

“We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation.”

With just over two weeks until the transfer window slams shut, Adarabioyo may well be one to watch if Milan decide to make their move.

Zimbabwe will play against Ireland, Scotland and West Indies in T20 World Cup opening round in Hobart

Peter Della Penna17-Jul-2022

Zimbabwe denied Netherlands their third straight championship at the T20 World Cup Qualifier as the hosts defended a total of 132 to secure a 37-run win in the final in Bulawayo. Netherlands – who have already claimed a spot at the T20 World Cup – collapsed from 45 for 2 to be bowled out for 95 in 18.2 overs as Sikandar Raza’s extraordinary tournament concluded in a Player-of-the-Match performance as he took 4 for 8.The result means that Zimbabwe will go to Hobart for the opening round of the T20 World Cup in Australia this October, where they will be in a group with Ireland, Scotland and West Indies. Netherlands will be sent to Geelong for their opening round fixtures against Namibia, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates. The top two teams in each opening round group will advance to the Super 12 stage.Both teams had produced dominant performances with the bat throughout the tournament before a low-scoring thriller unfolded on Sunday in which nobody made more than the 28 off 25 balls by Sean Williams at No. 3. But along with Regis Chakabva’s 27 off 16 balls, it was significant enough to put Zimbabwe in a defendable position.Logan van Beek struck in the third over for Netherlands, bowling captain Craig Ervine, who was attempting to back away from leg stump for a booming drive, for 10. Chakabva paid the price for trying one too many reverse shots to Bas de Leede’s medium pace and was given lbw in the fifth. Wessly Madhevere was next to go, sweeping a full toss from left-arm spinner Tim Pringle out to deep midwicket for 9 to make it 54 for 3.But Williams and Raza came together for the biggest partnership of the match, adding 39 for the fourth wicket to get Zimbabwe back on solid ground. The stand finally ended when Williams heaved a half-tracker from legspinner Shariz Ahmad out to deep midwicket.Van Beek returned in the 13th and was on a hat-trick a short time later during a double-wicket maiden. A one-handed swipe to the leg side by Milton Shumba produced a swirling top edge taken by wicketkeeper Scott Edwards. Raza crossed with the ball in the air and fell on the next delivery for 19 playing across the line to a back of a length delivery and was given lbw.Zimbabwe only scored two more boundaries the rest of the innings, but both were struck by Ryan Burl to start and finish a pivotal 10-run over bowled by Fred Klaassen in the 17th. Burl was run out for 15 in the first ball of the 18th over, and the tail was wiped out a short time later with three balls left unused.Madhevere trapped Netherlands opener Max O’Dowd heaving across the line for 12 in the third over of the chase before de Leede, the hero of semi-final win over USA, became Madhevere’s second lbw victim in the space of five balls. But Netherlands recovered well from 17 for 2 to speed along to 43 by the end of the powerplay thanks to Stephan Myburgh and Tom Cooper.That was until chaos erupted in the seventh when Cooper was run out by a direct hit from short fine leg to the non-striker’s end for 9. After hitting two fours and three sixes during the powerplay, Netherlands did not find the rope again until the 17th over as spinners Raza and Williams strangled the run rate.The mounting pressure finally burst in the 10th when Myburgh was pinned in front for 22 during a wicket-maiden for Raza. Another false sweep followed from Edwards in the 11th as he top-edged Williams to short fine leg for 7.Raza then bowled Logan van Beek in the 12th for a third-ball duck before ending his spell with wickets on his final two deliveries, bowling Pringle for 4 and pinning Klaassen in front for a golden duck. Netherlands slid from 17 for 6 to 62 for 8.A late burst of sixes from Paul van Meekeren and Teja Nidamanuru off Burl’s legspin in the 17th produced a 14-run over. But van Meekeren was dismissed by Jongwe two balls into the 18th for 10 before Richard Ngarava removed Nidamanuru in the next over to end the match.Papua New Guinea defended a total of 97 to beat USA by five runs in the third place playoff at Bulawayo Athletic Club. USA needed 11 runs to win off 12 balls with three wickets in hand before captain Assad Vala struck twice with his offspin in the 19th, including No. 6 batter Vatsal Vaghela for a top score of 29 chipping a skied drive to extra cover. Chad Soper then speared a yorker into middle stump on the first ball of the 20th to bowl Yasir Mohammad for 16 to clinch a dramatic consolation win.In the fifth place playoff, Uganda held on in almost identical circumstances, defending 102 to beat Hong Kong by four runs. Hong Kong needed six runs off three balls with four wickets in hand, but Cosmas Kyewuta bowled Zeeshan Ali for 26 and then removed Ehsan Khan first ball. No. 10 batter Aftab Hussain could only manage a single after entering to face the final ball. Jersey comfortably chased down a target of 141 with 26 balls to spare to beat Singapore by six wickets in the seventh place playoff.

Chelsea began 2025 by drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace in the Premier League, extending their winless run in the top flight to four games.

Cole Palmer opened the scoring after just 14 minutes, linking up well with Jadon Sancho to net his 13th top flight goal of the campaign.

The Blues had plenty of chances to extend the lead in the first half, registering nine shots in total, and they would come to regret missing them.

With just eight minutes of normal time remaining, the Stamford Bridge side conceded an equaliser, with Jean-Philippe Mateta netting for Palace to square things up. The game finished with both teams sharing the spoils, but Enzo Maresca would have been disappointed with his team, especially Nicolas Jackson…

Nicolas Jackson's struggles vs Crystal Palace

The striker played 81 minutes during the game, yet he failed to get a shot on target, missing three of his efforts while succeeding with just one dribble.

The centre-forward missed a great chance to extend the lead during the first half after racing onto Palmer’s through ball, but he spurned the opportunity which would come back to haunt him.

Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – Key Statistics

Stat

Highest Ranked

Accurate passes

Levi Colwill (77)

Key passes

Cole Palmer (5)

Tackles

Tyrick Mitchell (6)

Ground duels won

Daniel Munoz (9)

Successful dribble attempts

Jadon Sancho (3)

Via Sofascore

Jackson struggled to get involved, taking just 30 touches and completing nine passes, while he won just four of the 11 duels he contested during his spell on the pitch.

It wasn’t the greatest performance by the Senegal international, who was given a match rating of 4/10 for his display by the Express following the match.

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Jackson arguably wasn’t the worst of the bunch, however. That is reserved for Marc Cucurella, who looked a shadow of his former self this afternoon.

Marc Cucurella’s game in numbers vs Crystal Palace

The left-back has so often impressed under Maresca this term, buoyed by playing an important role in Spain’s victorious European Championship squad during the summer.

Against Palace, he struggled badly, especially going forward. He attempted one dribble, made zero key passes while also failing to create a big chance during the game.

Defensively, he wasn’t much better. Indeed, the Spaniard – who also failed to keep pace with Mateta for the striker’s equaliser – lost possession ten times, lost five of his eight contested duels while being dribbled past once in what was a display to forget.

The Express journalist Tom Parsons gave him a rating of 5/10 for his performance, stating that Cucurella ‘didn’t get too many opportunities to get forward and allowed Palace to get too many crosses in from the right’ during the clash.

The Blues take on Morecambe in the FA Cup next weekend and this could see Maresca rotate his side in order to give some youngsters a chance in the starting XI.

Dropping the full-back to the bench – with Renato Veiga waiting in the wings – could do Cucurella the world of good, especially as Chelsea play Bournemouth just three days after the cup tie.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Jan 4, 2025

Well, after a couple of weeks that suggested things were finally on the up and up, Arsenal managed to drop yet more points in the Premier League yesterday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta’s side made the relatively short trip to West London in the knowledge that a win over Fulham would see them move within four points of league leaders Liverpool thanks to their game being suspended courtesy of storm Darragh.

However, with Raúl Jiménez scoring for the home side within the first 15 minutes, the Gunners were left scrambling, and while they managed to claw one back early in the second half, they had to settle for a single point.

34%

Possession

66%

0.16

Expected Goals

2.03

1

Goals

1

0

Big Chances

4

2

Total Shots

12

0

Corners

6

10

Fouls

9

302

Passes

587

There were disappointing displays from Arteta’s side across the board, but there was one player who was notably poor and must now be seriously testing his manager’s patience.

Arsenal's poor performers

So, before we get to the chief offender, it’s only fair to talk about a few other players who looked significantly off the pace at Craven Cottage, starting with Kai Havertz.

The German international had a game to forget, as he offered practically nothing in attack, taking three shots off target, taking just 26 touches and only picking up an assist because he failed to get his attempt on target from Declan Rice’s corner.

Unsurprisingly, football.london’s Chief Arsenal writer, Kaya Kaynak, was left unimpressed and awarded the former Chelsea man a 5/10 at full-time.

Another particularly disappointing performance came from one of the heroes from mid-week, Jakub Kiwior.

The Polish international was sensational against Manchester United and looked more than capable of being Arsenal’s third-choice centre-back.

However, yesterday afternoon, his poor positioning led to the host’s goal early on in the encounter.

It might sound harsh considering the angle Jimenez eventually scored from, but small mistakes are punished at the top level, and it’s a mistake that will only create doubt in the minds of fans over Kiwior’s suitability to stand in for William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhães going forward.

That said, even though his mistake resulted in a goal and Havertz was blunt in attack, neither have received as much negative attention following the result as their teammate, who put in yet another poor performance and must be testing Arteta’s patience.

The Arsenal star playing himself out of the team

Unfortunately for him, there’s been one Arsenal star under the spotlight following yesterday’s draw, and it’s undoubtedly Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian wasn’t selected in the starting lineup following his underwhelming display against United on Wednesday, and his impact, or lack thereof, off the bench yesterday afternoon more than justified Arteta’s decision.

The former Ituano gem was only on the pitch at Craven Cottage for around 30 minutes but managed to perform so poorly that we’d be surprised to see him anywhere near the starting lineup for some time.

Minutes

30′

Expected Goals

0.00

Expected Assists

0.01

Shots

0

Dribbles (Successful)

4 (1)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

6 (1)

Duels (Won)

10 (2)

Touches

25

Lost Possession

12

It’s an opinion backed up by the stats, as in his 30 minutes of action the 23-year-old amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.01, took zero shots, failed in 75% of his dribbles, failed to play a key pass, misplaced five of six crosses, lost eight of ten duels, took 25 touches and lost the ball 12 times, or practically every two touches.

That’s not all, though, as he somehow managed to stray offside for what should have been the Gunners’ late winner in a moment that saw journalist Con Harrison slam him for being “lazy.”

To top it all off, he also picked up a stupid yellow card for an argument in the 82nd minute and was incredibly lucky not to receive another one a few minutes later for petulantly throwing the ball at Kenny Tete.

Now, if the Guarulhos-born dynamo was in scintillating form and scoring for fun, this sort of performance could be ignored and put down to a bad day at the office, but in 20 appearances this season, he’s only scored four goals and provided three assists, which is hardly earth-shattering.

Ultimately, while Martinelli possesses undeniable talent, he has continued to underwhelm this season, and yesterday’s cameo against Fulham was so dire that we wouldn’t be surprised if Arteta was beginning to lose his trust in the young Brazilian.

Arteta must sell Arsenal flop who's not scored a league goal all season

Arsenal need to move on from a few of their underperforming players.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 9, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Autor do segundo gol do Palmeiras na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Ituano, na quarta-feira (23), no Allianz Parque, o atacante Rony disse que o grupo está preparado para fazer história mais uma vez pelo clube, desta vez no Campeonato Paulista.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasJailson diz estar à disposição para atuar na zaga do Palmeiras e fala sobre AbelPalmeiras24/03/2022PalmeirasSem descanso! Palmeiras já volta aos trabalhos após classificação à semifinal do PaulistãoPalmeiras24/03/2022VídeoVÍDEO: Abel não poupa elogios a Danilo no Palmeiras vê o volante como um ‘fora da caixa’Vídeo24/03/2022

O resultado, além de manter o Verdão invicto no Estadual, classificou a equipe para a semifinal pela nona vez seguida.

– Estou muito feliz de estar mais uma vez em uma semifinal com o Palmeiras. O clube briga por títulos e a gente sabe da importância de se vencer o Paulista, esta todo mundo motivado e confiante para mais uma vez conquistar esse campeonato. A motivação vem dentro de cada um de nós. Somos vencedores e a cada competição queremos brigar por ela, e no Paulista não esta sendo diferente. Está todo mundo focado e dedicado para mais uma vez fazer historia pelo clube – afirmou.

O Alviverde agora espera pelo jogo entre Corinthians e Guarani, logo mais nesta quinta-feira, para descobrir seu adversário no duelo do final de semana. Caso o Bugre surpreenda o rival alvinegro, enfrentará o Palmeiras. Senão, o adversário será o Bragantino. O confronto será no Allianz Parque e a data ainda será definida pela FPF (Federação Paulista de Futebol). Independentemente do adversário, Rony projeta dificuldades.

-O Paulista não tem jogo fácil, as equipes são qualificadas, têm grandes treinadores que também querem mostrar seu valor. É uma das competições estaduais mais disputadas, sabemos que não vai ser fácil. A determinação e a garra que temos dentro de campo é que faz a diferença. A família que criamos é fundamental para ganharmos títulos e fazermos história no clube – disse.

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui
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Mikel Arteta has been dealt another blow in his pursuit of the Premier League title, with a key Arsenal star set to miss the rest of this year through injury.

Arsenal injury list as concerns mount up for Arteta

The north Londoners currently have a plethora of first team players on the treatment table, and this has been a reoccurring theme of their early season.

"Really intelligent" Arsenal player could push to quit the club in January

These may be his final months in north London.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 13, 2024

So far, club captain Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney are just some of the names who’ve been injured at some point, dealing Arteta real selection headaches in what is a crucial campaign for the Spaniard.

Arsenal are chasing their first domestic crown in over two decades, but the Gunners have been forced to cope without a plethora of key options on a regular basis in these opening months.

Right now, summer signing and Italy international Calafiori is sidelined with a knee injury, and has been since Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last month.

Tomiyasu has been particularly unlucky, playing just six minutes all season due to a serious knee problem of his own, while Tierney is apparently close to returning from a hamstring injury which has kept him on the sidelines since Euro 2024.

Arteta’s arguable two biggest misses, Saka and Rice, were forced to withdraw from England’s squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

It is unclear right now whether they will be fit and available right after the international break, but Arteta is “praying” for the star duo to be fit and ready for their first game back at home to Nottingham Forest on November 26.

“What I’m praying for is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped,” said Arteta on Rice and Saka. “That they are available and that they are fit, because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks.”

Amid this torrid run of luck, Arteta has now been dealt yet another major concern in the form of Ben White.

Ben White out for the rest of this year after Arsenal surgery

The £150,000-per-week right-back, according to the national press, has undergone surgery on his knee.

White was nursing a problem which had been affecting him for quite a while, so the club used this international break as an opportunity to rectify it, but his lay-off time really doesn’t spell good news.

The Mirror and reliable journalist John Cross report that White is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this year at Arsenal, meaning Arteta will be without the star defender for crucial games against Forest, West Ham, Man United, Sporting Lisbon and Monaco in the Champions League.

His absence will be a very sore one to take, as Arsenal also attempt to find their best form again and keep their title hopes alive.

GOAL US writers discuss Messi missing Miami's game with Houston, and whether opposing MLS teams are right to make amends to fans

Lionel Messi made headlines last week when Inter Miami announced that he would not travel to Houston for their Sunday night MLS fixture with the Dynamo. Cue the panic from the soccer world. Social media lost its collective mind. Reddit got all petty.

And then, there were the Dynamo themselves, who released an official statement, acknowledging disappointed fans and giving away free tickets to fans for upcoming games to make amends.

Messi was not injured but was rather held out by Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano due to Miami’s "congested schedule" – in NBA terms, it would be considered "load management." The team had played at midweek and on the weekend for each of the past two weeks, both in MLS and CONCACAF Champions Cup matches. Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, Messi has occasionally been rested during congested periods of play. 

It all felt a bit silly, really. After all, it was one athlete, missing one game, for a fairly rational reason. But it does also raise natural questions. Messi probably can't play 40+ games per season stay fit.

Should fans expect him to – especially opposing fans who want to see the 37-year-old superstar play in their stadium? Is it fair to him? Should the best player to ever do it spend what could be his last season worrying about injury?

And then there are the clubs. The Dynamo won't be the last away team that Messi "cancels" on this season. Do they then owe their fans if he doesn't show, a decision controlled by Miami, not the host club? Should MLS intervene, as the NBA did when load management got out of control and multiple superstars missed games, launching a new Player Participation Policy for the 2023-24 season?

These are all interesting questions, simmering in the background since Messi first came to MLS .

GOAL US writers debate them all in a load management edition of… The Rondo.

• Getty
  

  Is Miami right to rest Messi for some away games?

  Tom Hindle: For the vibes? No. But for reality? Yes. They have a championship to win. Messi can't play 40+ games for his club, and then international friendlies and other competitions such as the Champions Cup and Club World Cup. Some have got to go, and if that means he misses a fixture against a Houston team, then so be it. Honestly? Get over it, lads.

  Jacob Schneider: We are one week into the season. Rest? It's nothing short of pathetic. One week.

  Ryan Tolmich: From a purely Miami perspective, absolutely. The Herons are spread thin across multiple competitions but, ultimately, will only be judged on how they handle the one at the very end of the year. If they don't win MLS Cup, they will have failed. Knowing that, they have to do whatever it takes to build Messi towards that, even if that means dropping some points or disappointing some opposing fans along the way. It stinks, but it's reality: Miami's interests are furthered by keeping Messi healthy for the course of the season, and that means he can't play 90 minutes every single game.

  Alex Labidou: Match congestion and rotation aren't exclusive to MLS – there are plenty of managers in the Premier League or Europe's top leagues who bemoan the fixture list and criticize and leagues for being more accommodating to continental competitions. It's also not exclusive to soccer. NBA fans shudder over the phrase "load management." While it hurts the fans and overall interest in MLS when Messi does not play, ultimately Mascherano has to do what is best for his top player – and team. Last year, Messi looked out of gas in the postseason. With Miami wanting to go for multiple trophies this season, this is necessary.

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• IMAGN
  

  Is this all a bad look for the league?

  TH: Well, it's not great, but that's football. Yes, this is Messi's league at the moment, but he is still a footballer who needs protecting. If it's missing a game here and there vs overuse leading to a hamstring tear that rules him out for the season, you'd bet the powerbrokers here would choose the former. Of course, there's a massive drop off for the club, and revenue lost for the league – but that isn't Miami's problem whatsoever.

  JS: It's a mark on the rest of the league. There are expectations – with his salary partially being paid by every club, given the MLS structure – that he competes. He's more than just a player in MLS – he's the face of the league. If he can just be rested whenever Miami's decides it's time, it opens the league up to criticism. If this were July or August, and he'd just gone on the CCC run, played in the CWC and then started Leagues Cup, on top of domestic action – well then a case could absolutely be made and there would be zero argument against it. But we're one week into the campaign. It's a joke.

  RT: This is where MLS is in a unique place compared to other leagues. If Liverpool, say, give Mo Salah a game off, there is no discussion. That's partly because of squad depth, as the dropoff isn't nearly as big in Europe, but also partly because of how leagues are set up. The Designated Player system makes a team like Miami look like "Messi and friends" while Liverpool are a team that just so happens to include a great player in Salah. Liverpool and Miami have the same goals – winning – but the way they get there is perceived differently because of the way MLS is both structured and marketed.

  AL: It's not great. The issue is the uniqueness of what brought Lionel Messi to MLS in the first place. Miami doesn't exclusively pay his compensation – partners contribute to his overall package as well. So when he's rested when Apple TV is trying to get its new Sunday Night Football franchise off the ground, it directly impacts the streaming network's ability to generate revenue. Remember, MLS doesn't directly benefit from the Champions Cup in the way it does with the Leagues Cup, for example.

  Furthermore, it speaks to a growing sentiment that MLS is too reliant on one star again to market itself, like it did when David Beckham played in the league. And at least he played against a star who might have been more talented in Thierry Henry. MLS at times seems make or break when Messi isn't involved – and that's a recipe for disaster for any sports league. It's time to add more stars who are at least in Messi's orbit to help lessen the burden on the Argentine needing to play every away game to help opposing teams with revenue.

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  Should opposing teams compensate fans when Messi doesn't play?

  TH: Maybe? It's not clear what this offers other than a pretty empty gesture. Sure, Messi is a serious revenue driver, but giving away a ticket doesn't help you much next time. Then again, sports without having to pay is probably a good thing? The real fans will keep coming back. The casuals will find another footballer to get excited about.

  JS: There's a bigger picture here that the general public overlooks. Teams are relying on revenue from his participation in their home ground. That's just where MLS is at the moment. He is the hottest ticket in town, and prices surge as a result. If he doesn't play and the club builds up anticipation to the match by showcasing him, of course the club needs to say something – they're ultimately responsible for their marketing and their stadium. Free tickets? It's whatever. Find a way to keep the public happy while making things right.

  RT: If that's best for their business, sure, why not? Teams are in business of generating revenue, and for many, the business of Messi brings in big bucks. Losing out on that stings and, ultimately, damages reputations with fans. If giving away tickets or discounts helps keep those fans and, more importantly, gets them back in on another day, then go for it. Soccer isn't yet at a place in which it can afford to exclude anyone, so the more the merrier – with or without Messi.

  AL: Perhaps? It's seems the right thing to do when you see social videos of fans driving six hours just to watch their icon on the pitch – and he doesn't play. As a team, you need to find ways to drive interest in other ways, and that's one way to do it. But it does feel desperate. MLS and its teams are far too reliant on whether or not Messi shows. For example, a NBA team wouldn't do that, if say, Joel Embiid or LeBron James missed a game. They're confident enough in their own product and experience for their audience.

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  Are there too many games, and should MLS intervene?

  TH: Yes. There are far, far, far, far too many. The discourse here is a little confusing. Technically, the CONCACAF Champions Cup isn't run by MLS, and is therefore out of the league's jurisdiction. But there can be cuts elsewhere. Shorten the playoffs. You do not need a wildcard or a best-of-three series. Does anyone really learn anything from a 34-game regular seasos and a Leagues Cup? This is about money and business interests, but legs simply have to be protected. Soccer should be about who can play the best when it really counts – not whose legs survive longest.

  JS: Of course there are too many games, but that's not an MLS issue – that's the soccer world right now. Too many FIFA windows, a lot of domestic and continental tournaments and of course, regular season play. It's created a hectic calendar that burns everyone out. From Miami's perspective, though, this is what they get for being good. Featuring in CCC this early in the season is a result of being a good soccer team. By being good, they play more games and have a chance to win more trophies. It's why they're in CCC and the Club World Cup on top of two domestic tournaments and regular season MLS. If Mascherano is already worried about congestion one week into the season, maybe coaching isn't the right profession for him.

  RT: The answer remains the same as it always has: spend more money. More squad depth, more names, more talent – it all leads to fans caring more. Messi is a phenomenon but in the bigger picture, he's temporary – and, once he's gone, how will MLS respond? The only way to continue growing the league is to continue to spend money to bring in better players. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter how many or how few games Messi plays.

  AL: Yes, but again it's not exclusive to MLS. It's a worldwide soccer problem. There are too many cup competitions and new ones emerging every year, ranging from friendly tours to the Club World Cup. All of these games devalue leagues – which in theory should be the top priority. There isn't much MLS can do, outside of adding more stars and quality across the league.

“Today I am announcing my decision to stand down as captain of the Australian men’s cricket team. It’s a difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family and cricket.”As a background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague. At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough Cricket Australia Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in. That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time, and still do today.”I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support. We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years. However, I recently became aware that this private text exchange was going to become public. On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community. I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused to my wife, my family, and to the other party.”I’m sorry for the damage that this does to the reputation of our sport. And I believe that it is the right decision for me to stand down as captain, effective immediately. I do not want this to become an unwelcome disruption to the team ahead of what is a huge Ashes series. I have loved my role as captain of the Australian cricket team. It’s been the greatest privilege of my sporting life to lead the Australian men’s test team.”I’m grateful for the support of my teammates and proud of what we’ve been able to achieve together. To them, I ask for their understanding and forgiveness. To Australian cricket fans – deeply sorry that my past behaviour has impacted our game on the eve of the Ashes.”For the disappointment I have caused to fans and the entire cricket community, I apologise. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful, loving and supportive family, and it breaks my heart to know how much I’ve let them down. They have always stood by me, been my most loyal fans, and I’m indebted to them for their support.”I will remain a committed member of the Australian cricket team, and look forward with anticipation to what is a huge Ashes tour. Thank you.”