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West Brom are tussling with a host of other Championship clubs for the signing of an "excellent" international midfielder, according to a new transfer update.

West Brom transfer news

The Baggies have made an encouraging start to the season, currently sitting seventh in the Championship table and just outside the playoff positions on goal difference. Granted, Saturday's 2-1 defeat away to Southampton was a disappointing result, but it was certainly no disaster against another team who will be hoping to be back in the Premier League next year.

While Carlos Corberan has built a good squad at West Brom, the manager will no doubt be eyeing new signings once the January transfer window arrives, giving him more depth ahead of a busy run in the New Year. The ongoing takeover saga at the Hawthorns feels key in that respect, however, in terms of whether enough funds will be available under potential new owners by that point.

A new update suggests that the Baggies are intending on doing some key transfer business midway through the season, though, with an international player being eyed up.

West Brom want Callum Styles

According to a new claim from TEAMtalk, West Brom are keen on signing Barnsley and Hungary midfielder Callum Styles, with numerous other clubs also in the mix.

"A host of clubs are chasing Barnsley’s Hungarian international Callum Styles ahead of a possible move in the January window, sources have told TEAMtalk. Styles spent last season on loan at Millwall, which enabled him to stay in the Championship after Barnsley’s relegation, before returning to Oakwell this summer and now he is again attracting attention.

"TEAMtalk has been informed that recently promoted Premier League pair Burnley and Sheffield United, as well as Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion, have all shown an interest in the versatile 23-year-old, who is set to go to the Euros with Hungary next summer."

Styles could be a strong signing by West Brom, and while he may be playing in League One at the moment, there is no reason why he couldn't make the step up in January. That is proven when you look at Styles' statistics throughout his career, with an impressive tally of 124 appearances coming his way in the Championship, not to mention nine goals and six assists from the middle of the park.

There is also the small matter of the 23-year-old being a 16-time capped Hungary international, playing alongside Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai for his country, and he has been hailed as "excellent" by Barnsley head coach Neill Collins.

Styles would bring plenty of experience with him into West Brom's squad, aiding their promotion push in the process, but he is also still only 23 years of age, showing that he would be a long-term addition who should only grow in the coming years. The fact that he will be hoping to play a key role for Hungary at Euro 2024 next summer could be an added bonus for the Baggies, assuming they qualify, with his performances potentially being even more focused between January and then.

Football FanCast updates you with all the latest news surrounding EURO 2032.

As Germany prepares to host next year's European Championships, the focus will quickly turn to the following two tournaments and UEFA have today announced the winning hosts.

FFC will takes a detailed look at the 2032 host and their plans for the showpiece tournament.

Who is hosting EURO 2032?

Italy and Turkey will co-host EURO 2032, ending the Turkish Football Federation's five-time bid failure.

UEFA have rejected Turkey's last five attempts to host the European Championship, but with Italy joining forces, their sixth endeavour will finally bear fruit.

Italy, on the other hand, have hosted the showpiece event in recent times, staging four EURO 2020 fixtures, including the opening game between themselves and Turkey, ironically.

Interestingly, before the two federations teamed up to submit a joint bid, Turkey were thought to be leading the race to land the tournament.

Prior to the announcement, when speaking to Italian-based news outlet Gazzetta, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said: “Türkiye is a big competitor for Euro 2032 and is currently the favourite over Italy."

The reason is unclear as to why both nations ditched their individual attempts, particularly Turkey, who looked in good stead to have their bid accepted. Nevertheless, doing it this way removes any risk of missing out, and allows fans to experience two cultures.

Who was bidding to host EURO 2032?

Initially, Italy and Turkey were two separate bidders hoping to host EURO 2032.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) was planning to bid for EURO 2028, but decided against doing so, instead opting to submit their dossier for the 2032 edition to allow more time to redevelop facilities.

TFF's bid was planned for either EURO 2028 or 2032, however, UEFA confirmed that the TFF and the FIGC requested for their bids to be merged, leaving the UK and Ireland's 2028 proposal unopposed for the former, with Turkey unable to host both events.

Russia's proposed bid was declared ineligible by UEFA.

Italy: Which stadiums are potential EURO 2032 venues?

As part of the requirements to host EURO 2028 (which presumably are the same as 2032), nations must have a minimum of one stadium with a net seating capacity of at least 60,000, one (preferably two) with at least 50,000, four stadiums with at least 40,000 and three stadiums with at least 30,000.

As such, the potential venues in Italy are:

Stadium

Capacity

San Siro

75,817

Stadio Olimpico

70,634

Stadio San Nicola

58,270

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

54,726

Stadio Artemio Franchi

43,147

Juventus Stadium

41,507

Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi

39,371

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara

38,371

Stadio Luigi Ferraris

36,205

Unipol Stadium

25,000 expandable to 30,000

The average capacity across the 10 stadiums stands at 44,458.

Turkey: Which stadiums are potential EURO 2032 venues?

The potential venues in Turkey are:

Stadium

Capacity

Atatürk Olympic Stadium

74,753

Nef Stadium

53,611

Ülker Stadium

47,834

19 Mayis Stadium

45,000

Bursa Metropolitan Stadium

43,331

Konya Büyüksehir Arena

42,000

Senol Gunes Sports Complex

40,782

Conerdon Airlines Park

32,537

Kalyon Stadium

33,502

Atatürk Stadium

32,500

The average stadium capacity stands at 44,585, which is almost identical to that of Italy.

UEFA will select 10 stadiums, five per country, to stage EURO 2032. They have confirmed this process will conclude by October 2026.

What are the positives of Italy & Turkey hosting?

As previously mentioned, this was the Turkish Football Federation's (TFF) sixth consecutive attempt to host a European Championship.

That in itself shows the federation's continued hunger and desire to deliver a premier tournament. Additionally, the experience gained from each process will no doubt have been beneficial in their planning, with years of careful due diligence already conducted.

Sports Minister Muharrem Kasapoglu – prior to the announcement – said Turkey's facilities and infrastructure could add value to the tournament.

"The quality of our facilities, infrastructure, accommodation, young population.

"When you put it all together, we can say that our country shines like a star and is one of the most important sports destinations in the world. I think that Türkiye can add important value to Euro 2028 and Euro 2032.

"By becoming a candidate for the fifth time in a row to organize Europe’s biggest tournament at the national team level, our federation has once again shown its determination to the entire world.

"We have always prided ourselves on our modern stadiums and facilities, the passion for football in our country and our high level of organization," Kasapoglu said.

Turkey have also hosted multiple European finals, including last season's Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.

Whilst there were negative experiences faced by fans at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, it's worth considering that there will be key lessons learned from the organisers, which can be put in place ahead of 2032 to avoid a recurrence of any issues raised.

Meanwhile, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina believes Italy and Turkey's joint bid promotes the values of friendship.

"In addition to bringing two consolidated entities in the European football scene closer together, this project promotes the values of friendship and cooperation, involving two worlds characterised by deep historical roots and two cultures which, over the millennia, have mutually influenced each other, helping to shape the history of Mediterranean Europe in the process.

"Football aims to be a gateway for sharing the passions and emotions related to sport," Gravina said.

Having two host nations also presents fans with the opportunity to experience two different countries, along with their respective cultures and communities, further promoting a diverse tournament.

Both nations are rich in footballing history and have tremendously passionate fans, which will be beneficial in creating a captivating atmosphere.

What are the drawbacks of Italy & Turkey's hosting?

Last month's Champions League final in Istanbul exposed several flaws that will need addressing ahead of the European Championships in 2032.

The NGTC Group, who are experts in crowd management, released a report citing the many problems match goers faced leading up to, during and after the match.

Firstly, some of the supporters were reportedly left waiting for up to three hours in the midday sun for their transport to the stadium. When able to board the shuttle buses, they were overcrowded, with poor air conditioning and no available toilets.

The journey was initially expected to take an hour but stretched up to two and a half hours, to much of the fans' frustration.

Further, there were some complaints regarding the fan park, with issues relating to catering, toilets and seats for the less-able. The stadium also had sharp edges around the rim of the seating, which caused injury for some.

Following the match, many who were returning to the buses discovered unstable rubble walkways, lack of lighting and absent staff members, causing confusion and distress.

The NGTC closed their report with a few areas to focus on, ahead of the next major event held at the stadium:

"Ensuring adequate transport facilities, equipping fan parks with sufficient amenities, and maintaining ethical conduct among all staff members are some of the crucial areas to focus on. Perhaps most importantly, a dedicated and well-qualified security team."

Italy, on the other hand, have a great deal of renovating work to do on their stadia ahead of 2032, as most of their proposed venues fail to meet UEFA's criteria.

The governing bodies President Ceferin claims none of the stadiums are fit for purpose to even host the Champions League final.

Speaking to Italian-based news outlet Gazzetta, Ceferin said: "At the moment, there is not even a stadium in Italy that can host the Champions League final. This is something incredible. The UEFA needs more stadium guarantee."

It shouldn't, however, be an issue by the time the tournament comes around, as the FIGC do intend to redevelop much of the proposed venues. Across the 10 possible stadiums named, six are expected to undergo renovation.

The final drawback of the joint bid is travel. With two countries scheduled to host the event, it will mean fans will need to travel between countries, making it far more costly and inconvenient.

Further, the likely increase in flights between Turkey and Italy isn't exactly promoting an environmentally friendly tournament. The average flight time between the two nations is 3 hours and one minute, which is something worth noting.

Somerset built on Matt Renshaw’s audacious hundred on the opening day to lift hopes of that elusive first title

ECB Reporters Network30-Apr-2018
ScorecardSomerset’s seamers bowled them to a 118-run victory over Yorkshire at Taunton and a second success in as many Specsavers County Championship games this season.Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory, Tim Groenewald and Tom Abell shared the final day wickets as Yorkshire were dismissed for 202, chasing 321 to win. Jack Leaning offered most resistance with 68.It is the first time since 1993 that Somerset have won their opening two Championship fixtures. They took 20 points to Yorkshire’s threeStarting the morning on 49 for 1, needing a further 272 to win, Yorkshire lost Cheteshwar Pujara to the first ball, caught behind off Gregory, and went on to struggle against some accurate seam bowling.

Coaches’ verdict

Andy Hurry (Somerset director of cricket): “The magic wand behind winning our first two games is all the hard work put in by the players and the coaching staff during the winter. It was a tougher game than our first win over Worcestershire and it took a real team effort to come out on top.”
Andrew Gale (Yorkshire coach): “The difference between the teams was our first innings batting. I thought our approach was poor and that we could have put more pressure on the Somerset bowlers. Matt Renshaw has come out and played like it was a T20 game for them. He couldn’t trust his defence on that pitch so he went on the attack. I can’t remember seeing a Championship innings in April like it.”

Adam Lyth, on 34, edged Groenewald to James Hildreth att first slip and Gary Ballance was caught by wicketkeeper Steve Davies pushing forward to Gregory. Matthew Waite could make only six before being caught and bowled by Overton off a leading edge and when Andy Hodd fell lbw to the same bowler for a single Yorkshire were in disarray at 103 for 6.The afternoon session began with a stubborn partnership between Leaning and Tim Bresnan, who put together a stand of 56 without looking troubled.It took Abell bringing himself on from the River End to break the partnership. The Somerset skipper bowled an impressive spell, swinging and seaming the ball.Bresnan fell leg-before for 21 to a delivery that nipped back at him after Leaning had moved to an impressive half-century off 128 balls, showing commendable technique and patience.Jack Brooks counter-attacked to also make 21 off just 16 balls. His entertaining cameo was ended when Groenewald took a sharp return catch, one-handed to his right.Abell struck again when Ben Coad edged a good delivery to Marcus Trescothick at second slip and at 191 for 9 Yorkshire were a beaten side. The second new ball was taken and Somerset completed a comprehensive win when Leaning was caught at square-leg, top-edging a pull shot off Overton.They are dreaming of a title challenge at Taunton•Getty Images

A day of bright sunshine, with a biting wind, ended with home supporters dreaming that this might finally be the year Somerset clinch the Championship title for the first time in their history. There is a long way to go, but it has been a hugely encouraging start for new director of cricket Andy Hurry and head coach Jason Kerr.The one negative for Somerset was that Josh Davey pulled out of his run-up after bowling five balls of an over with the total 103 for five and took no further part.

South Africa’s head coach Ottis Gibson was steadfast in his defence of Quinton de Kock ahead of an ICC code of conduct hearing on Wednesday

Firdose Moonda07-Mar-2018

AFP

South Africa insist Quinton de Kock only acted on provocation in the Durban stairwell dispute, even though he has been found guilty of breaching the ICC’s code of conduct.De Kock did not contest the charge at a hearing on Wednesday evening, though he aimed to lessen the sanction that applies to a Level 1 offence. Although he was unsuccessful in the endeavour and admitted he had said “something” to Warner, the South Africa wicketkeeper maintained he was not the instigator.CCTV footage of the passageway leading to the dressing rooms showed David Warner being physically restrained and shouting at de Kock, who did not respond. Warner was charged with a Level 2 offence on Tuesday evening, and fined 75% of his match fee. Though he has accepted those sanctions, Australia claim Warner was responding to a jibe from de Kock, and they say it was “personal.”South Africa, however, have denied de Kock provoked Warner in any way. “We are appealing Level 1 because we think Quinny didn’t do anything,” the head coach Ottis Gibson said. “Quinny wasn’t aggressive. You saw some footage, and the footage showed Quinny walking up the stairs and somebody else being restrained, and then Quinny gets a Level 1. That doesn’t seem fair.”Gibson would not comment on whether de Kock was entirely silent, and neither would several team sources, only for the man himself to admitt he had answered back.”Quinny would not have said anything had something not been said to him in the first place. But I wasn’t out there. Faf was there. Faf probably knows what was said,” Gibson said. “But there’s one guy walking up the stairs going back to his dressing room, there’s another guy having to be restrained. If I am walking, trying to get back to my dressing room and somebody is being restrained, how can you fine me for something?”Asked if de Kock said anything about Warner’s wife, which is what Australia are alleging, Gibson chose to focus on the undefined line and called for clarity. “I wasn’t there. I can’t categorically speak for another person. There’s this thing and I have seen it recently now about the line. They are saying they didn’t cross the line, but where is the line, who sets the line, where did the line come from? When you are saying you didn’t cross the line but we didn’t cross the line, you went very close to the line… whose line is it?”South Africa would really like the umpires to start answering that question. Du Plessis called for them to step in immediately after the end of the first Test. But Kumar Dharmasena and S Ravi have made no reports of anyone breaking the code of conduct and Australia subsequently used that as part of their defence. Gibson, however, believed that the umpires must have heard something.”The match officials are there to do a job and to govern the game on the field, and off the field I guess,” he said. “If they hear things on the field, they should clamp down on it. It becomes unfortunate when everybody else hears stuff and the match officials say they haven’t heard anything. They are there to do a job and they must do their job.”If things are happening in the game and things are being said, and if it’s within earshot – if the player is standing at point or wherever he is fielding, surely the umpires can hear. Maybe the umpires need to stand up and take control of the game.”Unhappy might not be the right word. We just feel that the umpires are there to do a job and they must do their job. When they hear things, they must take charge and don’t leave it to: ‘oh, we didn’t cross the line.’ Can you say whatever you want, and then when something is said, it’s offensive. You didn’t tell us where the line was. Let’s be clear where the line was.”With tension escalating on both sides, the umpires’ roles will be in sharp focus once again in Port Elizabeth. Dharmasena will be the on-field official again on Friday and he will be joined by New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney.”I am happy with aggression being shown on the field if it’s coming from the bowler,” Gibson said. “If a fast bowler is bowling bouncers and trying to intimidate batsmen, to me that’s aggression. When everybody else is chirping or sledging the batter as he is trying to bat, that’s not aggression in my book. That’s how I grew up, playing the game in the Caribbean. But, obviously, things change.”Gibson recalled the West Indies greats of the past, who “didn’t have to (say anything) because they were aggressive with the ball and their body language, and that’s what aggression is. When a batsman is trying to take his guard and people are standing around and saying whatever they want to say, I’m not sure that it’s necessary.”If a bowler has tried everything he can to get a batsman out and he can’t get him out because a batsman is playing well, and then they have to revert to that, then is it aggression? I don’t think that it is.”That was the case at Kingsmead, where de Kock scored 83 and partnered Aiden Markram for a sixth-wicket stand of 147 which stalled Australia’s victory push and dragged the match into the fifth day. De Kock had not struck a half-century in 15 Test innings before that, and there were questions over his form. But Gibson believed the Durban knock showed what de Kock is capable of, both with bat and in his conduct.”It takes a strong character to stand up and bat for three hours when everybody on the field is saying whatever they want to say to you. But then, as soon as you respond, then it’s a different thing. The game should be about cricket on the field. I feel like everybody needs to focus on cricket. Calm down and get back to cricket.”

The Arizona Diamondbacks missed out on the postseason despite winning 89 games in 2024. With their fate out of their hands, the D-Backs found themselves on the outside of the playoffs looking in after the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves split their doubleheader on Monday, resulting in both NL East teams reaching the postseason.

Speaking candidly during an appearance on Arizona Sports radio's Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick took responsibility for one of the team's failed offseason signings.

When discussing the acquisition of starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, Kendrick admitted that he was responsible for the signing, going as far as to call it a "horrible decision."

"Let me say it the best way I can say it. If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you're talking to the guy that should be blamed. Because, I brought it to their attention. I pushed for it, they agreed to it. It wasn't in our game plan," said Kendrick.

"Looking back, in hindsight, a horrible decision to invest that money in a guy who performed as poorly as he did. It's our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint, and I'm the perpetrator of that," he added.

Montgomery, formerly a client of Scott Boras, signed with Arizona after spring training on a one-year, $25 million deal, which includes an option in 2025. He endured the worst campaign of his career, logging a 6.23 ERA across 25 appearances and eventually getting demoted into a bullpen role.

It certainly wasn't the production the Diamondbacks anticipated when bringing him on board. Rather than shift the blame elsewhere, Kendrick took ownership of what was ultimately a catastrophic acquisition for the franchise.

Reactions to Kolkata Knight Riders’ victory over Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling IPL final

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2012″There is only one word that comes to my mind. Mission accomplished.”

“Kolkata Knight Riders are deserving winners. Chennai Super Kings never seemed as consistently good as the Knights.”

“We have been resilient. We knew we would win because we have worked hard in the season. This [win] is the most memorable thing for everybody at Kolkata Knight Riders.”

“What a great finish to Season 5. Great last ball and over finishes.”

“They’ve played an excellent final. We said at half-time, if they get 190 and win it, then fair play to them.”

“KKR had said they would give Kolkata a team that could win them the IPL. They did.”

“It was an amazing effort; wonderful partnership from Jacques Kallis and Manvinder Bisla. It just feels very sweet.”

“Never nice to lose but we did well to get here. Well done KKR. They were consistently the best team through the IPL.”

We gave it our best shot.. KKR better on the night.. To all the CSK fans thanks for the loyal support! Till next year!!

— albie morkel (@albiemorkel) May 27, 2012

Paul Harris’ outside-leg-stump line was perfect in the context of the game, as none of the Indian batsmen figured out how to score runs against him

S Rajesh09-Feb-2010As a template for the perfect Test, this was about as good as it could get for South Africa. Apart from the first one hour, they comprehensively dominated the rest of the four days, losing only six wickets to India’s 20 and yet scoring six more runs. They averaged 93 runs per wicket to India’s 27.60, which indicates the gulf between the two teams in this match. This is South Africa’s fifth win in India, which makes them the only team to win more than they’ve lost in India in the last 15 years. Pakistan have won three and lost as many, but the other sides all have a win-loss ratio of less than one.South Africa deserved the win which ends India’s streak of not losing a Test under MS Dhoni, and it was quite fitting that Dale Steyn provided the final blow of the match, breaching Amit Mishra’s defences to finish with match figures of 10 for 108. It’s his fourth ten-wicket haul, but the first by a South African bowler in India: the previous-best figures in India was also by Steyn – 8 for 114 in Ahmedabad in 2008, in a match which also resulted in an innings win. It was India’s third such defeat in the last 25 years, and they’ve all been inflicted by South Africa.Steyn was the bowling star for South Africa, but on the fourth day Paul Harris did plenty to lift his stocks, which had been dwindling since a poor home series against England, when his 11 wickets came at a cost of more than 40 apiece. In Nagpur, however, the situation was tailor-made for Harris – the batsmen gave him more than enough runs to bowl with, and Steyn’s first-innings burst meant South Africa had plenty of time and were in no rush to force a win. That allowed Harris to frustrate the Indian batsmen with his over-the-wicket, outside-leg-stump line. With the batsmen mostly loathe to play the sweep with any conviction, the runs were choked, and Harris ended with three important second-innings wickets.As the table below shows, Harris bowled 85% of his deliveries from over the stumps, with most of them pitching well outside leg. Of the 194 deliveries he bowled from that angle, the Indian batsmen scored from just 34, which allowed him to stem the runs and build up pressure.

Harris over and round the wicket in India’s second innings

BallsRunsWicketsAverageEcon rateDot ballsOver the wicket19467322.332.07160Round the wicket3490-1.5830Clearly, going into the second Test India need to formulate a strategy to play Harris. They were mostly defensive, which was understandable given the match situation, but their inability to work out options to get him away for runs is something the team will probably work on over the next four days. They tried the sweep shot 30 times, but scored only 38 runs and lost two wickets – those of Murali Vijay and Sachin Tendulkar – in the process. Wriddhiman Saha executed it better than anyone else, scoring 15 runs from seven deliveries, while Tendulkar scored eight from nine such strokes.

How the Indian batsmen played Harris’ over-the-wicket line

StrokeBallsRunsWicketsNo shot/ padded away7500Forward defence5201Sweep/ paddle30382Apart from Harbhajan Singh, who swung freely against him, none of the batsmen got runs at a brisk pace against Harris. Dhoni and S Badrinath were the most becalmed – Dhoni scored three in 36 balls, while Badrinath managed a solitary run in 19 deliveries.

Indian batsmen versus Harris

BatsmanBallsRunsDot ballsMurali Vijay16613Sachin Tendulkar782465S Badrinath19118MS Dhoni36333Wriddhiman Saha471738Harbhajan Singh8181Zaheer Khan24722The only saving grace for India in the second innings was Tendulkar’s 91st international century. It was only his fourth hundred in 38 Test innings against them, and his first in 16 innings against them at home. This was his third hundred in successive Tests, and it continues a superb run for him: since 2007 he averages 57.31 in 31 Tests. During this period he has scored 11 hundreds, with the only blip coming during a barren three-Test series in Sri Lanka.

As the international break brings domestic football to a standstill for the last time in 2023, Arsenal have the chance to revise their squad options in preparation for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.

With it being 12 games into the Premier League season, Mikel Arteta’s side have shown a positive indication that they could fulfil another title charge, however injury woes of late have left the squad looking low on resources.

In the summer, four new faces arrived in north London in the bid to bolster the manager’s options for selection, after the lack of depth became a burden towards the end of the 2022/23 calendar, seeing Arsenal spend over £200m in the transfer market.

Another lucrative shopping spree won't be financially feasible, although further additions are needed when considering how low Arteta’s squad currently is on quality outside of the favoured XI.

One boost is that summer signing Jurrien Timber is set to return from injury within the first few months of 2024, with the Dutchman’s return set to feel like a new signing for the Gunners, who only got to enjoy 126 competitive minutes of their new arrival.

Jurrien Timber’s injury

In July, Arsenal confirmed the signing of the highly-rated Ajax defender, who arrived at the Emirates for a fee of £38m to bolster Arteta’s back line.

Signing the 22-year-old was an important capture for the north Londoners, who were hunting added versatility to the defence after benefitting from the positional successes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ben White during the 2022/23 campaign.

In Timber, the manager wasn’t just getting a new centre-back, the position he predominantly assumed in Amsterdam, but a highly flexible player with the ability to play on either flank in the back four, as well as being equipped to play in the favoured inverted role.

The 2001-born jewel seemed to fit in well to Arteta’s demands, playing fluidly in pre-season as well as shining in the Community Shield match-up against Manchester City at Wembley prior to the Premier League commencing – enjoying a 'good full debut', in the words of the Standard's Dom Smith.

Deployed at left-back, it looked as though Arsenal had found the perfect mix of Kieran Tierney’s defensive know-how and Zinchenko’s progressive expertise in Timber, however, the smiles surrounding his arrival were short-lived on the opening day of the Premier League season.

50 minutes into the Gunners’ clash with Nottingham Forest at the Emirates in August, the Netherlands international was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury, which was later revealed to be an anterior cruciate ligament tear.

It was suspected that the £38m acquisition would be out of action for around seven months, leaving Arteta back to squad one with his defensive options and without the quality that Timber had showcased in the opening moments of his career at Arsenal.

In October, journalist Chris Wheatley relayed that January could be a possible time for the Dutchman to ease into his return, with the knowledge that an injury as complex as an ACL rupture must be given the maximum time to recover, as per NowArsenal.

It was an agonising blow for the player just as it was for the Premier League outfit who had lost their new signing so early into the campaign, however his return could come at a perfect time for Arteta.

How Jurrien Timber could fit into Arsenal’s team

Prior to his injury, the boss highlighted that Timber’s pre-season performances showed that he is a “really versatile player”, adding that the 22-year-old can be used “in different positions” due to his vast range of ability.

As mentioned, the 5 foot 10 dynamo occupied the centre-back role for Ajax, and began life in north London as a full-back, with Arteta lauding the defender’s “capacity to invert and occupy different spaces”.

What’s interesting about the Utrecht-born star’s ability is that his return could have the potential to even bolster Arsenal’s midfield, an area of the pitch that has been starved of quality due to injury and lack of form so far in 2023/24.

As highlighted by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Timber’s attributes saw him endeavour in cameos in defensive midfield under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, opening a door to the possibility that he could return to such position during the Gunners’ time of need.

Mango dubbed the defender as a “smooth operator” for his approach to play in his homeland, also lauding him as one of the “most intelligent defenders in the game”, with his ability to pass through the lines making him a dangerous outlet from the back.

When studying the two-time Eredivisie winners’ statistics from the 2022/23 Eredivisie campaign, it’s interesting to note that FBref listed Edson Alvarez as one of the most statistically comparable centre-backs to Timber that season.

Alvarez similarly made the move to the Premier League in the summer, signing for West Ham United where he has since prevailed as a stellar defensive midfielder for David Moyes’ side, suggesting that his former teammate could do the same in England.

Jurrien Timber

Declan Rice

Granit Xhaka

Thomas Partey

91.6%

86.5%

84.7%

87.2%

8.62

6.60

5.89

8.37

2.38

2.42

1.26

1.23

1.40

2.17

1.02

2.54

1.25

1.73

0.45

1.01

9.78

6.41

4.45

8.37

90.62

68.06

56.86

82.17

As portrayed in the table above, the 22-year-old’s 2022/23 statistics support claims that he could be a valuable asset in the deeper areas of midfield for Arteta, when comparing his league stats to those of Arsenal’s defensive midfielders past and present, last season.

Timber’s ability and experience in playing the inverted role gives him a unique insight into playing in central areas more advanced than the back line, handing the manager another option in the engine room as the Gunners’ options continue to run weak.

Not only could the £38m capture’s return bolster the quality in the squad, but could also save the north Londoners millions by exploiting his resources in midfield, rather than spending big on reinforcements in such area.

While the date of Timber’s return remains uncertain, his return to the squad will be well celebrated by those at the Emirates, with a second shot to enjoy their summer signing when the 2023/24 campaign heats up.

Arsenal ceded ground in the Premier League after drawing against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, though Mikel Arteta will be elated by his side's comeback from two goals down.

Despite toiling for much of the first half, the Gunners flaunted their title-winning credentials with a sensational late fightback, and at this stage of the campaign, Arteta will indeed be far more impressed with the mentality than the squandering of the joint-top spot.

However, the tense affair was littered with several subpar displays, and there will undoubtedly be some post-match discussions regarding the poor performances, with Oleksandr Zinchenko at the epicentre.

How did Oleksandr Zinchenko play against Chelsea?

The Ukrainian dynamo has been an important figure at the Emirates Stadium since signing from Manchester City in a £32m deal in 2022, though against the Blues, he had an evening to forget.

Hooked at half-time, the 26-year-old's technical qualities had been completely negated by the electric pace of Raheem Sterling, with BBC Sports' Raj Chohan remarking at the England international's "immense" dribbling.

According to Sofascore, Zinchenko produced the worst match rating of the night (6.2) and picked up a yellow card for his travails, recorded to have been dribbled past and committed an error leading to a shot.

Having only won one ground duel too, it truly was an awkward and forgettable affair on an individual level, having also taken 33 touches but failed to demonstrate his passing skills with anything of note.

While the 57-cap international was the notable struggler, captain Martin Odegaard, so often the spark of ingenuity and inspiration in decisive matches, was a shadow of his former self, subdued in the middle of the pitch.

How did Martin Odegaard perform vs Chelsea?

Declan Rice stole the show once again with his talismanic role in orchestrating the comeback having fallen two goals down after the break, but Odegaard really did endure a tough night.

As per FBref, the Norwegian phenom ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 2% for shot-creating actions, and the top 12% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, but he failed to live up to such superlative metrics in a heated London derby.

The £240k-per-week machine only took 35 touches during his 78 minutes on the pitch despite Arsenal controlling the lion's share of possession; comparatively, Enzo Fernandez took 73 in the opposite squad.

Odegaard also lost the ball on ten occasions, highlighting just how wasteful he was in possession.

And while the former Real Madrid prospect made two key passes, he couldn't muster a shot nor succeed with his one attempted dribble, also winning just one duel on the night despite his central placement, leading journalist Sam Dean to remark how "off it" he was.

In his post-match ratings, football.london's Kaya Kaynak was displeased with the captain's contribution, writing: 'A bad day at the office for the Norwegian who struggled to ever really got on the ball. On the rare occasions that he did there was a distinct lack of quality.'

The 5 foot 10 Odegaard has been absolutely integral to the Gunners' ascendancy over the past several years, proving to be the squad's creative fulcrum and inspiring leader since receiving the captaincy in July 2022.

But there's no denying that he was off the boil in west London, and Arteta will look to swiftly stamp out any tincture of poor form to serve the squad in the fight for the gleaming Premier League trophy.

Bukayo Saka conceded Arsenal had "luck" on their side as they narrowly edged past a "frustrating" Wolves side 2-1 courtesy of two own goals on Saturday evening. The England international was heavily involved in Sam Johnstone and Yerson Mosquera putting through their own net as the Gunners moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

• Johnstone & Mosquera score own goals as Arsenal ride their luck

  Looking to put pressure on title rivals Manchester City ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday, Arsenal took to the field as heavy favourites against a Wolves side who are yet to win a league game this season. However, it took until the 70th minute for the north Londoners to break the deadlock when Saka’s in-swinging corner hit the post before ricocheting off Wolves goalkeeper Johnstone and into the back of the net.

  But just when Mikel Arteta’s charges thought they were heading for all three points, they had their heads in their hands when substitute Tolu Arokodare headed home from Mateus Mane’s cross on the 90th-minute mark. 

  Yet in a final twist to the game, Wolves defender Mosquera unfortunately headed into his own net in the fourth minute of injury time when trying to prevent Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus from meeting Saka’s brilliant cross.

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  Saka admits Arsenal underperformed against winless Wolves

  Relieved he and his team-mates were able to get over the line in the end, Saka admitted Arsenal were fortunate to come away with all three points at the Emirates Stadium.

  "Yes, sometimes you need it [luck]," the winger told after the full-time whistle. "Today, it went our way. We will take the points and move forward. We won't know until May (how important the win will be come the end of the season), but we can be happy tonight that we left with three points. 

  "Coming to the Emirates we want to make the teams know that it is going to be tough here and it is not going to be an easy game. It was frustrating at times, I'll be honest. The message to the boys was to stay patient and trying things – in the end we got our reward. It is high [morale] and we have a break now up until next week."

• Manager Arteta frustrated by Gunners' failure to kill game off

  While manager Arteta was also relieved to see Arsenal emerge victorious against Wolves, the Spaniard was equally frustrated by his side’s inability to kill the game off sooner, saying his players made the match harder than it needed to be.

  "It was a relief, but a very clear understanding that the margin should have been bigger," he said in his post-match press conference. "After not being precise enough in the first half with the amount of situations that we generated inside the opposition box and we didn't pick the right colour of shirt on so many occasions, we had an overload to do that. 

  "We had to improve in the second half in relation to that, I think we did it. We generated more chances, scored a goal, but after we had a period of two or three minutes in deep, totally passive, with horrible defensive habits, that is nowhere near the level that is required against a team that hasn't had a single shot. The first time that they had the opportunity to do it, they scored the goal and this is the Premier League. 

  "Unfortunately, we are relieved because we managed to score a goal at the end and go and win it, but we need to improve in that sense for sure."

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  Arsenal's next matches: Gunners face four games across two competitions

  Arsenal return to league action when they travel to in-form Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium next Saturday. The match will take place on that date after the Gunners were successful with their request to move the game forward ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Crystal Palace on Tuesday, 23 December, citing a need to avoid fixture congestion.

  Arteta’s men will then see out 2025 with successive home clashes against Brighton and third-placed Aston Villa in the league on Saturday, 27 December, and Tuesday, 30 December respectively.