Category Uncategorized

Wilfried Nancy will manage his first match in charge of Celtic this afternoon as Hearts come to Parkhead in a top-of-the-table clash in the Scottish Premiership.

It will be interesting to see what tactical changes he has been able to implement after only a few days on the training pitch, as his usual system with his former club is different from the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shape that the Hoops have played this season.

Per FBRef, Nancy played with a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-3 system in 31 of his 43 matches with Columbus Crew this year in all competitions, often playing with two second strikers or number tens behind a main centre-forward.

If the French boss goes with his favoured 3-4-2-1 system, he could ruthlessly drop Luke McCowan from the team that started against Dundee last time out.

Why Wilfried Nancy should drop Luke McCowan

The Scottish midfielder has started the last two league matches on the right wing in Martin O’Neill’s 4-2-3-1 system, but he has been ineffective in a new role, lacking the dynamism and pace required to be effective in that area of the pitch.

McCowan, who has not scored since the opening day of the season, did not score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team against Hibernian or Dundee as a winger, per Sofascore.

He also completed just two of his five attempted dribbles, per Sofascore, struggling with the explosive turn of pace that is often needed to make things happen on the wing, whilst he also lost seven of his 11 duels in total across both matches.

These statistics suggest that McCowan should be dropped irrespective of a change in formation, but a change in shape to a 3-4-2-1 would allow Nancy to ditch the Scotsman by unleashing Johnny Kenny in a new role.

The new role that Johnny Kenny could play for Celtic

It has been a rollercoaster couple of months for the Ireland international, who went from rarely playing under Brendan Rodgers to scoring four goals in O’Neill’s first four games, to now being on the bench behind Daizen Maeda.

Kenny has been an unused substitute in the last three matches, which means that he has still scored four goals in his last five appearances for the club, per Sofascore, and Nancy could bring him back into the fold as an attacking midfielder or second striker.

The two roles behind the striker in a 3-4-2-1 system are unique because it can be a very fluid front three with a lot of movement, and that could suit both Kenny and Maeda, the former of whom has been praised for his “top-drawer” mentality by his former Sligo Rovers coach Conor O’Grady.

Celtic’s Irish striker has shown that he can score goals for the club, with his four-goal burst under O’Neill, but Nancy’s job is to find the best way to fit him into the system to get the best out of him.

Per Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old star has never played as a second striker or as an attacking midfielder in his career to date. It is a role that could suit him quite nicely, though.

GK

Kasper Schmeichel

CB

Dane Murray

CB

Auston Trusty

CB

Liam Scales

RWB

Colby Donovan

CM

Callum McGregor

CM

Reo Hatate

LWB

Kieran Tierney

AM

Hyun-jun Yang

AM

Johnny Kenny

ST

Daizen Maeda

As you can see in the XI above, Kenny could play as one of two players behind Maeda, who is a relentless pressing forward who can also play deeper or out wide, and could rotate across all three positions.

This fluidity could suit the Irishman because of his mobility and desire to run beyond the last line to create chances for himself, without being the focal point who has to bring physicality and hold up play, because it will be Maeda in that position.

Of course, it is hard to judge how the system will look until Nancy has had a few games to test things out and more time on the training pitch to coach the players, but Kenny seems like a player who could benefit from a 3-4-2-1 formation.

That change in shape, whilst helping the striker, would also allow the manager to drop an underperforming player, McCowan, from the starting line-up to provide the young forward with a chance to shine in a brand-new role in his career.

Better than Maeda: Celtic star is going to be undroppable under Nancy

This Celtic star who was even better than Daizen Maeda against Dundee should be Wilfried Nancy’s first undroppable star.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

The baseball postseason—and specifically the World Series—has a habit of creating heroes from the most unlikely sources. This time, unlikely hero Addison Barger navigated some extenuating circumstances to help power the Blue Jays to an 11–4 win over the Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

Addison Barger makes World Series history

Barger went from a pull-out couch, to the Blue Jays bench to the plate, where he belted the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, blowing the game open and extending Toronto's lead to 9-2 in its eventual win.

"His family is coming in, came in tonight," Blue Jays outfielder Davis Schneider said after the game. "He needed someone. He was staying with Myles [Straw] and then stayed with me last night. My girlfriend is here so like, he’s like, ‘Can I sleep in the bed with you guys.' "

According to , it is not uncommon for Blue Jays players to stay at teammates' houses during the season, and some have looked to stay closer to Rogers Centre to beat World Series-related traffic.

So Schneider offered to have Barger sleep on his pull-out couch, though it may not have been the best night's sleep for the 25-year-old Barger.

"So I was like ‘No,’ sleep on my couch. Sleep on the pullout.' It’s a pullout, yeah. But it was squeaking all night. Yeah, it was so funny. I looked over and I just see him sleeping there in the middle of the night. He’s a headcase, but he’s fun."

Barger slept on the couch again?

Barger, as Schneider's sister Madeline pointed out on X, slept on the couch once again following the World Series victory. At this point, it's either that Barger genuinely likes sleeping on the squeaky pull-out couch, or he and the Blue Jays aren't messing with what could be good superstition.

Game 2 of the World Series begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night.

Marseille’s injury crisis has deepened ahead of their must-win Champions League clash with Newcastle, as defender Nayef Aguerd has been ruled out with a persistent pubalgia issue and Facundo Medina has suffered a fresh ankle relapse. With Amine Gouiri and Hamed Traore also long-term absentees, Roberto De Zerbi faces a mounting selection puzzle at the worst possible moment.

De Zerbi faces defensive setback before Newcastle

Marseille enter midweek's Champions League showdown with Newcastle already under pressure, and their challenges have only grown. The club confirmed that Aguerd will miss the match due to ongoing pubalgia discomfort, ending hopes of a late return. The Moroccan defender, who also sat out the 5-1 win over Nice, has been battling groin pain for several weeks and the medical staff has insisted on rest, especially with the Africa Cup of Nations less than a month away.  

Aguerd’s absence stretches the defensive resources at a critical moment, as Marseille chase their first meaningful momentum in Europe. Despite travelling to join the Moroccan national team earlier this month, he was quickly withdrawn from consideration for their friendly fixtures and told he needs at least two weeks of recovery. The defender privately admitted he could no longer play through the pain, prompting caution from both club and country.

AdvertisementAFPMedina’s relapse adds to Marseille injury woes

Compounding Marseille’s concerns is another setback for Medina. The Argentine centre-back, already sidelined for nearly two months with a right ankle sprain, has suffered a relapse in his recovery and will not return before January.

De Zerbi explained the situation bluntly: “Medina has had a relapse. He should be out for another month. He is difficult to replace, both because of his character and his physical attributes.”

Medina’s injury troubles have haunted him since the start of the season, having hurt his other ankle in August and delaying his debut for the club until mid-September. His leadership, aggression, and ability to carry the ball out of defence have been crucial traits—traits Marseille must now replace as they enter their busiest period of the campaign.

With both Aguerd and Medina sidelined, De Zerbi may be forced to rely heavily on Benjamin Pavard, CJ Egan-Riley, and Leonardo Balerdi, a rotation far from ideal given the stakes of the upcoming match.

Greenwood and Weah switching role amid injuries

Beyond the immediate defensive concerns, Marseille continue to miss two important attacking profiles, Amine Gouiri and Hamed Junior Traore.

Gouiri, out since early October, is recovering from surgery on a dislocated right shoulder—an injury worsened during international duty with Algeria. His rehabilitation at Aspetar is progressing, but he is not expected back until January 2026. His absence has deprived Marseille of a versatile forward capable of linking play and unlocking defences, a role that has been difficult to replace consistently.

Traore’s situation is equally troubling. The Ivorian has been out since September with a persistent thigh injury, and despite attempts to resume light training, the pain has not subsided. De Zerbi recently admitted that “things are not progressing well”, and the club has already reassigned a physiotherapist involved in his initial rehabilitation due to mishandling the recovery process.

Given the injury problems affecting key forwards like Gouiri and Traore, De Zerbi is navigating this challenging period by relying more on players like Timothy Weah and Mason Greenwood, rotating roles and adjusting formations accordingly. De Zerbi values Weah’s versatility, which helps mitigate the impact of injuries by plugging gaps on the right side either as a winger or wing-back. This adaptability has been critical for Marseille maintaining attacking threat and squad balance amidst absences.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPStade Velodrome awaits Newcastle

Despite the adversity, Marseille showed against Nice that they possess the firepower and collective strength to deliver big performances. But the Champions League brings a different level of intensity and without key figures, De Zerbi must once again turn to tactical adaptability and squad depth. Despite the adversity, Marseille showed against Nice that they possess the firepower and collective strength to deliver big performances. But the Champions League brings a different level of intensity—and without key figures, De Zerbi must once again turn to tactical adaptability and squad depth. 

Central finished day two with a lead of 235 runs after South Zone folded for 149 on day one

Ashish Pant12-Sep-2025Centuries from Rajat Patidar and Yash Rathod, on the back of a 53 from Danish Malewar, gave Central Zone firm control of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.Patidar scored 101 off 115 balls while Rathod remained unbeaten on 137 as Central finished on 384 for 5 on the second day, leading South Zone by 235 runs.The day began with Central in arrears but by only 99 runs. The conditions were in the bowlers’ favour: it was overcast and windy, and Vasuki Koushik was on point. He sent Akshay Wadkar back with a peach of an inswinger that pitched outside off and decked back in sharply. Wadkar, who had shouldered arms, lost his off stump.With Kerala’s MD Nidheesh not as incisive, Gurjapneet Singh was brought into the attack early, and he immediately made the Central batters uncomfortable. He bowled in the mid-130kph range, and got the ball to move both ways.Gurjapneet was soon rewarded when Shubham Sharma tried to drive a fuller-length delivery outside off, and got a thick inside edge which sent his middle stump cartwheeling. Malewar reached his fifty off 113 balls, driving Gurjapneet on the up through covers, but fell soon after edging the fast bowler to first slip.Gurjapneet Singh dismissed Danish Malewar and Shubham Sharma before lunch•PTI

At 93 for 3 in the 33rd over, and with the ball moving around, South would have eyed a few more wickets. But Patidar drained all their optimism. He got off the mark by punching Koushik off the front foot past mid-off, and then clipped him through midwicket. In his next over, Patidar drove Koushik on the up past mid-off again. Rathod, at the other end, took a little more time to get going, with Gurjapneet testing him outside the off stump.Patidar, however, was untroubled as he continued to consistently fetch the boundaries. The confidence rubbed onto Rathod, who sent Nidheesh for two successive fours in the 43rd over.This was the first time Patidar and Rathod were batting together in first-class cricket. While there was some miscommunication early, once they settled in, the quick singles to mid-off and mid-on became a feature of their partnership. Patidar took Central into the lead in the last over before lunch by sweeping Ricky Bhui to the deep square leg fence, as he and Rathod went into the break unscathed.Patidar had a slice of luck in the first over after play resumed, when, on 44, he shouldered arms to a straight delivery from Ankit Sharma, and was struck on his pad. Up went the umpire’s finger, but while the replays showed the ball to be clipping off stump, Ankit had overstepped. The Central captain reached his fifty off 72 balls, gliding Ankit past point before nudging him fine again through the same region.A key feature of Patidar’s innings was the way he manouvered the field. That was on display in an over from Bhui, when he first whipped the offspinner through midwicket, then slog swept him over wide long-on, and again swept him behind square.Yash Rathod was unbeaten on 137 after day two•PTI

Patidar then went after Gurjapneet, first driving a half-volley through covers before upper-cutting him for six over deep third’s head. Patidar had raced into the 90s with Central’s lead going past 60.There are no fans allowed to watch the Duleep Trophy final, but around 20 of them found a small opening from the side of the road to witness Patidar reaching his 15th first-class century. He got there with a single to mid-off, and while there were muted celebrations, Central’s lead had swelled.Rathod also reached his fifty, clipping Gurjapneet through midwicket and then driving Ankit through covers. The 167-run fourth-wicket stand between the two finally came to an end when Patidar edged a sharp, short-of-a-length delivery from Gurjapneet down leg to depart for 101. Central lost Upendra Yadav, too, with Nideesh strangling him down leg, but Rathod kept going.It didn’t take Rathod long to reach his seventh first-class century after tea, getting there with a push to point. He roared in celebration before removing his helmet and gloves and pointing upwards. With the milestone complete, Rathod attacked Ankit, thumping him over wide mid-on and pulling him through midwicket.New batter Saransh Jain, fresh from a half-century in the semi-final, also got going, with the lead past the 200-mark. South took the new ball only in the 101st over, but with the pitch flattening out, both batters had no trouble dealing with it. They added 108 runs in the last session off 32 overs, with Central ending the day firmly on top.

Over the last few days, they have done away with their philosophy, dropped their best players, and found a short-term, unsustainable way to get ahead

Danyal Rasool16-Oct-2024In the heady days of early 2021, Pakistan had a strut in their step. Test cricket had returned to Pakistan. Shaheen Shah Afridi was hitting his stride, and a young Naseem Shah had taken Test cricket by storm. Even Hasan Ali, derailed for years with form and fitness concerns, had marked his Test return by finishing as the top wicket-taker in a hard-fought home series against South Africa. A series which – on two cracking surfaces in Karachi and Rawalpindi – Pakistan had won 2-0.But that strut also betrayed an air of moral superiority. Pakistan, it was felt, were now different to the rest of South Asia, a land where the ball seamed and swung, where fast bowlers took nine of the 10 wickets in the fourth innings on the fifth day. Their Asian neighbours may have produced dustbowls, turning tracks, and quick-finishing Test matches, but was that really fun? Veteran spinner Yasir Shah – perhaps Pakistan’s most important player during the second half of their UAE exile – was gently making way to these young quicks, with Azhar Ali speaking of his “changing role” in the team. He would never play another home Test match.In the years since, Pakistan have not won another home Test match. The reputation for spicy wickets Pakistan had attempted to cultivate lies in tatters. Afridi’s pace has dropped to a level that no longer places him among the elite in Test cricket, while the workload on Naseem’s fragile young body has seen him pick up injuries and require extended periods of rest.Related

• Sajid Khan turns the Test Pakistan's way after Ben Duckett sweeps to century

• Pakistan drop Shaheen, Naseem alongside Babar for next two Tests

It all culminated in an embarrassing innings defeat last week, sending Pakistan down the desperate path they now trod in Multan. The pace bowlers had had a good run, so much so they played four of them three Tests ago against Bangladesh. In all three Tests, they looked as likely to take 20 wickets as to sprout wings and fly. So what was that other thing South Asian sides did against non-Asian opposition?Who knew? Pakistan had made no plans for this. Until the weekend, there was a wicket two strips across being prepared for this Test. Akin to a student realising they’d prepped for the wrong exam all term, Pakistan spent the weekend ripping up their notes and glancing sneakily across to their neighbours. They recycled the same surface, dropped (sorry, rested) their seamers, lined up with three specialist spinners to go with the three-part-time spinners already in their XI. They even won the toss, batted first, and posted a decent first-innings score.But, as an American political argument almost goes: spinning tracks don’t take wickets, good spinners take wickets. And all the evidence suggested Pakistan did not rate these three spinners especially highly. Zahid Mahmood and Noman Ali had been released from the squad for the first Test; Sajid Khan never a part of it. They were all so unlikely to feature this series none of them had played a first-class match since January. When Bangladesh A played a pair of warm-ups against their Pakistani counterparts, Sajid, Nauman and Zahid played no part.What followed was about as predictable as it gets. Spinners need rhythm, or their lines and lengths waver. England are adept at putting rubbish deliveries away. Pakistan’s trio were bowling plenty of those, partly because they were rusty, and partly, as their records suggest, they’re not quite world-class. England didn’t need a second invitation putting them away.

“I’m always the first one to be kicked out. From domestic and club cricket to international cricket, if anyone was going to be left out, it would be me. So I have learned to fight for my place all the time.”Sajid Khan

Ben Duckett alone had the opportunity to sweep 29 times through his innings, a combination of Sajid and Nauman pitching it up and bowling a shade too quick. Pakistan were finding out may be able to replicate a template post-haste, but cricketers cannot be conjured out of thin air. Their dearth of spin-bowling quality in the country was on full display for the best part of the final two sessions. Duckett had swept – quite literally – his way to three figures, and with an hour to play, England had raced to 211 for two. With the shadows lengthening and the floodlights flickering on, the door looked to be closing on Pakistan and the spinners on their last chance saloon.It’s a feeling Sajid doesn’t like, but one he’s experienced a lot. “I’m always the first one to be kicked out,” he said after the game. “From domestic and club cricket to international cricket, if anyone was going to be left out, it would be me. So I have learned to fight for my place all the time.”In that last hour, Sajid put all his experience of keeping that closing door ajar to good use. A miscued smear from Joe Root gave him a wicket slightly against the run of play, but Sajid has sensed the pitch was beginning to come to life; he just needed to be smart about how to use it.”There’s a patch slightly wider outside the off stump that was producing turn, and at a particular pace. We were bowling a little too quickly, but if you slow it down to 67, 68 kph, that’s when you got purchase. If you bowl at particular spots at 90+ you’ll only get the odd break. But there’s nothing in it for the spinner if you’re bowling within the stumps. If you bowl wider outside the stumps, and slow, that’s where the cracks are, and that’s what we seek to exploit.”It is surprising insight to give out midway through a Test, but out there, England seemed to be none the wiser. Tossing it up and landing it into the rough, he took the sweep out of Duckett’s arsenal. The cover drive he attempted to play wasn’t nearly as assured, and Agha Salman at first slip was poised.It was Harry Brook’s dismissal, though, that is likelier to be a harbinger for both sides’ batters. Sajid merely followed his new-found plan, landing it around sixth stump. Brook was slow to close the gap between bat and pad as he stepped back, perhaps understandably believing he had time to readjust for spin. The rocking back of his middle stump suggested otherwise.Noman, too, capitalised on Pakistan’s new-found momentum to find Ben Stokes’ inside edge to short leg, and to send his side in at stumps on the ascendancy. The concept of overnight advantage carries psychological heft in cricket; stumps an hour earlier would have seen the day end with England utterly dominant.The purists might wonder if this style of cricket is genuinely Pakistani. But over the last few days, they have done away with their philosophy, dropped their best players, cobbled together a bowling attack from change they found down the back of the sofa, and found a short-term, unsustainable way to manufacture a position of advantage. What could be more authentically Pakistani than that?

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!