Tottenham Hotspur fans have been blessed by countless attacking talents over the years, many of whom have handed the supporters memories to last a lifetime.

Whilst he failed to claim any silverware in North London, striker Harry Kane will arguably go down as one of the best ever players to represent the Lilywhites.

The 32-year-old posted an incredible tally of 280 goals during his decade in the first-team squad, often being the go-to player in terms of producing the goods within attacking areas.

His subsequent tally saw him overtake Jimmy Greaves in the club’s history books, becoming the Lilywhites’ all-time leading scorer in the league and all competitions.

However, his departure in 2023 has left a huge hole at the top end of the pitch, with Thomas Frank yet to find a suitable successor during the early months of his tenure.

What Frank has made of Richarlison in 2025/26

With Dominic Solanke’s injury issues coming back to bite him in the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign, new boss Frank has had to rely upon Richarlison to provide the goods in the final third.

The Brazilian looked set to depart to join Galatasaray during the summer transfer window, but the Dane’s arrival seemingly gave the forward a new lease of life in North London.

He netted twice on the opening day against Burnley, also scoring against Brighton & Hove Albion – but has come under fire in recent weeks amid his lack of impact.

The 28-year-old has now failed to score in any of his last four outings for the Lilywhites, which has led to criticism from the fanbase over his long-term future at the club.

However, Frank himself has previously spoken about Richarlison’s impact, offering a glowing review of the forward and praising him for his form since taking the reins.

In a recent interview, the Dane stated: “Right now he’s my starting nine, he’s scored some fantastic goals. He is a very good player, and I’m very happy with him.”

Despite the praise, rumours have also been swirling around his future, potentially seeing him move to the MLS to join Orlando City in the upcoming transfer window.

There’s no denying that the hierarchy will be targeting reinforcements in such an area in the distant future, but they could save themselves millions by unleashing one player within their ranks.

The Spurs star who could be a Harry Kane regen

Whoever fills the void for Spurs in the centre-forward position will have huge expectations placed upon them, mainly due to the impact produced by Kane.

Losing a world-class level talent is always going to provide a near-impossible task of replacing him, as seen by the Lilywhites’ attempts in recent years since his departure.

Given Solanke’s recent issues with fitness and Richarlison’s inability to provide the goods on a consistent basis, a solution desperately needs to be found if the manager is to be a success in the role.

However, the £110m spending spree this summer may have a bearing on the levels of funds available next year, with the manager needing to consider utilising Will Lankshear.

The 20-year-old is a product of the Lilywhites’ academy, just like Kane, but the similarities go deeper than just his route to becoming a professional.

He was sent on his first loan spell last campaign, subsequently joining West Brom in January, but was unable to make the desired impact after failing to find the net in his 11 outings.

Kane suffered a similar fate back in 2010/11, with the Englishman struggling to set the world alight during his first loan spell at Leyton Orient in League One.

Will Lankshear – Oxford stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

9

Goals scored

3

Pass accuracy

78%

Chances created

1.6

Shots on target

1.2

Dribble success

57%

Aerials won

46%

Fouls won

1.9

Stats via FotMob

However, Lankshear has seemingly impressed in England’s second tier so far this season, already netting three times in his nine outings for Oxford United.

Such form has seen the forward be labelled a “Harry Kane regen” by one analyst, further highlighting the huge potential he possesses at present.

There’s no disputing that Lankshear will need to make a huge jump between starring for Oxford and the Lilywhites, but it’s something that Kane managed to do upon his break into the squad.

Such a move won’t be the supporters’ main one, but it’s a cost-effective one that could certainly make the club millions should he reach the levels achieved by his compatriot.

As for Richarlison, if the youngster manages to cement his place within the first team ranks, it could certainly spell the end for him in North London despite the manager’s hefty recent praise.

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Posts ByDan Emery Oct 15, 2025

No one associated with Celtic Football Club is pleased to be in the Europa League, given their catastrophic and ignominious Champions League exit at the hands of Kairat, but now here, they’re desperate to make a good go of it.

Well, on Wednesday night, the Hoops did make a positive start to the league phase, holding Red Star Belgrade to a 1-1 draw at Stadion Rajko Mitić.

Brendan Rodgers’ side were probably the better side throughout, unlucky not to leave the Serbian capital with all three points, looking exponentially better than they did in Almaty during their last European fixture a month ago, that’s for sure.

Next Thursday, Braga will visit Parkhead, with home games against Sturm Graz, Roma and Utrecht to come thereafter, while the Celts will also travel to Midtjylland, Feyenoord and Bologna.

If Celtic are going to secure a top eight finish, and then make a deep run in the Europa League knockout stages, they’ll need the “fearless” attacker to continue to impress, as he did at the Marakana on Wednesday.

Kelechi Iheanacho scores again

When Kelechi Iheanacho signed for Celtic, there was plenty of skepticism and rightly so.

After Adam Idah had been sold to Swansea for £7m, the Hoops were left without a senior centre-forward at the time the transfer window slammed shut, only able to sign Iheanacho because Sevilla agreed to terminate his contract.

The Nigerian failed to score a single La Liga goal for los Nervionenses, having not reached double figures in a single campaign since 2020/21, but that fact looks like changing, even at this early stage.

Iheanacho marked his debut in hoops by converting a stoppage time penalty at Kilmarnock to snatch a 2-1 victory at Rugby Park.

He then opened the scoring in Belgrade on Wednesday with an excellent finish, having been introduced as a half-time substitute, a goal that Joe Hart, speaking on commentary for TNT Sports, described as “ice-cold”.

The one-time Manchester City striker was also compared to Odsonne Édouard, praised for his “clean touch” and “intelligent movement”.

By accident, more than by design, Celtic appear to have landed a top-class centre-forward, but it was another one of the Hoops’ summer recruits who particularly caught the eye in Belgrade.

'Fearless' Celtic star catching the eye

While Celtic supporters are generally furious at the board’s inactivity in the transfer market, they surely have to be pleased with the signing of Benjamin Nygren, arriving from Nordsjælland for just £1.7m back in July, which looks like an absolute bargain.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Most assumed that the Sweden international was coming in to replace Nicolas Kühn on the right wing, having played a lot of his football in Denmark out-wide, but from day one he has been part of Rodgers’ first-choice midfield trio.

In just his second appearance for the club, Nygren opened the scoring against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, before also netting twice against Livingston a week later.

On Wednesday, he really stepped up and came to the fore, given a 7/10 by the Herald, who note that he grew into the game after the interval, seeing a decent opportunity smartly saved by Matheus, before turning provider to play the ball through to Iheanacho for the night’s opener.

Earlier this year, now the most expensive player in British football history, Alexander Isak, who is Nygren’s international teammate, labelled him “fearless”, adding “it was very good to play with Benjamin… playing with a winger like that who is able to provide good crosses can only be beneficial” for a striker.

During his time at previous club Nordsjælland, Nygren scored five goals in five Conference League appearances, including a hat-trick against Fenerbahçe, and is showing that he is capable of making the step-up to an even higher level of European competition.

That was evident on Wednesday night, as he completed 100% of his attempted dribbles and provided three key passes, as per Sofascore, starring in that creative attacking berth for Rodgers’ side.

When Braga travel to Parkhead next Thursday, if Celtic are going to get their first Europa League win on the board, the Swede in midfield is likely to be central to their hopes.

Worse than Maeda: Rodgers must drop Celtic star who lost the ball 13x

Celtic endured a night of mixed fortunes away in Belgrade on Wednesday evening…

By
Robbie Walls

Sep 25, 2025

The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays start a key weekend series tonight.

The O's are currently sitting in a wild card spot in the American league and are 4.5 games behind the Yankees, while the 31-31 Rays need to get hot if they want to get back into the playoffs picture.

In this article, I'm going to break down everything you need to know to bet on tonight's AL East showdown.

Orioles vs. Rays Odds, Run Line, and Total

Run Line:

Orioles -1.5 (+152)Rays +1.5 (-184)

Moneyline:

Orioles -104Rays -112

Total:

8.5 (Over -120/Under -102)Orioles vs. Rays Probable PitchersOrioles: Cole Irvin (5-2, 2.84 ERA)Rays: Aaron Civale (2-4, 5.37 ERA)Orioles vs. Rays How to WatchDate: Friday, June 7Time: 6:50 p.m. ESTVenue: Tropicana FieldHow to watch (TV): MASN2Orioles record: 39-22Rays record: 31-31Orioles vs. Rays Key Players to WatchBaltimore Orioles

Gunnar Henderson: Gunnar Henderson has been the heart and ssoul of the Orioles this season and he's been fantastic over the past month. He's second in OPS over that time span at 1.038 while hitting nine home runs.

Tampa Bay Rays

Aaron Civale: If the Rays want any chance of beating the Orioles, they need to have a strong outing from their starting pitcher, Aaron Civale, who has a 5.37 ERA on the season. He allowed six hits but just one earned run in 5.1 innings against the Orioles in his last start.

Orioles vs. Rays Prediction and Pick

I firmly believe the Rays are one of the most overvalued teams in the betting market this season. Based on their metrics, they should feel lucky they're sitting at .500 on the season. Over the last 30 days, they're 28th in the Majors in OPS as their offense has gone cold.

The Orioles, on the other hand, are third in OPS over that time frame.

The Orioles bullpen has also been significantly better than the Rays this season, ranking seventh in bullpen ERA at 3.37 while the Rays enter this weekend's series ranking 21st in bullpen ERA at 4.19.

On top of all that, Cole Irvin (2.84 ERA) is the clear superior starting pitcher over Aaron Civale (5.37 ERA).

Give me the O's tonight.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has led the Lilywhites to a pretty promising start so far this season, but one internal decision has sparked some debate.

Thomas Frank averaging close to 2 points per game at Spurs

Following their gritty 2-1 win over Leeds United just prior to the international break, Frank has averaged close to 2 points per game over his first 11 games at Spurs so far.

Ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s controversial decision to axe former boss Ange Postecoglou, who guided them to their first major trophy in 17 years last season, looks vindicated as the Australian endures a torrid time at new side Nottingham Forest.

As Postecoglou struggles to chalk up his first Forest win after replacing Nuno Espírito Santo, with reports suggesting that Tricky Trees owner Evangelos Marinakis is considering his unceremonious sacking already, Frank’s tenure in North London has been very positive by contrast.

While some concerns surrounded their performances against Wolves and Bodo/Glimt, with Tottenham rescuing dramatic draws against the two teams they were expected to beat comfortably, Frank has certainly solidified what was a fragile-looking Spurs side.

Only Premier League leaders Arsenal have conceded fewer goals than Tottenham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace over the first top flight games of 25/26, and Spurs’ performance at Leeds was built upon their newly-found resilience as a unit.

Tottenham ended the Yorkshire side’s year-long unbeaten run at home in the league by overcoming Daniel Farke and co at Elland Road, whilst also ending their torrid record of seven consecutive defeats in games just before an international break.

Frank is undoubtedly making his mark at N17, with the Dane also deciding his leadership group to spearhead Spurs through a long campaign where they’ll be competing on multiple fronts.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, who have been called one of the best centre-back partnerships in world football, are among the chosen leaders, with long-serving defender Ben Davies, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and playmaker James Maddison making up rest of the five.

However, pundit John Wenham has been left shocked by a key omission from the group.

Pundit "surprised" by key Thomas Frank decision at Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham believes that right-back Pedro Porro should be in there.

The Spaniard, who’s played the fifth most league minutes out of any Tottenham player under Frank, has also made more clearances per 90 on average than all of his teammates in the top flight this season (WhoScored).

The 26-year-old has attracted criticism at times, but he was a solid candidate for the leadership group, with Wenham left “surprised” by Frank’s decision not to include Porro given the defender was captained for the very first time against Doncaster Rovers.

The former Sporting CP star, who was originally signed to slot into former boss Antonio Conte’s wing-back system, has gone on to make 116 appearances in all competitions.

His flair as an attack-minded full-back has seen Porro rack up 22 total assists for the club, including a sumptuous cross for van de Ven to head home against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League most recently — which eventually helped to prevent a humbling defeat in Norway.

Frank has also compared Porro to Real Madrid and former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, so while the Dane doesn’t view him as one of the leaders, it is clear how highly he’s rated by Tottenham’s new boss.

Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed that Manchester United still "don't have a structure" in an explosive new interview with Piers Morgan. The former Red Devils striker has also ruled Ruben Amorim's side out of the 2025-26 Premier League title race, insisting that the Portuguese coach cannot perform "miracles" with the current resources at his disposal at Old Trafford.

Getty Images SportRonaldo 'sad' about the state of Man Utd

“For me, I'm sad because of the club, that’s one of the most important clubs in the world, and a club that I still have in my heart because of the obvious reasons,” Ronaldo began in the combined sit-down for his YouTube channel and Talk TV's .

“You have to follow with the intelligent people, smart people, to create a base for the future as Manchester United have [done] so many years ago. Nicky Butt, Gary [Neville], Roy Keane, Beckham, they became big players but they had youth. So Manchester United right now, they don't have a structure.  

“I hope that changes in the future, present/future, because the potential of the club, it's amazing. It's one of the most important clubs of the century.”

The Al-Nassr and Portugal superstar added on the task Amorim is facing: “He is doing his best, what else can he do? He can’t do miracles. We say in Portugal, ‘Miracles is only in Fatima’… And he’s not gonna do miracles. They have good players but they don’t have, some of them, in mind what Manchester United is.”

When pressed on United's chances of clinching the Premier League title this season, Ronaldo replied: "It's not possible for them to win the Premier League. They're already too many points behind Arsenal."

AdvertisementAFPPoints finger of blame at Glazers & INEOS

Ronaldo believes that the club's hierarchy is still failing to take the steps needed to bring United back to the top of the game, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS now overseeing football operations and the Glazer family taking a backseat as majority owners.

He added: “Of course (it hurts me) because I played there for so many years. I win the Champions League, the Golden Ball, I win like 12, 13, 14 titles there, so as I say and I repeat, Manchester United is still in my heart. I love that club. But we have to all be honest and look for ourselves and say we are not in a good path, so they need to change, and it is not only about the coach and players, in my opinion.”

Getty Sticking to stance that led to 2022 exit

Ronaldo made similar claims in his last interview with Morgan back in November 2022, which led to the abrupt end of his second spell at United. The former Real Madrid and Juventus frontman criticised the club's younger players and accused then-manager Erik ten Hag of disrespecting him, while also expressing his belief that the club had stagnated after the departure of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

"At United, the progress was zero, in my opinion," Ronaldo said. "To compare with Real Madrid and even Juventus, that they follow the rest of the world, so the technology, especially in terms of training, nutrition and conditioning, eat properly and to recover better than before – surprised me.

"Manchester right now to compare with that club, I think it's behind in my opinion, which is something that surprised me. A club with this dimension should be the top of the tree in my opinion and they are not, unfortunately. They are not in that level. But I hope the next years they can reach to be in a top level.

"I don't know what's going on but since Sir Alex Ferguson left I saw no evolution in the club, the progress was zero."

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AFPAmorim building some momentum

Ronaldo's latest comments are unlikely to go down well with Ratcliffe. The INEOS chairman has delivered state-of-the-art new training facilities and invested heavily in new players to take the team forward, with a £170 million ($222m) summer splurge seeing the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo all arrive at Old Trafford. 

United are seemingly making progress on the pitch as a result, having picked up 10 points from a possible 12 across their last four league games to move into the top eight. However, Ronaldo's thoughts on a title bid are a fair reflection of the eight-point gap between his old club and Arsenal.

Amorim will aim to deliver another positive result when the Red Devils travel to Tottenham on Saturday. Ronaldo, meanwhile, is due back in Saudi Pro League action for Al-Nassr against Neom on the same day.

Liverpool’s emphatic win over Eintracht Frankfurt was a false dawn. On Saturday evening, the Reds slumped to a fourth successive Premier League defeat against Brentford.

It’s a sad thing to suggest, but it very much seems like Liverpool are struggling to do the basics. This is a side whose cool and calculated football allowed Arne Slot to romp to the league title last season. This group couldn’t be further away from that indomitable outfit.

Who does that boil down to? The manager? The upheaval? The tactical imbalances sparked by a combination of facets? It’s all so difficult to define, and Slot is the only one who can conjure up the answers to placate the masses.

However, we must start with the backline. So much isn’t right, but Liverpool’s defence is painfully poor. Despite their world-renowned reputations, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have flattered to deceive.

Liverpool's defensive struggles continue

Liverpool are in a crisis. It is a saving grace that the season is young enough for a four-game losing streak to not be detrimental, but this does not sugarcoat the severity of the Reds’ woes.

At the epicentre is the skipper Van Dijk, and Konate besides. The centre-backs lack any morsel of their typical security and confidence in the backline, between them winning 20 duels at the Gtech but still failing to keep a clean sheet or produce the kind of convincing display needed to stem the flow.

Defensively, the Reds are a mess. But the problems run far deeper. Van Dijk lacks his typical grace and brilliance; Konate has been below par all year.

The plain truth is the excuses are running out, and while he’s among the most talented footballers in the world, Florian Wirtz continues to be a disappointment in a Liverpool shirt, and he must be dropped from the line-up once again.

Slot must drop Florian Wirtz

When Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool this summer in a record-breaking £116m deal, most anticipated the Reds would add one of the most devastating playmakers in the world to their ranks.

And they did, but Liverpool are a team in disrepair right now, and Wirtz has failed to acclimatise to life in Slot’s squad. And against Andrews’ Bees, the fleet-footed star’s struggles continued.

He racked up two assists against Frankfurt in midweek, but the 22-year-old flattered to deceive against Brentford, with the Liverpool Echo even seeing it fit to brand him with a 4/10 match rating after an inconsequential display in red.

Perhaps most concerning is the fact that the German faded without having taken his foot off the pedal from a work-rate standpoint. To put that another way, the quality on the evening simply wasn’t there.

Minutes played

83′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

54

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

33/43 (77%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

4

Tackles

1/1

Duels won

2/5

While the fact remains that he is among the most talented players in the Premier League, there is a bluntness about his output in Slot’s Liverpool side. The solution comes down to Slot, and Slot does not have the answer. For now, Liverpool and Wirtz’s wait for success rages on.

Indeed, Wirtz is one of the best footballers in the world, but he’s not performing, and Liverpool have got to reach beyond the box and search for left-field solutions to their current problems.

Because Slot’s solutions are falling short, so frustratingly short.

Where now? Liverpool host Aston Villa next week in the Premier League, and then they travel to Manchester City. There is much to ponder, and on the basis of the evidence, it’s unlikely that keeping an under-performing player like Wirtz in the line-up would prove the solution.

Sure, he’s got a show-stopping ability, but this hasn’t been channelled. All told, Liverpool need to make some big changes, perhaps even reverting to type. If that is the case, Wirtz does not feature in Slot’s best 11.

Liverpool have signed a Salah-type player who's got the "pace of Torres"

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 24, 2025

In an early blow for Rangers as they prepare to start a new era with a returning face in the dugout, one player has already admitted that he dreams of leaving Ibrox.

Gerrard already has Rangers ambition in mind

Just one week on from sacking Russell Martin after just 123 days in charge – making him the manager with the shortest reign in the club’s history – Rangers are set to turn to a familiar face. As per a number of reports, Steven Gerrard is now closing in on a move to the Gers to take charge for a second time and the first time since leaving for Aston Villa in 2021.

The Liverpool legend has the tough task of reviving a Rangers side that sit as many as nine points behind rivals Celtic and 11 points behind shock leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. But that won’t stand in the way of his lofty ambitions, according to ex-Rangers ace Kyle Lafferty.

Lafferty, who played under Gerrard at Rangers during his brief second spell at the club, told reporters earlier this week:

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets them up there challenging again and fighting for the title this season. Seriously, I wouldn’t be shocked if he won it. He’ll come in expecting to win it. He won’t settle for second place.

“He won’t be thinking, let’s close the gap on Celtic and Hearts and maybe finish a few points off. I know him and I’ve played under him. He’ll literally come in and think he can win the league this season.”

Gerrard now targeting ex-England coach in instant Rangers request at Ibrox

The incoming manager has made his first request…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 10, 2025

That said, it’s certainly easier said than done to transform this current side, and the recent transfer admission of one star man certainly won’t help Gerrard’s project.

Antman has already admitted he dreams of Spain return

As reported by Dutch football expert and Voetbal International journalist Sander Janssen with Ibrox News, Oliver Antman has already admitted that he dreams of a return to Spain after enjoying past success at Cornella and CF Damm’s youth sides whilst also going on trial at Barcelona in 2012.

Following reports that Besiktas are ready to rescue Nicolas Raskin as soon as January, the last thing that Rangers need is for summer arrival Antman to set his sights on a swift exit of his own.

For now, Gerrard must hope that the winger’s Spain dream remains exactly that.

It might be early, but momentum is starting to grow and Arsenal are well and truly on a roll at the moment.

In the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side are three points clear of Manchester City in second place, and in the Champions League, they are undefeated.

More than that, they are thriving on the biggest stage, thrashing Spanish giants Atlético Madrid 4-0 on Tuesday night in a game Viktor Gyokeres came to life in.

The Swedish international is starting to silence the critics, and if he keeps it up, he could help another of Arteta’s signings reach the levels of Mesut Özil by season’s end.

Gyokeres' start to life at Arsenal

There was an awful lot of pressure placed on Gyokeres coming into this season, as rightly or wrongly, one of the most prominent narratives around Arsenal over the last year or so is that they are a prolific forward away from glory.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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So when he looked completely off the pace in the opening game against Manchester United, there was plenty of discussion over whether he was the right signing.

Fortunately, he would score a brace in the next league game against Leeds United, and while he once again blanked against Liverpool, he got another in gameweek four, against Nottingham Forest.

These three goals kept the heat off the former Sporting CP star’s back for a period, but a total lack of goals or assists across his subsequent seven appearances – nine if you include Sweden – saw him come back into the firing line.

However, while critics were certainly right to point out his lack of goals, he wasn’t a passenger in those matches and still very much contributed to the team.

For example, he continued to make penetrative runs in behind, which not only gave defenders more space to Bukayo Saka on the right but also opened up more opportunities for other players to get into goalscoring positions.

Moreover, as he’s built up his fitness, he’s been able to make more use of his physicality, which was on full display against Atleti and Olympiacos.

Against both teams, the 6-foot-2 “steam train,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, constantly bullied and barged his way past their backline.

Finally, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 9% of forwards in the Premier League this season for touches in the penalty area.

In other words, while his finishing hasn’t been ideal, the 27-year-old “powerhouse,” as dubbed by Mattinson, is now consistently getting into the areas a top-quality striker should be.

This was also on display on Wednesday, as while neither one of his goals was aesthetically pleasing, they came from him being in the right place at the right time – a fox in the box.

In all, it’s not been the easiest of introductions for Gyokeres so far this season, but with each game, he has become more of a threat, and now that he has rediscovered his finishing ability, he could help another Arsenal star reach Ozil levels.

The Arsenal star who could reach Ozil levels

Now, when it comes to what made Ozil such an incredible player for Arsenal, there really are countless things you could talk about.

While things didn’t end in the best way, the German international was a world-class creator on his day, and his impressive tally of 77 assists in 254 games for the club proves as much.

So, when it comes to a player who could reach those levels under Gyokeres, there are a few possible options.

However, with Martin Odegaard suffering injury after injury at the moment and Saka ideally becoming more of a goalscorer this term, that leaves Eberechi Eze.

After all, even though the former Crystal Palace star is no stranger to scoring goals himself, it’s no secret that Arteta and Co signed him to bring even more creativity to the side as he did for the South Londoners.

Eze’s 24/25

Appearances

43

Starts

40

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, in 34 league games last season, he provided eight assists alongside his eight goals.

Moreover, according to FBref, he was in the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers for shot-creating actions in the competition.

So, while he is still getting up to speed with life at the Emirates, there is no denying that the 27-year-old “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, is someone who will end up creating plenty of chances this season.

Therefore, if Gyokeres continues to show the improvements he has over the last few games, and starts putting chances away like he did on Wednesday, then there is no telling just how many assists the “unbelievable” Englishman, as dubbed by Oliver Glasner, will end up with this season.

Ultimately, nobody is going to claim Eze is as talented a footballer as Ozil was at his peak, but in this current Arsenal team, with the Stockholm-born monster up top, he could start producing the numbers he once did.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 23, 2025

Last season, Tottenham Hotspur were made to bemoan defensive injuries. Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven missed extensive periods through injury. As did full-back Destiny Udogie.

Is it any great surprise, therefore, that Ange Postecoglou’s backline looked such a mess? Perhaps not, but the Aussie was still stubborn enough to refuse change.

Thomas Frank certainly seems more flexible with his style of football but one of the first things he has corrected is that leaky backline.

Only three teams, Arsenal (3), Manchester City (6) and Sunderland (6), have shipped fewer goals than Spurs (7) in the top-flight this term.

Yet, are things beginning to unravel in similar circumstances to Ange? Like the club’s former boss, Frank has now suffered his first big injury blow at the back.

Romero limped off during the warm-up of their game with Aston Villa and after initially being selected, was not fit enough to start. Without their captain, the Lilywhites suffered a 2-1 defeat.

Frank won’t fret quite yet, but he must find a way to get more of a tune out of his attack. Big-money summer signing Xavi Simons will play a big part in that.

Why Spurs need to see improvement from Xavi Simons

Even before James Maddison suffered a terrible ACL injury during pre-season, Frank and Co had made efforts to bring Nottingham Forest talisman Morgan Gibbs-White to north London.

We all know how that saga ended but Spurs’ pursuit of a new dynamic number 10 seemed cursed at one point.

It looked for all the world as though they were set to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace. A deal was agreed and he was allegedly on his way to Spurs. Instead, a last-minute U-turn saw him head to boyhood club Arsenal. The solution was Simons.

The Dutchman had been courted by Chelsea but it was the Blues’ London rivals who eventually concluded a deal, snapping him up for £52m, a move that made him Spurs’ fifth-most expensive signing of all time.

This was an exciting acquisition. After all, he did score 11 goals and register eight assists for RB Leipzig in Germany last season.

Sadly, we’re yet to see the best of him in white. He is yet to complete a full 90 minutes in the Premier League and his only goal involvement, an assist against West Ham, came on his English top-flight debut. The Netherlands maestro has not scored or assisted since then.

West Ham (A)

71

1

Brighton (A)

29

0

Wolves (H)

78

0

Leeds (A)

74

0

Aston Villa (H)

79

0

For such a big-money signing, Frank needs to see more from him but it’s not as though he isn’t trying. Perhaps there’s a simple solution to all of this; Spurs need better players in their forward line.

How Spurs can get more out of Xavi Simons

How supporters must long for the days of Harry Kane and a prime Heung-min Son.

The duo aren’t showing any signs of slowing down away from Spurs with Kane simply in the form of his life this campaign, netting 19 times in 11 games for Bayern Munich.

As far as Son is concerned, he’s been lighting up MLS with his displays for LA FC. The South Korean has nine goals and three assists in his first ten outings for the club.

So, to see where the Spurs forward line is now will no doubt make a few fans hide behind the sofa. Combine the loss of Son with injuries to Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski and you have a real patched-together front line.

Dominik Solanke has played just 31 minutes of league football due to injury in 2025/26 while Richarlison has only beaten the goalkeeper once in his last seven Premier League matches.

As for the French youngster, Wilson Odobert, he is yet to score at all across ten games in all competitions.

With such a glut of misfiring players, is it any surprise that Simons has endured a difficult beginning at Spurs?

Assists

0.3

0.3

Chances created

2.1

1.7

Passes attempted

46.2

33

Forward passes

12.2

9.3

Sideways passes

22

15.5

A look at the numbers tells us that the Dutch midfielder is struggling without a fluid forward line. Worryingly, he’s playing fewer passes per 90 minutes than he did last season at Leipzig. That ultimately means he’s creating fewer goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.

He needs the players in front of him to make better runs and there is no better example of that than the aforementioned Odobert.

The former Burnley man, signed for £25m, is still a particularly raw prospect. He’s exciting and fleet-footed but he needs to be doing more to help Simons out.

The big-money summer arrival traditionally operates in the pockets of space on the left-hand side and it’s on the left flank where Odobert tends to operate. The clip below demonstrates precisely what we’re talking about.

Mathys Tel has the ball on the edge of the box and all he needs is for a few defenders to be dragged away by an overlapping run from Odobert to potentially feed Simons in acres of space.

What does the Frenchman do? He surges right into the area where Tel is aiming for, reducing the space and cutting out a chance to get a shot or pass away.

Had Odobert made an overlapping run, he’d have created more room for Spurs’ number 7 and potentially even received the ball himself. As Jamie O’Hara said after the game, he and Tel can be “painful” to watch.

The 20-year-old is a marmite figure. He did a fair bit right against Aston Villa, completing four of his five dribbles but he needs better end product.

He missed an OPTA-defined big chance on Sunday and only completed one key pass. If Odobert can marry his trickery with the ability to make better runs and make himself an option for Simons then things will improve.

Until then, however, it would be better if the Netherlands star operated from the left flank instead or someone like Brennan Johnson operated there.

تحدث مصطفى شوبير حارس مرمى فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، عن تتويج فريقه بالسوبر المصري على حساب الزمالك. 

وحصد النادي الأهلي بطولة كأس السوبر المصري عقب الفوز على غريمه التقليدي الزمالك، بهدفين نظيفين، في المباراة التي جمعت بين الفريقين على ملعب آل نهيان. 

طالع.. رجل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري 2025

وقال مصطفى شوبير في تصريحات على قناة “أبو ظبي” الرياضية: “اللاعبون كانوا رجالًا ونستحق هذه الفرحة والتتويج بالبطولة، وأشكر مجلس الإدارة والجماهير بالكامل”.

وأضاف: “أتمنى أن يتحسن الأداء أكثر في الفترة المقبلة، وأشارك بشكل أكثر، المشاركة عامل مهم، وكل شيء يأتي في وقته ولكن أريد المشاركة ولا أريد أن أسبق الأحداث”.

يذكر، ان النادي الأهلي توج ببطولة السوبر المصري للمرة الـ16 في تاريخ النادي كأكثر الأندية حصولا على اللقب.