Marc Guehi has given a surprising verdict on his failed summer switch from Crystal Palace to Liverpool. The defender looked set for a transfer deadline day move to the Premier League title holders but the Eagles pulled the plug on the deal at the 11th hour. Now, the England international has reflected on what might have been for him amid ongoing links with the Reds.

Guehi's uncertain future

Guehi was primed to join Arne Slot's side this summer, only for Palace to decide against completing the £35 million ($46.6m) deal as they couldn't find a replacement for the 25-year-old. He has since been linked with Real Madrid but Liverpool are not giving up on the former Chelsea man. But with his contract set to expire next summer, Liverpool risk losing him to a rival in 2026 on a free transfer. 

Incidentally, Palace boss Oliver Glasner recently denied claims that he would leave the FA Cup holders if Guehi was sold. 

He told reporters earlier this month: "I told you with Marc Guehi, everybody said I threatened to step down, it’s completely wrong. I just said if you sell Marc Guehi and we don’t have the right replacement, we could struggle. If you are fine with this for Crystal Palace – not for Oliver Glasner, never – for Crystal Palace, sell him. If you don’t want that situation, you have to keep him, and the chairman decided that Marc stays. It’s the same here, I give my advice, but it’s never a wish, it’s nothing to do with we have to buy players [so] that Oliver Glasner signs a new contract. It’s just if we want to progress in the Premier League environment."

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesGuehi responds to Liverpool links

England star Guehi has claimed that "God has a plan for me" following the collapse of his Liverpool move. And it seems having team-mates such as Maxence Lacroix, who is also a Christian, is helping him be at peace on the matter. 

He told Sky Sports: "I think everyone has this perception that it was difficult. Actually, it wasn't difficult. It wasn't difficult at all. Because when you're focused on what's the most important thing, it becomes easy. I know that God has a plan for me, and whatever that plan will be, will come into fruition at some point. But, the goal and the focus has always been playing football and trying to do the best I can. And fortunately for me, I get to do it with people like Max."

January exit unlikely

According to Palace chairman Steve Parish, it is more likely that Guehi leaves for free next summer rather than departing in January, which would give the Croydon outfit some sort of transfer fee. Moreover, it seems very remote that he will stay at the Eagles, who are competing in the Conference League this season, with the defender showing no signs of extending his stay.

In November, he told the Men in Blazers podcast: "We needed to keep Marc because the difference between us having a stellar season and having a relegation-threatened season is us winning five games or not. So the margins in the Premier League are very tight and you have to remember that Michael (Olise) has gone, we’re OK, Ebbs (Eberechi Eze) has gone, we’re OK, Wilfred (Zaha) went, we’re OK. There’s a limit to how much you can keep doing that before you break down the fabric of the team."

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(C)GettyImagesWhat comes next for Guehi?

For the time being, Guehi will be focusing on doing the best he can for Palace, who sit sixth in the Premier League at the time of writing. Next up is a trip to London neighbours Fulham on Sunday afternoon, with the Eagles potentially climbing up to fourth with a victory at Craven Cottage. The games are coming thick and fast for Glasner's side as on Thursday night they are away to Shelbourne in European action, before hosting Manchester City in the league a few days later.

Chelsea made it three Premier League games without a victory as they were held to a tepid 0-0 draw at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. Cole Palmer made his first start since September but the England star was unable to inspire the Blues as Enzo Maresca's side failed to get back to winning ways following Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Leeds United.

Slow out of the blocks, Chelsea thought they had gone 1-0 behind when Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo found the back of the net after four minutes. However, after a lengthy check from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the strike was ruled out after Cherries forward Evanilson was adjudged to have strayed offside in the build-up.

And things soon went from bad to worse for the west Londoners when striker Liam Delap had to be substituted with a shoulder injury, with Marc Guiu brought on as his replacement. Rounding off a woeful opening 45 minutes, Chelsea were let off the hook again when Evanilson somehow failed to convert from just two yards out.

In a much more positive opening to the second half, Chelsea winger Pedro Neto forced a good save from Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic before Alejandro Garnacho hit the post with a header. Showing flashes of quality following his return from injury, Palmer was then replaced on the hour mark by Joao Pedro as Chelsea kept pushing for the all-important breakthrough.

However, Bournemouth – winless in their previous five league games – were able to stop Maresca’s men in their tracks as Chelsea failed to score in the top flight for the first time since the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the season.

Maresca's charges are now fourth in the table and eight points behind leaders Arsenal, who were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa earlier in the day.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the Vitality Stadium…

• AFP
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Robert Sanchez (6/10):

  While Bournemouth duo Semenyo and Evanilson were lively, the Spain international was only forced into making a few saves.

  Malo Gusto (7/10):

  Starting at right-back, the Frenchman found space hard to come by as he looked to bomb forward. However, he was on top form defensively.

  Wesley Fofana (6/10):

  Replacing Tosin Adarabioyo at the back, the former Leicester City man saw plenty of the ball but was unable to do too much with it.

  Trevoh Chalobah (7/10):

  Operating as the left-sided centre-back, the England international won 100 per cent (3/3) of his ground duels, in what was a solid defensive display.

  Marc Cucurella (7/10):

  One of Chelsea's better performers, the left-back had an opportunity to score in the first half but he failed to get his header on target.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Reece James (7/10):

  Dropping extremely deep to dictate play, the captain tried to get Chelsea going with his trademark long switches of play, with mixed success.

  Enzo Fernandez (6/10):

  Fielded alongside Reece James in midfield, the Argentina ace was neat and tidy in possession, though he had few opportunities to go forward.

  Cole Palmer (7/10):

  Understandably rusty after making his first start since September, there were flashes of quality, showing quick feet in and around the penalty area. The Blues' star man was then substituted on the hour mark.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Pedro Neto (6/10):

  Usually one of Chelsea's most consistent performers, the Portugal winger picked out Marc Cucurella with a decent cross in an otherwise quiet outing.

  Liam Delap (5/10):

  Locked in a tasty battle with Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi, the striker picked up a shoulder injury which brought an early end to his afternoon.

  Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

  Rewarded with a start following a solid showing against Leeds, the forward bounced back from a sluggish first half by hitting the post with a header after the break.

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  Subs & Manager

  Marc Guiu (5/10):

  An early substitute following Delap's injury, the young striker received little service as Chelsea generally looked to feed Neto and Garnacho instead.

  Joao Pedro (5/10):

  Replacing Palmer after an hour, the Brazil forward often held onto possession for too long, failing to make an impact.

  Estevao (5/10):

  Brought on with just 13 minutes of normal time left to play, the winger was not on the pitch long enough to influence proceedings.

  Enzo Maresca (5/10):

  Making six changes to the side that lost 3-1 at Leeds in midweek, the Italian watched on as Chelsea produced a poor first-half display. And while his side were slightly better after the break, he should have brought Estevao on sooner as the visitors picked up a point on the road.

Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame second baseman and third baseman for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, died Monday, per the Cubs. He was 65.

Sandberg was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in 2024, and though he was briefly cancer-free later that year, the disease came back. He threw out the first pitch before Chicago's home opener as recently as April.

Born in Spokane, Wash., Sandberg was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and played 13 games with them in 1981. He was traded to the Cubs in Jan. 1982 in a move the Phillies would come to sorely regret.

After two solid seasons as a regular, Sandberg became a superstar in 1984. He slashed .314/.367/.520 with 19 home runs and 84 RBIs, leading the National League in bWAR, runs and triples. With his help, Chicago stopped its infamous postseason drought at 39 years, winning the East Division title.

It was the first of 10 All-Star years with the Cubs, who he also helped make the playoffs in 1989. He led the league in runs on two other occasions, and added a 40-home run season in 1990.

Well-liked throughout the game and long a strident evangelist of baseball's fundamentals, Sandberg managed Philadelphia from 2013 to '15. He went 119-159 in three seasons.

He first dismissed Jitesh Sharma from over-the-wicket angle and then befuddled Krunal Pandya with a carrom ball

Shashank Kishore03-Apr-20251:54

Bangar: Sai Kishore has steely resolve

In 2016, when 20-year-old rookie R Sai Kishore found himself in a heated altercation with N Jagadeesan and exchanged angry words with R Ashwin during a Tamil Nadu Premier League match, his fiery intensity seemed misplaced. “If you want to take on Ashwin, bowl like him,” they told him at the time.Sai Kishore took that to heart and went on to earn the reputation of being not only a deep thinker of the game, much like Ashwin, but also a bowler who prides himself on constant reinvention and adaptation to the ever-evolving T20 landscape.Hardik Pandya, who captained him for two seasons at Gujarat Titans, once called him a “scientist” for his ability to out-think batters. Sai Kishore’s competitive energy during the game can, at times, spill over into a stare down, like the one he had with “good friend” Hardik last week, during GT’s win over Mumbai Indians.Related

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'Emotional' Siraj reminds RCB what they let go of

As a T20 bowler, Sai Kishore thrives when challenged. After last year’s IPL, while scrolling through X, he was intrigued by the insights from ball-by-ball and Hawk-Eye data and took away heaps of learnings from those.He studied his pitch map from the season and quickly swung into action. One of the many things he took away was the need to refine a mystery element that had been in the works but not seriously considered in the middle. On Wednesday, this “mystery” was amply on display when he dismissed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Krunal Pandya.At first sighting, it appeared a normal length delivery that he’d slowed down considerably to get some bite off the surface. But upon a second viewing, the release made it apparent he’d bowled a carrom ball – not unusual in Sai Kishore’s world but a novelty for left-arm spinners. Last year, his Tamil Nadu colleague and fellow left-arm spinner M Siddharth unusually swung the ball. Here, Sai Kishore was turning it away from a left-hand batter.

“It’s like a carom ball. I get more dip on it, so I don’t know what it is. I can call it anything, but I’m just trying to bowl the carrom ball”Sai Kishore on his mystery delivery

It is a ball Sai Kishore has sporadically bowled across formats. During the Duleep Trophy in Coimbatore in 2022-23, Sarfaraz Khan, an excellent player of spin who was seemingly trying to get outside the line and sweep him off his lengths, was caught by surprise with ones he didn’t expect to turn the other way.”Over the last three-four years, I’ve been practising that ball,” Sai Kishore said during the innings break. “I felt I was confident enough to bowl it in this IPL, so I just went with my instincts. It’s like a carom ball. I get more dip on it, so I don’t know what it is. I can call it anything, but I’m just trying to bowl the carrom ball.”The other element on display on Wednesday night was his use of angles. He bowled over the wicket to best Jitesh Sharma, who threatened a rapid rescue with Liam Livingstone. By slowing his pace down and bowling away from his arc, Sai Kishore had Jitesh hit against the line and hole out to long-on. He finished with figures of 2 for 22 off four overs.R Sai Kishore was at his inventive best against RCB•Associated Press”I felt when you bowled into the wicket, it was assisting the spinners, and I was getting decent purchase,” Sai Kishore said. “What I mean by into the wicket is having a good shape on the ball – bowling like a proper red-ball game and trying to spin it as hard as I can. Whatever pace I could gather into it, I was fine with it.”For the entire length of his stint with GT, Sai Kishore has often flown under the radar and in Rashid Khan’s shadows. In 2023, he also had Noor Ahmed to compete with as GT went to the latter as their fourth overseas following Kane Williamson’s injury in the very first match. This rejigging consigned Sai Kishore to the bench for the entire season, and it was during this time that he tried to experiment and develop consistency.On Wednesday, Sai Kishore wasn’t Rashid’s understudy. When one of the greatest T20 spinners had a rare nightmare of a game, delivering his joint-second-most expensive spell, Sai Kishore mitigated those effects with his variations and big strikes. Sai Sudharsan brought up Sai Kishore’s impact unprompted at the post-match press conference.

“There are many captains in modern-day cricket who are averse to the idea of a left-arm spinner bowling to a left-hander. If you have that carrom ball, then they might just be a bit more encouraged”Aakash Chopra

“Saiki, we definitely have to talk about him because he was one of the main contributors for this game and a few previous games as well,” Sudharsan said. “I feel in this game, Saiki’s was the most important spell because the wicket was very difficult to bat against the fast bowler. So as batters, even me, we were trying to maximise what we get out of the spinners.”I feel he was smart enough and used the right speeds on this wicket and right angles to Tim David and Liam Livingstone when he bowled there. I feel he used the speed really well in the angles. And that’s why I think he had a great game.”What about his variations and the different things he isn’t afraid to try? Has he faced them before at the nets?”I feel off the field, I can tell you the amount of effort he puts, the amount of preparation he does in terms of tactical advantages,” Sudharsan said. “I feel that is taking him a bit ahead than other bowlers because he understands the game, he understands the situation and uses his speeds, uses his angles. That is one of his strengths and I think that is why he is bowling the way he is.”On ESPNcricinfo T20 Time Out, former India allrounder and batting coach Sanjay Bangar was equally impressed, likening Sai Kishore’s skills to some of the best exponents of the craft.R Sai Kishore celebrates Jitesh Sharma’s wicket with Rahul Tewatia•BCCI”He has been a consistent performer now and has great control over the speeds he bowls, the lines he bowls,” he said. “He is someone who has a steely resolve. When Jitesh was going hard at him, was trying to line him up, he had the guts to go over the wicket, which is considered a defensive line, and then throw it slightly away from him – it takes some doing.”If you look at the past and see which bowlers have bowled in this particular fashion, deceiving by bowling slower balls, slower pace and not bowling defensive lines, you had Daniel Vettori, [Mitchell] Santner presently, [Harpreet] Brar does that to an extent for Punjab Kings, and then there is Sai Kishore.”Former India opener Aakash Chopra felt that Sai Kishore’s new variation could help set up a trend of left-arm spinners no longer being silent spectators against left-hand batters.”It’s incredible,” Chopra said of Kishore’s carrom ball. “They say necessity is the mother of invention. Offspinners tend to do that very often, because they are turning the ball into the right-handers, so they need that carrom ball. Very few left-arm spinners do that, even though it’s the same skill set. Sai Kishore is one of those guys and it’s something others can actually pick up as well.”There are many captains in modern-day cricket who are averse to the idea of a left-arm spinner bowling to a left-hander. If you have that carrom ball, then they might just be a bit more encouraged.”

علّق المدير الفني لمنتخب بلجيكا، رودي جارسيا، على قرعة بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، والتي تم سحبها مساء يوم الجمعة في مركز “جون كينيدي” في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وتستضيف كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا والمكسيك نهائيات النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم، في الفترة بين 11 يونيو و19 يوليو.

وتُعد تلك هي النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم، بعد استحداث نظامها، حيث سيشارك فيها 48 منتخبًا، سيتم تقسيمهم على 12 مجموعة، ويتأهل متصدر ووصيف كل مجموعة إلى دور الـ32، بالإضافة إلى أفضل 8 منتخبات في مركز ثالث.

اقرأ أيضًا | طريق فرنسا إلى نهائي كأس العالم 2026.. جنون مطلق

وحسبما كشفت القرعة، تواجدت بلجيكا في المجموعة السابعة والتي تضم كل من: مصر، إيران ونيوزيلندا.

وقال رودي جارسيا، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “sporza” البلجيكية: “كانت قرعة مثيرة للاهتمام، نحن نعرف مصر جيدًا كواحدة من أفضل المنتخبات الإفريقية، من الرائع مواجهة محمد صلاح، لأنني دربته في روما”.

وأضاف: “لم نلعب ضد المنتخبين الآخرين بعد، لذلك لا نعرفهما جيدًا، لكننا نعرف ما ينتظرنا، كأس ​​العالم قد بدأت بالفعل الآن”.

وواصل: “سنبذل قصارى جهدنا لإنهاء المرحلة في المركز الأول، نريد حقًا ذلك لأن هذا هو السيناريو الأمثل لبقية البطولة، لم أدرس بقية البطولة جيدًا بعد، ولكن المتصدر سيلعب ضد فريق احتل المركز الثالث، سيكون ذلك مثيرًا للاهتمام”.

 

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo carried a no hitter into the eighth inning of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees before it was broken up on a single by Jazz Chisholm Jr. that snuck through the right side of the infield.

It was certainly a painful way to lose a no hitter, but Woo was a good sport about it and walked over to first base to give Chisholm a quick pat on the backside in what was quick and respectful gesture.

It was a classy move from Woo, who was likely fighting back some frustrations as he went over to acknowledge Chisholm on first base.

Woo was dominant on the mound throughout the night, but Chisholm found a way to get on base, and he would later come around to score to get the Yankees on the board for the first time all game. After trailing 5–0 and not having a single hit heading into the bottom of the eighth, New York staged a miracle comeback to win in extra innings, 6–5.

Woo ended his night with five strikeouts, two walks and two earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. He improved his season ERA to 2.75, eighth best in the American League.

The New York Yankees are expected to be buyers at this year's MLB trade deadline, but fortifying their roster for a shot at a World Series run could come at the expense of some key pieces of the organization.

According to Joel Sherman of the , multiple teams have expressed interest in Yankees slugger Ben Rice. The team is determined to keep him on the roster, but there have been multiple organizations inquiring about his ability to play behind the plate, as Rice was a catcher throughout much of his time in the minor leagues.

Of course, moving Rice is something the team would hope to avoid, but it may be necessary if they're to acquire some of the top players on the trade market.

Among the teams the Yankees have been closely linked to at this trade deadline include the Arizona Diamondbacks, who, after being swept by the Astros, appear destined to be sellers at the month's end. Some intriguing options in Arizona include Eugenio Suarez, who would alleviate a glaring need a third base while providing elite power, as well as pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.

This season, Rice is slashing .232/.323/.468 with 15 home runs, 32 RBIs and 45 runs. He's played two complete games behind the plate in 2025 and has 12 total appearances at the position. Obviously, his profile as a hitter is hard to find for a player capable of playing solid defense at catcher, so if he's able to catch at an MLB level, it makes sense that'd be of intrigue to teams.

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O duelo entre Palmeiras e Novorizontino pela semifinal do Paulistão reserva um encontro pra lá de inusitado e especial. Já de contrato assinado até 2028 com o Verdão, quis o destino que o meia Rômulo disputasse um dos maiores jogos de sua curta carreira diante do clube que será a sua casa para os próximos anos.

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Mas a dúvida do torcedor é: será que o Rômulo vai poder enfrentar o Palmeiras mesmo já de contrato assinado com o Verdão? A resposta é, sim!

No contrato não há nenhuma cláusula que impeça a participação do camisa 10, que inclusive já enfrentou o Palmeiras nesta temporada, no jogo de estreia do Novorizontino no campeonato, quando a partida terminou empatada por 1 a 1.

Rômulo deve ser titular do time de Eduardo Baptista e o ex-técnico do Verdão não pensa em poupá-lo da partida por conta do vínculo que o atleta já criou com o Verdão.

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Um dos destaques da bela campanha do Tigre no Paulistão 2024, Rômulo chegou ao seu terceiro gol na competição ao marcar o importante tento que levou a partida diante do São Paulo para os pênaltis.

Quinta contratação do Palmeiras para esta temporada, Rômulo deve se apresentar ao Verdão assim que a trajetória do Novorizontino neste Paulista acabar, e quis o destino que o Verdão possa ser o responsável por ele chegar mais cedo na Academia de Futebol.

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Campeonato PaulistaPalmeirasPaulistão 2024

With a growing centre-back problem, Liverpool are now reportedly preparing a 2026 move to sign a defender worth over £55m, and he’s been compared to star Arsenal colossus Gabriel.

Liverpool's centre-back problem

The Reds entered the current campaign with a plethora of attacking options.

Arne Slot has been spoiled for choice, with Hugo Ekitiké, record signing Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and others all vying for a starting place. But the same can’t be said for his back four.

The Dutchman has already been forced to play Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, in a decision that has unexpectedly proven effective, and may yet have to turn towards an auxiliary centre-back.

Big Salah upgrade: Liverpool prepare £86m bid for "one of the world's best"

Liverpool’s legendary goalscorer is showing signs of a decline this season.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 11, 2025

After Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending injury, Liverpool have just three senior centre-backs to turn to. One of them is Joe Gomez, who Slot just snubbed to play Ryan Gravenberch in the role against Chelsea when Konate was forced off through injury. So, to put it simply, the Reds may be in the midst of another defensive crisis.

Of course, the arrival of Marc Guehi was meant to solve that problem, until Crystal Palace pulled the plug on his Anfield switch in the final hours of the summer transfer window.

Now, with the race wide open for his signature, and Guehi leaning towards Real Madrid, Liverpool may be forced to turn towards other options.

This has already seen a number of names emerge as potential candidates ahead of next summer, when Konate is still scheduled to leave as a free agent with his contract yet to be sorted.

It’s a problem that Richard Hughes must solve and the arrival of one Paris Saint-Germain star would do exactly that in 2026.

Liverpool preparing Pacho move

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now preparing a move to sign Willian Pacho from PSG in 2026, if they fail to sign Guehi, with Hughes and the Merseysiders recruitment team viewing Luis Enrique’s man as an alternative.

The central defender is valued at €65m (£57m) and is one of the most impressive rising stars in his position as a Champions League winner at just 23-years-old.

Whether he’s the main man in PSG’s backline is another question, however. The Ecuador international has started just three of his side’s seven Ligue 1 games so far this season, but both of their Champions League clashes against Atalanta and Barcelona in a mixed start to the campaign.

League stats 24/25	Pacho	Konate
Minutes	2,132	2,560
Progressive Passes	53	115
Tackles Won	32	26
Ball Recoveries	119	98

When compared to Konate last season, Pacho’s work out of possession stands out the most. Although he must work on progressing play in possession, the South American’s ball recovery rate would hand Liverpool another imperious figure next to Virgil van Dijk next year.

Also dubbed the “baby Gabriel” by analyst Ben Mattinson, PSG’s utility man is certainly someone with a lot of fans in European football.

Whether Liverpool can lure him away from the European champions remains to be seen, however.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl got off to the worst possible start in charge of the Ibrox giants with a 3-0 defeat to Brann in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Light Blues boss arrived at the club earlier this week to replace Russell Martin in the dugout and got a firsthand look at the issues that have plagued the season so far.

Three avoidable goals were conceded, only one ‘big chance’ was created, no goals were scored. Rohl will be struggling to come up with positives to take away from the game, beyond the performance of Jack Butland.

Why Jack Butland is already undroppable for Danny Rohl

The former England international showed his class against Brann, in spite of the result, with some excellent work between the sticks to help his side out.

Butland made an excellent early save down to his right after Nasser Djiga was caught out, but had no chance for the opening goal that was converted from close range.

Per Sofascore, the experienced shot-stopper completed all three of his run-outs, which shows that he was proactive in sweeping up behind his defenders to prevent the hosts from creating even more chances.

Despite conceding three goals, Butland only conceded 0.45 more than expected, per Sofascore. This means that there was little more that he could have done to affect the result.

Whilst Butland may already be undroppable for Rohl, because of his strong display in the loss, Joe Rothwell is one of the players who should be immediately dropped.

Why Danny Rohl should drop Joe Rothwell

The German tactician should immediately drop the central midfielder from the starting line-up because the Russell Martin signing failed to impose himself on the game in midfield.

Chalkboard

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

As aforementioned, Rangers were too easy to create chances against and they did not create enough quality chances of their own to get back into the game.

Rothwell’s performance played a part in their struggles in and out of possession, as the experienced Englishman offered little to the team aside from composure in his passing game.

Minutes

64

Pass accuracy

93%

Accurate long passes

1

Dribbles completed

0

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Tackles attempted

0

Duels won

0/2

As you can see in the table above, the central midfielder did not create any chances for his teammates in 64 minutes on the pitch, and he failed to win a single duel in the middle of the park.

These statistics show that the summer signing from Bournemouth did not get about the field to disrupt the opposition, who strolled to a 3-0 win, and he did not show enough creativity in his use of the ball to drag Rangers back into the match.

Rothwell had fewer touches (31) than Butland (48) did between the sticks, per Sofascore, which further speaks to the lack of influence that the 30-year-old midfielder had for the Light Blues.

Rohl, therefore, should brutally ditch the central midfielder from the starting XI ahead of the club’s trip to face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, because he did not show enough on or off the ball.

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1 ByBen Goodwin Oct 23, 2025

It is a concerning trend for Rothwell, signed by Martin, because he has also lost 54% of his ground duels and assisted one goal in eight appearances in the Premiership, which shows that he has not been outstanding domestically or in Europe.

The 30-year-old midfielder may need to show Rohl more, on and off the ball, to prove to the manager that he deserves a regular place in the starting line-up.