It is the start of Arsenal’s biggest week of the season so far.

On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s team take on Tottenham in the North London derby, seeking a fourth successive victory over Spurs for the first time since 1989.

After that, it is the small matter of Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday, both currently boast 100% records in this season’s competition, before another blockbuster the following Sunday, facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in another fierce derby.

If the Gunners are going to maintain their unbeaten streak, currently standing at 14 games, they will need their “unpredictable” summer signing to come to the fore, currently going through a similar trajectory to that of his teammate.

Kai Havertz's roller coaster Arsenal career

Few players fluctuate in popularity at one particular club quite as dramatically and quickly as Kai Havertz has done since joining Arsenal in June 2023.

Costing £65m from hated rivals Chelsea, supporters were puzzled as to why Arteta had recruited the German, ostensibly signed to replace Granit Xhaka as the left-sided eight in midfield, but seemingly not suiting that role at all.

He scored just one goal in his first 12 Premier League appearances for the club, this is a pity penalty at Bournemouth, before flourishing in the second half of the 2023/24 season, once moved up front.

By the end of the campaign, as Arsenal won 16 of their final 18 Premier League matches, Havertz had 14 goals and eight assists to his name, netting nine times in 14 matches during that historic streak.

Last season, Havertz added 15 goals to his tally, despite suffering a season-ending hamstring injury against Newcastle in the EFL Cup semi-finals in February, meaning he has barely featured at all in 2025, seeing just half an hour of action this time round, suffering a knee injury on the opening day at Old Trafford and not seen since.

Two years ago, it would’ve felt fanciful to suggest that Arteta and Gooners everywhere are desperate to see Havertz return to fitness, considering the ambivalence and bewilderment his arrival and early appearances were met with, but he is undeniably a key figure that they’ve severely missed this season so far.

With that in mind, which of Arsenal’s summer signings is currently enduring a sticky start to life in North London, but could enjoy a Havertz-esque revival?

Arsenal's next Kai Havertz

In complete contrast to that of Havertz, Eberechi Eze’s £60m signing was the most exciting Gonners have been about any new arrival since the days of Mesut Özil’s deadline day switch from Real Madrid.

While there was an acceptance that some of the overseas summer signings, namely new striker Viktor Gyökeres, would take time to adapt to their teammates but also the level of the Premier League, there was hope that Eze would hit the ground running, which has not quite been the case, as the table below documents.

As the numbers highlight, Eze has certainly not been bad to commence his Arsenal career, but he has also not been the lights-out difference maker they were perhaps hoping for.

Rio Ferdinand, speaking on TNT Sports, labelled Eze an “elusive player” who is “unpredictable” when carrying the ball, which he describes as his greatest strength.

The England international has made massive contributions, scoring his first Premier League goal for the club against Crystal Palace, a thunderous volley to secure a 1-0 victory, while also producing this glorious assist to play in Gabriel Martinelli to rescue a draw in injury time against Manchester City.

Nevertheless, since Ødegaard suffered a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee against West Ham in early-October, Eze has taken on the mantle as the central number ten, yet to consistently look excellent in that role, albeit there have been glimpses.

At Crystal Palace, he played as an inside-forward on the left of the front three, whereas now he’s being deployed as an attacking midfielder shaded towards the right, thereby tasked with learning a new role and position on the job, required to do so in double-quick time.

This is, as already outlined, reminiscent of when Havertz arrived two years ago, with Arteta attempting to mould the German into a central midfield, taking time to get to grips with what was being asked of him, with Eze seemingly going through something similar.

So, what is the solution for Eze?

Well, for now, he will continue to be deployed centrally but, whenever Ødegaard does come back, Eze could potentially return to the left-wing, usurping Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in the pecking order, which may suit his skillset better.

In 2023/24, Havertz scored crucial goals against Brentford, home and away, Chelsea and Spurs, which is when he really started to win supporters over.

Not that Eze needs to do that, but a goal in Sunday’s North London derby, against the side he famously turned down to join Arsenal instead, might just take the roof off, but could also be what he needs to ignite his career in red and white.

Arteta can fix Gabriel injury blow by unleashing Arsenal's £45m "beast"

After both Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori picked up injuries on international duty, Mikel Arteta must unleash Arsenal’s “physical” defender vs Spurs.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 16, 2025

Inter Miami star Luis Suarez has been suspended for Saturday's do-or-die playoff game against Nashville SC, robbing the Herons of their starting striker with their season on the line. The suspension comes following an Inter Miami appeal, but the decision was upheld, which means Miami will play Saturday's match without the Uruguayan star.

• Getty Images
  

  Cause for suspension

  The suspension is a result of an off-ball incident in the 71st minute of Inter Miami's 2-1 loss in Game 2 of their playoff series against Nashville. With just under 20 minutes left, Suarez kicked out at Nashville's Andy Najar and, while no foul was called on the play on the field, the league's disciplinary committee had handed Suarez a one-match ban for the incident.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  No stranger to suspensions

  Suarez is, of course, no stranger to suspensions, particularly from his career in Europe, which has seen him banned multiple times for biting incidents. He also picked up a hefty punishment this summer, too, as the Uruguayan was suspended for six Leagues Cup matches and three MLS matches after spitting on Seattle Sounders security director Gene Ramirez following the Leagues Cup finale.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Replacing the star striker

  Since returning from his suspension, the 38-year-old Suarez has played every minute for Miami despite the wear-and-tear he's built up over a long career. He's scored 14 goals while providing 15 assists this season, which means Miami face a tough task in replacing him at the top of their attack.

  When Suarez was suspended in September, Miami boss Javier Mascherano played Lionel Messi and Tadeo Allende in the attack. Miami got six points from those three matches, defeating D.C. United and the Seattle Sounders, while falling 3-0 to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next?

  The Herons will play host to Nashville on Saturday with their season on the line. Messi and Co. were Supporters' Shield winners last season, but fell at the first hurdle in a three-game series loss to Atlanta United. They’ll aim to avoid the same fate on Saturday – and a trophyless end to the season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now submitted an offer for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia, with it being revealed the forward could be available for a bargain fee.

Wolves certainly need some inspiration from somewhere if they are to dig themselves out of trouble, given that they are currently sitting bottom of the table, having taken just two points from their opening 11 Premier League matches.

Not only do the Old Gold have the worst defensive record in the top flight, but they have also been extremely poor from an attacking point of view, having scored just seven goals, the fewest of any Premier League side.

In fact, not a single one of Rob Edwards’ players has scored more than one league goal, with Jorgen Strand Larsen failing to make the impact he did last season, so it would make sense for the new manager to pursue a new forward in the January transfer window.

Wolves make offer for Gonzalo Garcia

That is exactly what Wolves are planning to do, according to a report from Spain, which states they are one of several Premier League clubs to have made an offer of around €20m (£18m) for Real Madrid forward Garcia.

Sunderland and Aston Villa have also made moves for the Spaniard, who could seemingly be available for a bargain fee, given that cashing-in for £18m is regarded as an ‘attractive financial opportunity’ for the La Liga club.

The Old Gold want to get a deal done quickly, given that the 21-year-old’s value could increase as the season goes on, with some key figures at Real Madrid of the belief he could still have a future at the Bernabeu.

In truth, it would be surprising if the youngster was prepared to make the move to Molineux, given that Wolves are at serious risk of being relegated, but he could be a major coup if Fosun were able to get a deal done.

Journalist Zach Lowy clearly believes the Madrid starlet could be capable of playing for a club competing at the top level, having singled him out for praise courtesy of his impressive displays at the Club World Cup.

The centre-forward bagged four goals in six games out in the USA, while also providing one assist, but unsurprisingly, he has since been unable to displace the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr in the starting XI.

Consequently, it would make sense for Garcia to move to a new club this January, but Wolves will have to improve their league standing considerably to stand a chance of winning the race.

Wolves and Edwards keen to sign Premier League striker Wolves and Edwards keen to sign "aggressive" £90,000-p/w Premier League flop

He’s cost £1m for every appearance made so far.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 14, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians segue em crise dentro e fora de campo. Após uma semana turbulenta, o Timão confirmou diante do Atlético-GO, nesta terça-feira (11), que seu ataque segue precisando de uma atenção especial no Brasileirão. Isso porque o time marcou apenas cinco gols em oito jogos até aqui e, apesar de ter saído da zona de rebaixamento, pode voltar ao final desta rodada.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Diante do time goiano, Yuri Alberto, artilheiro do Timão na temporada com 14 gols, desencantou na competição e marcou logo dois gols, no entanto, não foi o suficiente para vencer o time da casa, que buscou o empate nos acréscimos.

A verdade é que o ataque do Corinthians vem passando em branco em grande parte do Nacional. O time de António Oliveira marcou em apenas dois jogos: na vitória sobre o Fluminense por 3 a 0, na quarta rodada, e nesta, ao empatar por 2 a 2 com o Atlético-GO.

continua após a publicidade

Além de Yuri Alberto, Wesley também marcou dois gols, enquanto Cacá balançou a rede uma vez. Ou seja, apenas quatro gols anotados por atacantes em oito rodadas, o que explica parte dos maus resultados que o Timão vem acumulando neste início de campeonato.

Após o empate fora de casa, o volante Raniele comentou o momento difícil que passa o Corinthians e acredita que é preciso valorizar o ponto conquistado contra o Dragão.

continua após a publicidade

– Valorizar o ponto e a entrega. De nossa parte, nosso trabalho é vir a campo e trabalhar, a gente sabe o que tem acontecido, mas levamos campo a vontade de trabalhar e exercer nossa função. As coisas dando certo em campo, as de fora vão importar um pouco menos. Estamos tentando melhorar a situação – avaliou o jogador.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCorinthiansFutebol NacionalOriginalYuri Alberto

شارك المصري مصطفى محمد في مباراة فريقه نانت أمام لوريان ببطولة الدوري الفرنسي، والتي أقيمت مساء اليوم الأحد.

واستقبل نانت خصمه لوريان في إطار مباريات الجولة الثالثة عشر لبطولة الدوري الفرنسي موسم 2025-2026.

وأدرك نانت التعادل في توقيت قاتل، لتحسم المباراة بنتيجة 1-1، ورفع رصيده للنقطة 11 في المركز السادس عشر بجدول ترتيب الدوري الفرنسي.

لعب مصطفى محمد كبديل حيث دفع به المدرب في الدقيقة 59 من عمر المباراة، وقد حصل على تقييم 6.3 من 10 بحسب شبكة “سوفا سكور”.

وسدد مصطفى محمد تسديدتين بينهما واحدة تم تشتيتها من الخصم، ومرر 4 تمريرات دقيقة من أصل 9 بنسبة بلغت 44%، وفي منتصف ملعب الخصم مرر 3 تمريرات دقيقة من أصل 8، وتمريرة صحيحة في نصف ملعب فريقه.

ولمس مصطفى محمد الكرة 17 مرة، وتم ارتكاب خطأ ضده، وفقد الاستحواذ 17 مرة، وفي التحامات الكرات الأرضية فاز بواحدة من 3، والالتحامات الهوائية فاز بواحدة من 2، وارتكب خطأين. ملخص لمسات مصطفى محمد في مباراة نانت ولوريان

The Sun Group’s first payments for the Northern Superchargers franchise will be made on Thursday after which Yorkshire will clear their debts

Matt Roller31-Jul-2025Yorkshire will start to clear debts of £25 million on Thursday when the first payments from the sale of Northern Superchargers are made by the Sun Group. Yorkshire were the only host county to sell the whole of their 51% interest in their Hundred team onto external investors due to the club’s perilous financial position, and the deal is one of six that has now been completed.The Sun Group, an Indian media conglomerate who also own Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20), bid just over £100 million to buy the Superchargers earlier this year. Their first payments, worth around £50m, will be made on Thursday, with the remainder due later this year once they have assumed operational control of the franchise.Yorkshire’s accounts state that the club received loans worth a combined £5.8m from “a group of committed individuals” – including chairman Colin Graves – in the last financial year, while loans worth a combined £14.9m from the Graves Trusts are due to be repaid by October. Sanjay Patel, the club chief executive, said that clearing those debts is Yorkshire’s “first priority”.Related

• The Hundred to introduce player auction for 2026 season

• Hundred squads face 2026 'reset' in bid for competitive balance

• Hundred's 'transition' year is relying on Test star Steven Smith as headline act

• Richard Gould: Hundred equity sale can future-proof county cricket for '20-25 years'

• Sun Group secures 100% stake in Northern Superchargers

“The deal puts the club in a strong financial position, which has been far from the case for many years here, and we can start looking towards a very bright future,” Patel said on Wednesday. “The first priority is clearing our debts. We will then be looking at how we can invest the surplus funds to not only safeguard the future, but enable us to flourish.”Yorkshire last month incorporated a new subsidiary called Headingley Investment Limited, which is intended to generate profits that will then be reinvested. Patel added: “Yorkshire Cricket now has an opportunity to thrive, from the recreational game all the way through to our professional teams, and we will be focused on planning the next chapter in the club’s long history over the coming months.”The Sun Group have already told the ECB that they intend to change the name of the franchise next year and ESPNcricinfo has learned that ‘Sunrisers Leeds’ and ‘Northern Super Sunrisers’ are being considered. Two other teams are also likely to be renamed, with Manchester Originals becoming ‘Manchester Super Giants’ and Oval Invincibles becoming either ‘MI Oval’ or ‘MI London’.Yorkshire will receive 80% of the money raised from their decision to sell their 51% stake in the franchise, with the rest shared between the other first-class counties (10%) and the recreational game (10%). They will also receive their share of the funds raised from the sale of the ECB’s minority stakes in the other seven franchises.Lancashire (21%) and Glamorgan (1%) also opted to sell part of their shares in their franchises – Manchester Originals and Welsh Fire respectively – and each county will receive around £400,000 on Thursday of “unfettered” funds linked to those sales. The ECB will control the way in which funds from the sale of their stakes are spent with “guardrails” designed to ensure “sustainability”.The ECB held a board meeting on Wednesday to clear the first payments to counties, and chief executive Richard Gould said that Yorkshire would receive a “very significant” sum this week. “Often when something is sold, the money gets taken and it’s put into a yacht that’s parked off the Bahamas,” Gould said. “Here, all of this – every single penny – is going back into the game.”Gould also attempted to dissuade non-host counties from expanding their stadiums specifically in the hope of hosting a franchise if the Hundred expands, saying that minimum capacity requirements would be around 7-8,000. “We’re not looking to see investment going into creating white elephants,” he said. “What we don’t want is a load of empty plastic seats.”Vikram Banerjee, the Hundred’s managing director, also revealed that there are still minor details to resolve in Surrey’s deal with Reliance Industries Limited for Oval Invincibles, though all parties are confident that it will be signed by early October. Nottinghamshire’s deal with Cain International and Ares Management is the other that is yet to be completed, but Banerjee said the deal is “fully there”.”We offered all the investors the opportunity to sign and close immediately, whenever the legals were all done… or close formally at the end of the season,” Banerjee said. “Those two chose that months ago.”Trent Rockets, they’re all there bar the singing (sic). The documents are all signed and all the rest of it is fully there. With the Oval Invincibles, there are, I think, three things left on their venue-hire stuff that they’re working through. They’re small things. It’ll be a matter of weeks, and that’ll get signed out.”Banerjee will lead a meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss the Hundred’s regulations around player recruitment for 2026, with some teams pushing for a shift to an auction rather than the existing draft. Rashid Khan and Steven Smith have already signed for teams where they have affiliations with incoming investors for the 2025 season, which starts on August 5.

Head coach defends planned break between Brisbane and Adelaide Tests with series on line

Matt Roller07-Dec-2025

Brendon McCullum claimed that his England team were “over-prepared” for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane and defended their planned trip to the resort town of Noosa before travelling to Adelaide.England trained five times – once at Allan Border Field, and four times at the Gabba – before the second Test, opting against pink-ball match practice against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. They were heavily beaten, losing by eight wickets after four energy-sapping days in the heat, and McCullum suggested that their decision to ramp up their training had backfired.”Leading into this Test match, I actually felt like we over-prepared, to be honest,” McCullum told Australian broadcaster Channel 7. “We had five intense training days. When you’re in the heat of the battle, as we all know, sometimes the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh and make sure your top two inches [of your head] is completely sound.Related

Trouble in paradise as Noosa tightens on England's Ashes hopes

McCullum in firing line as England batten down hatches

For England's batters, the heart seems unwilling and the mind unconvinced

Bazball is dead (even if England aren't quite yet)

England at breaking point as Ashes dreams dismantled

“I think the boys just need a few days off, and probably need to just change up a few of the training methods a little bit. I’m a horse-racing man, and you wouldn’t just keep doing the same thing with your horse, you’d send it around in figure-eights or over the little jumps, just to try and switch it on a bit. We’ll look at some alternative methods over the next few days.”England’s preparation has been heavily criticised throughout this tour, specifically their decisions to play a single warm-up match against the Lions squad at Lilac Hill, a club ground in Perth, and to turn down the opportunity to play the pink-ball PM’s XI fixture between Tests. Stuart Broad described their bowlers as “undercooked”, while Michael Vaughan said on Sunday: “No one can tell me that this England management has given this England team the best chance [to win the series].”The squad and support staff will travel to a coastal resort in Noosa – two hours’ drive up the Queensland coast – on Tuesday for a four-night “mid-series break” which McCullum said would provide them with an opportunity to reflect on the first two Tests: “[It] will be good to spend a bit casually and just let the dust settle on what’s been a pretty intense couple of weeks and start to plot and plan our way back into the series.”England will then train three times – rather than five – in Adelaide before the third Test starts on December 17. Ben Stokes, their captain, also defended the Noosa trip, arguing it would be “very, very important” for his players to stay fresh and insulate themselves from the pressures of the tour after an intense start to the series.”We’ve been here four weeks, and it’s been pretty full-on, on and off the field,” Stokes said. “As physical as this game is, a huge part of it is also the mental side of it. I know that. I’ve experienced that. I know what the game can do to you when things aren’t quite feeling right or going well.”Trust me when I say that it is so, so important that teams… [can] go away as a team and almost put the pressures of this aside for a couple of days, that doesn’t mean that everything just disappears, and we don’t speak about what’s going on. Those conversations are constantly happening.”This is a high-pressure environment. We chose to do this. We’re lucky enough to do this. It comes with the job, but it’s also very, very important that when you do get the opportunity that you are able to go away and refresh your mind because obviously in [Adelaide] we need to be not only physically good, but mentally very good as well.”McCullum and Stokes both highlighted England’s shortcomings with the new ball as a turning point in the game, with McCullum saying they had bowled “terribly” as Australia raced to 130 for 1 in the 21 overs before tea on the second day. “We were trying too hard was my assessment of it,” McCullum said.”We identified that we had a reasonable score with the bat in the first innings, and we knew that there was quite a pivotal moment in the game if we were able to strike. Sometimes, when you do try too hard, you miss your execution, you tighten up, and you’re not able to apply the pressure. We’re honest with ourselves: we bowled terribly in that period, and Australia were able to canter along at a very strong strike rate.”Stokes held himself and Brydon Carse accountable, saying: “It was myself and Brydon who let all that pressure off. We weren’t able to sustain what Jofra [Archer] and Gus [Atkinson] did… Me and Brydon know that we weren’t able to back up that first spell, and we weren’t able to deliver the consistency that Australia delivered this whole Test match.”McCullum also cited England’s fielding as a major issue, after they dropped five catches in the first innings: “It is hard enough taking 10 wickets against a good side like that, let alone needing to take 15. There was areas with the bat where we were deficient, there were areas with the ball where we were deficient, and there were areas in the field where we were deficient.”

Enzo Maresca tore into his Chelsea players following Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Qarabag. The Blues were expected to ease to victory in Azerbaijan in their early Champions League clash but were forced to share the spoils despite dominating for large periods. And the Italian pulled no punches as he criticised his side at both ends of the pitch following the midweek stalemate.

AFPChelsea come from behind to rescue a point

Estevao had put Chelsea ahead in the 16th minute, hitting the back of the net with a low, near post effort as he struck for the second European appearance running. The Blues were expected to push on to secure a crucial three points in their bid to make the next round of the Champions League.

However, Chelsea's lead lasted just 13 minutes as Leandro Andrade hauled Qarabag level on the half-hour mark. And Qarabag were ahead shortly before the break as Marko Jankovic tucked past Robert Sanchez from 12 yards after Jorrel Hato, who was at fault for Andrade's equaliser, handled the ball in the Chelsea box.

Alejandro Garnacho, who came on for the second half, netted Chelsea's second in the 53rd minute, but despite a dominant display the Blues were unable to add a third and secure an away victory. The 2-2 draw leaves Chelsea as one of seven teams mired in mid-table with seven points from the opening four games.

Advertisement'The big difference today for me was inside the box'

And Maresca pulled no punches at full time as he criticised Chelsea's defence and attack in a game they really should be winning. "No, I think I said before, the big difference today for me was inside the box," Maresca said at his press conference.

"The goal we conceded, they are silly goals for me. In their box, for the amount of times that we arrived, we have not been clinical enough. So this is the big difference for me."

And on Hato, who endured a performance to forget at centre-back, the Blues boss added: "I think Jorrel, like the team, started very good. We were winning the game, we were in control.

"Then we started to make some mistakes that we need to improve and we need to avoid and for sure in the future we're going to avoid that."

Getty Images SportPraise for Garnacho but concern over injured Lavia

Maresca opted for a triple change at the break as Enzo Fernandez, Liam Delap and Garnacho replaced Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Jamie Gittens for the second half, while the Chelsea head coach was forced into an early sub as Moises Caicedo replace Romeo Lavia before Estevao's opener. Garnacho bagged his second Chelsea goal since his summer arrival from Manchester United to spare the Blues' blushes.

And on the decision to leave the former trio on the bench, Maresca said: "Again, when you start the game, the intention is always because you are sure that the ones that start the game, they are able to do the right things."

The former Leicester boss also reserved praise for Garnacho, who made Champions League history on Wednesday, adding: "Now, when you don't win, I can understand that it's always, but I think Garnacho, he has done well in the second half. We gave him the chance. He's slowly, slowly improving."

Lavia, who has endured rotten luck with injuries following his arrival from Southampton in 2023, came off after just eight minutes on his fourth start of the season. When asked how the Belgian is, Maresca said: "Yeah, we feel very ashamed especially for him because he's not able to be fit for a long, long period. We will see now as it's too early to understand what kind of injury. Hopefully it's not a big injury.

"No, I think it's a quad injury," he replied when asked if his withdrawal was due to a hamstring injury.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Chelsea looking to bounce back against Wolves

While the result was disappointing, Chelsea have now lost only one of their last eight matches in all competitions, winning six times in that run. One of those was a 4-3 victory at Wolves in the Carabao Cup last month, a match in which Chelsea were three goals to the good at the break.

And the Blues welcome the manager-less West Midlands side to Stamford Bridge this weekend as they look to head into the international break on a high. Wolves sit rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table having collected just two points from the opening 10 games of the season.

A 3-0 loss at Fulham cost Vitor Pereira his job as Wolves head coach and after Gary O'Neil ruled himself out of the running to succeed the Portuguese boss, Rob Edwards and Erik ten Hag are the rumoured frontrunners to take over the Molineux hot-seat.

The 2025 Home Run Derby is underway Monday night, eliciting plenty of excitement from MLB fans. What rubbed some fans the wrong way, however, was the fact that Pat McAfee was doing player introductions before the event in his signature, rowdy and occasionally crass style.

When it was Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh's turn to be introduced, McAfee may have taken Raleigh's "Big Dumper" nickname a little too far.

"Hailing from Cullowhee, North Carolina, a man who's doing something that no catch has ever done in the history of the sport, with the fattest ass in all of professional sports… Ladies and gentlemen, Big Dumper! Cal Raleigh!" McAfee said.

Just another day at the office for the ever-colorful color commentator.

Raleigh, who's the first catcher to start an All-Star game in Mariners history, entered the All-Star break with 38 homers and 82 RBIs in just 94 games and is still chasing MLB history—regardless of what anyone says about his behind.

All the runners and riders in Group A of the county 50-over competition, which returns this week

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Aug-2025The Metro Bank One-Day Cup returns this week, with Glamorgan defending the title they won at Trent Bridge in 2025. Here are the runners and riders in Group A:DerbyshireCaptain: Brooke Guest
2024 Position: Fourth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Harry Came (281)
2024 Most Wickets: Zak Chappell (17)
Why they can win the competition: Although Wayne Madsen, Aneurin Donald and Pat Brown are playing in The Hundred, Derbyshire could go deep into the competition if players like Chappell and Australian opener Caleb Jewell fire. The return from injury of all-rounder Luis Reece adds quality and experience while Ben Aitchison brings a cutting edge to the seam attack.Player to watch: Martin Andersson has played some significant innings in the Rothesay County Championship since he made the switch from Middlesex and with Madsen and Donald missing, this is a chance for him to play a leading role with the bat in the white-ball game. An outstanding fielder, his seam bowling will provide Guest with another option.Young gun: Joe Hawkins impressed on his step up to the first team in the County Championship at Northampton and the 18-year-old off-spinning all-rounder is expected to get further chances to show his potential in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. A recent call-up to the England Under-19 squad is a measure of his progress and this competition provides a platform for him to build on that.Final thought: The Falcons were expected to be a contender in the Vitality Blast but after a disappointing tournament, they now have another opportunity to show they are a better one-day side than those results suggest. On their day, they have the players to mount a strong challenge and the disappointment in the T20 format could be a motivating factor over the next few weeks.EssexCaptain: Tom Westley
2024 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2024 most runs: Robin Das (309)
2024 most wickets: Jamal Richards (15)Why they can win the competition: With only four players seconded to The Hundred – compared with six last year – Essex will in theory have a larger pool of players to pick from. However, their plans were disrupted when Indian pace bowler Khaleel Ahmed belatedly pulled out of his all-formats contract; Essex are busily trying to sign an overseas replacement for at least part of the competition.Player to watch: Robin Das top-scored last year, topped by an unbeaten century in a rare win at Trent Bridge. He has not built on that this season with only a couple of disappointing outings in both the Rothesay County Championship and Vitality Blast. If he finally rediscovers his form, it could reignite his career and lead to a memorable few weeks.Young gun: Though still only 20, Luc Benkenstein has been a mainstay of Essex’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup team since his 2021 debut. He made his mark the following year with 6-42 against Glamorgan, though barely bowled last season because of injury. Now a Blast regular, the leggie will boost the spin options as well as adding big-hitting cameos down the order.Final thought: Essex have won just seven of 24 One-Day Cup fixtures since they reached the semi-finals in 2021 – and four of 16 in the past two seasons – with some heavy defeats along the way. It is going to take a massive improvement in performance from essentially the same group of players, allied to some astute tactical acumen from captain Tom Westley, to turn around their white-ball fortunes after a torrid Blast campaign.Carlson raises the Metro Bank One-Day Cup for Glamorgan•Getty ImagesGlamorganCaptain: Kiran Carlson
2024 Position: Champions
2024 Most Runs: Colin Ingram (297)
2024 Most Wickets: Andy Gorvin & Dan Douthwaite (19)Why they can win the competition: As defending champions, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup has felt like a homecoming for Glamorgan, reaping their most success in recent years, winning in 2021 also. David Harrison will lead the team (Richard Dawson away with Welsh Fire) after he was interim head coach and assistant for their previous two success and can lean on a new exciting support staff including Ian Harvey who supported Dawson to success in this competition with Gloucestershire.Player to watch: Billy Root in a crucial stage in his career could have a more senior, important role to play. The 32-year-old in his final year contracted at Glamorgan has spent most of the season in the 2ndXI, often captaining, however came into his own with 296 runs in this tournament in 2024. With Mason Crane and Ben Kellaway selected in The Hundred, Root could be turned to with ball in hand also.Young gun: Jersey international Asa Tribe has shown significant signs of improvement from last year where he top scored with just 26 across six matches. A first red-ball century followed by an ever-present status in the Vitality Blast middle-order, Tribe’s influence on the Glamorgan side has come from nowhere. The 21-year-old with an ODI century on his record will look to play a big role at the top of the order this time around.Final thought: Glamorgan will be missing a key part of their team’s success in this competition of recent years – Colin Ingram. The 40-year-old South African taking up a first assistant coach role is still eligible but is expected to step back from playing for this competition. Despite the lack of a frontline spinner, Andy Gorvin and Dan Douthwaite were joint top wicket takers (with Ed Barnard) in 2024. Douthwaite will be missing early as a short-term injury replacement in The Hundred, but if they can replicate that success with the step up from younger squad members, there’s no reason why this side can’t go back-to-back.GloucestershireCaptain: Jack Taylor
2024 Position: Fifth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Miles Hammond (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Ajeet Singh Dale (13)Why they can win the competition: Less affected than most rivals by call-ups to The Hundred (only four), Gloucestershire proved themselves a one-day force by winning last season’s Vitality Blast. Despite making a nightmare start to that competition this summer, they reeled off four successive group wins at one stage, beating the likes of Hampshire and Essex.Player to watch: At the age of 32, Gloucestershire’s red-ball captain Cameron Bancroft boasts more than 3,000 runs in List A cricket at an average of over 40, with five hundreds, and will provide a wealth of experience at the top of the batting order. The Australia Test player has already produced innings of 163 and 176 in the Rothesay County Championship this season.Young gun: Seam bowler Aman Rao signed for Gloucestershire just before the start of the Vitality Blast and played in the first two group matches against Kent and Sussex. The 21-year-old Loughborough University student is sure to be given more opportunities in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and his height combined with an ability to swing the ball could see him make a significant impact.Final thought: With head coach Mark Alleyne involved in The Hundred, bowling coach Mark Thorburn takes charge for the second successive year and will be determined to make a better start that last season when the team lost their first two group matches before winning four of the next five and just failing to reach the knock-out stage.Fletcha Middleton in action for Hampshire•Getty ImagesHampshireCaptain: Nick Gubbins
2024 Position: Quarter-finals
2024 Most Runs: Ben Brown (286)
2024 Most Wickets: Brad Wheal (13)Why they can win the competition: Hampshire have been a force in 50-over cricket for a couple of generations, having only failed to qualify for the knockouts in one of the last six editions of the One-Day Cup. With largely the same set of players to pick from as 2024, Hampshire have experience at all ages. Scotland international Brandon McMullen’s arrival from August 13 knits the team together with bat and ball, while Indian sensation Tilak Varma will be around for the opening three fixtures.Player to watch: Eddie Jack might still only be 19, but he has certainly graduated from simply being a “young gun”. The tall and very quick fast bowler put Test players KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in his back pocket when playing for England Lions earlier in the summer, where Andrew Flintoff became a big fan. Expect him to be in the top wicket-taking reckoning.Young gun: Given his first professional deal to play in the competition, Ben Mayes comes with a gigantic reputation in age-group cricket. The 17-year-old batter is on England’s long-term radar with Under 19s and Professional County Club Select XI recognition this summer. Come for the wristy hockey-influenced boundaries, stay for the big scores. Fast bowler Manny Lumsden is also worth keeping an eye on.Final thought: Three successive progressions from the group stages, three heartbreaks in the knock-outs – with the last two inflicted by Leicestershire. Could this be the year they take the final leap to silverware? Former captain Jimmy Adams – a winner in two List A finals and now a highly-regarded coach – will step up to lead the side, with Adi Birrell leading Southern Brave Men in The Hundred. It may well be a good audition to taking the top job full-time when it next becomes vacant.LeicestershireCaptain: Peter Handscomb
2024 Position: Semi-finals
2024 Most Runs: Peter Handscomb (539)
2024 Most Wickets: Tom Scriven (18)Why they can win the competition: Winners in 2023 and semi-finalists last year, Leicestershire are a side brimming with confidence and no shortage of quality. Current man-of-the-moment Rehan Ahmed will be otherwise engaged, but overseas batting stars Peter Handscomb and Shan Masood and explosive opener Sol Budinger will compete for the spotlight in his absence. Why would they not fancy themselves for more 50-over glory?Player to watch: After a relatively modest contribution to the Foxes’ Vitality Blast campaign, Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will be keen to make his mark in this competition, playing a format in which he has enjoyed considerable success, averaging 52.48 with 15 hundreds. That could make the left-hander a dangerous opponent.Young gun: Josh Hull may be unavailable due to The Hundred, but Leicestershire can replace him with another 6ft 7ins fast bowler in Alex Green, who may still be growing at just 18 years old. Genuinely quick, Green took four wickets in three appearances in the competition last season and has further underlined his potential for England Under-19s against their India equivalents this summer.Final thought: The 2023 Metro Bank One-Day Cup Final will be forever remembered for wicketkeeper-batter Harry Swindells producing the match of his life, making a career-best 117 not out to rescue his side from 89 for six and set up an unlikely Foxes victory. It is a little poignant then, on the eve of this year’s tournament, that the Leicester-born player has had to announce his retirement from cricket at the age of just 26 because of a persistent finger injury.NottinghamshireCaptain: Haseeb Hameed
2024 Position: Fourth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ben Slater (398)
2024 Most Wickets: Rob Lord (11)Why they can win the competition: The Outlaws lacked consistency last year but with confidence high after a good season with the red ball they have enough quality – especially in the batting – to mount a challenge, even if call-ups to The Hundred will test the depth of their bowling resources, with the likes of Rob Lord and James Hayes hoping for the opportunity to impress.Player to watch: Opener Ben Slater is a batter opponents always hope to see the back of early, given an apparent penchant for List A cricket. His 68 appearances in the format have yielded more than 3,000 runs at a remarkable average of 52.75. A career-best 164 in a win over Surrey at Guildford last year took his List A centuries tally to eight.Young gun: The outstanding batter in Nottinghamshire’s Second XI this season with close to 700 runs, 18-year-old right-hander Sam Seecharan is highly thought of at Trent Bridge and after making his senior debut in the last of the Outlaws’ Vitality Blast fixtures is likely to be given a chance to shine in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.Final thought: The One-Day Cup sees Notts stalwart Paul Franks take on the role of head coach, with Peter Moores joining up with Trent Rockets for The Hundred. Franks – 20 years a Nottinghamshire player – has been assistant head coach since 2017, helping the county win the Blast (twice), the One-Day Cup and promotion to Division One in the Rothesay County Championship in that time. This is his first opportunity to lead the county to a senior title in his own right.Josh Blake struck a maiden List A century last season•Getty ImagesSurreyCaptain: Rory Burns
2024 Position: Eighth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ryan Patel (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Cameron Steel (17)Why they can win the competition: It will be a tough ask given the absence of 15 leading players at The Hundred, but as in previous seasons Surrey will be approaching the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a positive vision of the competition giving precious first-team experience to a raft of youngsters. There is still a hard core of senior players, too.Player to watch: Cameron Steel will be looking at this year’s competition as the perfect opportunity to showcase his proven all-round talents as a middle-order stroke-maker and leg-spinner with a knack of taking important wickets. A comparative lack of game time in Surrey’s Rothesay County Championship side this summer will only add to that desire.Young gun: Ollie Sykes has already been blooded in all formats, including making 11 appearances to date in the Vitality Blast. But it was in last year’s One-Day Cup, when the big-hitting 20-year-old left-hander made his first three starts in the competition, that he initially gave notice of his huge promise with 87 not out against Essex at Chelmsford.Final thought: With no overseas player available, Surrey will be relying on the international experience of skipper Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Ben Foakes and fast bowler Matt Fisher – plus the know-how of Steel and Ryan Patel – to steer a predominantly youthful line-up in which the performances of the likes of Sykes, Josh Blake, James Taylor and Yousef Majid will be carefully monitored.WorcestershireCaptain: Jake Libby
2024 Position: Quarter-final
2024 Most Runs: Jake Libby (526)
2024 Most Wickets: Jack Home (16)Why they can win: Worcestershire are blessed with the availability of many first-team regulars who are not affected by selection in The Hundred, meaning the majority of Alan Richardson’s first-choice eleven will be involved for the Rapids across the tournament. Skipper Jake Libby and mid-season signing Khurram Shahzad will look to show their quality and blend with some exciting youngsters to compete for silverware.Player to watch: Tom Taylor. Having registered the most wickets for Worcestershire so far this season, the right-arm seamer has been in stand-out form across all formats this summer for his side. The 30-year-old has made his name as a frugal opening bowler and will be looking to continue his consistent performances that have yielded him an impressive average of under 25 across both formats.Young gun: Henry Cullen. The exciting 22-year-old wicketkeeper featured during this year’s Vitality Blast having been on the radar for some time at Visit Worcestershire New Road. His eye-catching displays for the 2nd XI have forced an opening into the senior set-up, with this competition the perfect platform for the cultured and efficient young batter to show off his skills.Final thought: A promising end to the Vitality Blast campaign will offer supporters hope that the Rapids white-ball form can extend further into the summer, with the likes of Ethan Brookes central to any hopes of bettering last year’s encouraging quarter-final finish. Having lacked consistency throughout the summer, the exciting crop of youngsters will be looking to breakthrough and enjoy successful campaigns in a side more than capable of challenging deep into the tournament.