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England's centre-back room looks almost unrecognisable this month to how it has for the majority of Sarina Wiegman's tenure. With Millie Bright having recently retired, Leah Williamson still injured, Alex Greenwood ruled out for a few weeks and Jess Carter granted a period of rest, Wiegman is set to name a starting defence without any of that quartet for just the second, and third, time in her four years in charge of the Lionesses when her side take on China and Ghana over the course of the next week.

It's no wonder Wiegman has described this camp as "an opportunity" for other centre-back options to "step up" then, and for no one does it feel like a greater opportunity than Maya Le Tissier. Fresh off the back of making her first England start in a central position last month, having won all nine of her previous caps for her country as a full-back, the 23-year-old feels well-placed to benefit from what is certainly an unfamiliar situation for the Lionesses.

The timing feels important, too. These are England's final friendly matches before qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup begins in the New Year and, with only the group winner to automatically book a spot at the tournament, and the Lionesses having been pooled with Spain, obtaining results is going to be the priority. As such, it's one of the last windows for a while in which Wiegman is going to experiment and hand out chances. Le Tissier will be out to take hers and show that she should be considered as a valuable option at centre-back, not just right-back, moving forward.

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  Plenty of debate

  Le Tissier has been a lightning rod for debate when it comes to the Lionesses in recent months. "I was expecting that," Wiegman laughed when asked about the Manchester United captain following her start as a centre-back against Australia in the last camp, having been bombarded with questions about her since re-emphasising that she saw Le Tissier as more of a right-back than a centre-back just a couple of weeks prior.

  That stance sparked a frenzy on social media, particularly after United, somewhat incredibly, got involved. "Maya Le Tissier has started 104 games for United," a post on the club's official X account read. "103 of them have been at centre-back." Ian Wright, meanwhile, took to Instagram to state that he simply didn't "understand" Wiegman's point of view, calling Le Tissier "the most consistent" English centre-back in the Women's Super League.

  "I think it's hard not to see it. It's everywhere," Le Tissier said of the public questioning of her role when talking to . "Obviously I play centre-half at club level every single week and every single day in training. So for me, I love playing centre-back, and full-back is a different challenge. I enjoy that as well, but I don't feel as kind of confident.

  "It's hard when you go play a different position that you don't play at all. I just try and do whatever Sarina asks of me, just to get on the pitch, no matter if it's at full-back or centre-half or anywhere else where Sarina thinks I could play!"

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  Softening stance

  How Wiegman used Le Tissier during the October camp suggested something of a softening on what had, at times, previously felt like a very strong position. The defender started as a right-back in the first game of that international break, a defeat to Brazil, but ended it at centre-back. Then, three days later, she started at the heart of the defence as England bounced back with a victory over Australia.

  "I think in both positions, she has done really well," Wiegman said after the latter outing. "I'll have a review on that. We'll discuss it over the next couple days, because I want to see this game back. But I think she did really well."

  Those comments were the cherry on top of what felt like an incredibly positive camp for Le Tissier, in which she went about her business at full-back without any sense of complaint before showing what she could do when deployed in the position she knows best.

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  Unfamiliar situation

  This week is now a real opportunity to build on that. It's hard to overstate just how different Wiegman's centre-back options are this month when compared to what she has been used to during her four years in charge. In that time, Bright, Williamson, Greenwood and Carter have been mainstays, with at least one of them starting in the defensive line in all of her first 71 games as England manager. That run only came to an end in England's most recent outing, when Wiegman started Le Tissier alongside Esme Morgan for the visit of Australia, in her 72nd game in charge.

  Indeed, that became only the 11th time in those 72 matches that the centre-back pairing or the back three – taking into account the period which saw the Lionesses regularly set-up in a 3-5-2 shape – was not exclusively made up of a combination of Bright, Williamson, Greenwood and Carter. However, none are available for this upcoming window, with Wiegman instead to have to pick from Le Tissier, Morgan, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Grace Fisk.

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  Changing pecking order

  Previously, it would've felt like an opportunity for Wubben-Moy, who was granted a start in four of those first seven occasions when Wiegman turned to a centre-back outside of her trusted quartet. It could well be this week, too, as after finding game time extremely hard to come by for most of the year, the Arsenal defender is starting regularly again, owing to a devastating ACL injury for rising star Katie Reid that saw the teenager join Williamson on the sidelines for the Gunners.

  But it is still the case that Wubben-Moy has fallen down Wiegman's pecking order in recent times. In fact, she was not actually in England's final squad before the Euro 2025 announcement, not until Bright decided to take an extended period of rest that would eventually progress into her missing the tournament and, more recently, retiring.

  Instead, Morgan's status in this team has increased steadily in the last couple of years and she has got the nod for those moments of change in the defence, as evidenced by her start in the Euros semi-final clash with Italy. With Fisk uncapped, and rarely called up under Wiegman, Morgan and Le Tissier do feel like the first-choice starting centre-back partnership for this week, with variations dependent on how much Wiegman wants to rotate a spine that is already missing starting goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

Thomas Frank’s time in charge of Tottenham Hotspur may not be going exactly to plan at this moment in time, as his side have been in concerning form of late.

The Lilywhites have conceded 11 goals in their last three games in all competitions, losing 5-3 to PSG and 4-1 to Arsenal in their last two outings since returning from the international break.

Tottenham have won one of their last six games in all competitions, keeping one clean sheet in that time, and this shows that Frank and his staff have plenty of work to do to improve the team’s defensive record.

Spurs let in 65 goals in 38 Premier League games in the 2024/25 season under Ange Postecoglou, which shows that this is not a new issue, and it may take time for the problem to be solved.

Whilst there is plenty of attention on the defensive side of their game, and rightly so given recent results, there should also be attention given to where they need to improve at the other end of the pitch.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with one assist, was one of the standout performers for PSG, as he moved to eight goal contributions for the season, but Spurs do not have similar quality in their wide areas.

Ranking Tottenham's wingers this season

The Lilywhites spent £55m to sign Mohammed Kudus from Premier League rivals West Ham to bolster their ranks out wide in the summer transfer window, and he has been arguably the best winger at the club this season.

In the 2025/26 campaign, the Ghana international has more assists (five) than any other player in the squad for Spurs, with one assist on top of all of that creativity, per Transfermarkt.

However, even then, there is plenty of room for him to improve because of a return of one goal in 17 appearances in all competitions is far from an exceptional return for a £55m signing.

On the flip side, Brennan Johnson has scored four goals in 18 matches in all competitions, per Sofascore, yet he has failed to provide a single assist for his teammates, which shows that he needs to improve on the creative side of the game.

As you can see in the table above, Wilson Odobert ranks just below the two of them, because he has one goal and two assists in just 751 minutes of football as a young player who is still learning and improving.

Xavi Simons, signed for £52m from Leipzig, and Mathys Tel, who have both played centrally and wide, have each registered just two goal contributions in all competitions, which is why they must rank fourth and fifth.

All of this shows that Frank does not have many amazing options in the wide areas, but that could change for the second half of the season if things go to plan.

Spurs told that £50m bid will be accepted for Premier League forward

According to former Aberdeen, Everton, and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness, Tottenham Hotspur could sign Savinho from Manchester City in the January transfer window.

The ex-Premier League chief has told Spurs that a bid of £50m could be enough for them to tempt the Cityzens into cashing on the Brazil international, after the Lilywhites failed with a £60m approach for the forward in the summer.

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Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness said: “There are a lot of City fans complaining about him, et cetera, et cetera. But I do think he’s a quality player.

“I think a change of scenery would obviously do him the world of good. And I think it’ll give Spurs a chance to get a better deal with City. And I do expect something like this to happen in January. So I do expect probably a bit of not so much cut-price, but certainly lower than expected, maybe around a 50 million mark even with bonuses for a player of that quality.”

Savinho has only started four matches in the Premier League for Manchester City so far this season, with the likes of Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku ahead of him, and Wyness seemingly believes that his lack of game time could open the door for Spurs.

It is now down to Fabio Paratici and Frank, though, to do a deal with City and to convince the Brazilian star to make the move to North London, because he could be their own Kvaratskhelia.

Why Spurs should sign Savinho

Like Kudus, Savinho is not a winger who is likely to come in and score 20 or more goals a season like Mo Salah or Vinicius Jr, because he has only scored four goals in all competitions since the start of last season, per Sofascore.

However, the 21-year-old talent is an exceptional dribbler and creator who could provide an exciting presence for supporters to watch out wide in the second half of the season and beyond.

Kvaratskhelia, who is valued at £79m, is one of the best wingers in the world, having won Ligue 1 and the Champions League, scoring in the final, last season, so it would be unrealistic to expect Tottenham to sign a winger who is exactly like him in every area of the game.

However, as you can see in the chart above, Savinho is very much like the Georgian star when it comes to creating chances and dribbling past opposition players on the wing, based on their respective statistics over the last 365 days.

In fact, the Brazilian Spurs target was one of the most creative players in his position in all of the top five major European leagues in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown in the table below.

Whilst he may not be in the best moment at Manchester City, with one goal and two assists in 15 appearances, his form last term shows that he is capable of being an elite creator and dribbler in the Premier League.

Savinho, who Paul Merson claimed could be a “superstar”, ranked in the top 6% of his positional peers for xAG (0.27) in the Champions League and the top 4% in the Premier League with 0.35 xAG, per FBref.

These statistics and his statistics in comparison to Kvaratskhelia suggest that Spurs would be signing an exceptional young creator on the wing if they snap him up in January.

That is why Paratici should hope that Wyness is right and that a deal could be done for £50m, because the Brazilian could arrive in North London as their own version of the PSG superstar because of his creative and dribbling skills.

Romero upgrade: Spurs "ready to make" £35m bid for "world-class" defender

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge January move for a new centre-back.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 28, 2025

In an offseason of outside-the-box managerial hires, the Nationals have reportedly hired the biggest wild card of all.

Washington is naming 33-year-old Blake Butera its next manager, according to a Thursday morning report from Jeff Passan of ESPN. Butera, 33, will be the youngest MLB manager since the Twins hired 33-year-old Frank Quilici in 1972.

Butera, a longtime minor league manager in the Rays' system, currently holds the title of senior director of player development for that team.

Born in Louisiana, Butera played collegiately for Boston College before Tampa Bay drafted him in the 35th round in 2015. After two professional years in the Appalachian and New York-Penn Leagues, Butera entered management.

In both 2021 and 2022, he won Manager of the Year awards at the minor league level with the Charleston RiverDogs of the Carolina League.

The Nationals fired manager Dave Martinez, the manager of their 2019 World Series team, on July 6 after eight years.

One European club is now ready to launch a move to sign a big-money Liverpool star in 2026, despite facing competition from the Saudi Pro League.

Slot expects "aggressive" Leeds vs Liverpool

Despite Wednesday night’s timid draw against Sunderland at Anfield, Arne Slot was in good spirits ahead of Liverpool’s next game against Leeds United this weekend. The Reds will be looking to stretch their mini-unbeaten run to three games in the same week, but must also get back to winning ways after Wednesday.

On paper, a trip to newly-promoted Leeds looks routine and once upon a time it was exactly that for the Reds. Those days, for the time being, are gone, however, and the Premier League champions are now set to square off against a side who could physically outmatch them once again.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Slot admitted that he expects to face an “aggressive” Leeds side: “Yesterday I looked at Leeds v Chelsea and I thought I saw a Liverpool game; Chelsea conceding a set-piece and for the third goal making a big, big error where they conceded a goal from. [It was] very difficult for them.

“Either Leeds went very aggressive to one-v-one or they went to a low block and it was really hard to create chances. It’s not only difficult for us, that playing style, it’s difficult for many teams – including us.”

It’s been the story of Liverpool’s season so far. Whenever they’ve encountered physicality, the Premier League champions have simply been bullied.

Something had to change and that has seen Mohamed Salah sacrificed. The struggling Egyptian has not started either of Liverpool’s last two games and reports suggest he could yet leave the club in 2026.

Galatasaray ready to launch Salah bid

According to reports in Spain, Galatasaray are now ready to launch their bid to sign Salah next year. The Turkish giants are looking to take full advantage of the winger’s situation and will reportedly aim to beat clubs in Saudi Arabia to his signature.

Whether Liverpool are willing to sell Salah remains to be seen, though. The Anfield icon only signed a new two-year deal last season, which is set to expire in 2027, but they must ask themselves if he is now past the peak of his powers.

Van Dijk raves over "world-class" Liverpool star who has been "really bad"

Liverpool have not been at the races of late.

By
FFC Staff

Dec 5, 2025

Former centre-back, turned Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Carragher certainly believes that’s the case, recently saying: “The catalyst for Liverpool at the very start of the run in 2018 with Jürgen Klopp was Alisson, Van Dijk and Salah.

“Alisson’s injured a lot now, he doesn’t play so much. But you watch Van Dijk now, not the same player, and Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone.”

The 33-year-old will be desperate to prove Carragher wrong and make his £21m-a-year contract worthwhile even if that is to be from the bench following Slot’s recent ruthlessness.

Huge Gakpo upgrade: £70m "superstar" now keen to join Liverpool in January

Jude Bellingham delivered an X-rated assessment of Real Madrid’s current situation after seeing them suffer another damaging defeat to Manchester City. The Blancos went down 2-1 against Premier League opponents in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with Bellingham admitting that the Liga giants must “take a bit of sh*t on the chin” in an ongoing bid to find form.

• Real Madrid form: Blancos have hit a slump

  Real have won just two of their last eight matches in all competitions, drawing and losing three apiece. Their last domestic fixture, against Celta Vigo, saw them reduced to nine men before the final whistle blew.

  They were able to keep 11 on the field when playing host to City, but found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline. Real did take the lead at Santiago Bernabeu through Brazilian forward Rodrygo, but trailed by half-time courtesy of Nico O’Reilly and a penalty from prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.

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  Bellingham sounds X-rated Real Madrid rallying cry

  Pressure continues to build on Blancos boss Xabi Alonso as a result of that European setback, with it being suggested that the World Cup winner – who only returned to Madrid over the summer – is already fighting to save his job.

  He is said to endure a strained relationship with a number of senior stars, including former Ballon d’Or contender Vinicius Junior. Quizzed on whether he still has faith in his beleaguered manager, Bellingham told : “One hundred per cent. The manager has been great. I personally have a great relationship with him and I know a lot of the lads do too.

  “After that first run of games where we drew a few, we had some really great conversations internally and felt we'd put that form behind us but the last couple of games we've let ourselves down again. No one is downing tools, no one is complaining and moaning and thinking the season is over. We will have to take a bit of the sh*t on the chin, keep fighting and bouncing forward.”

• What has gone wrong for Real? Bellingham explains

  Bellingham was also asked why Real’s form has taken a serious nosedive since claiming a Clasico victory over arch-rivals Barcelona in late October and hitting top spot in the Liga table. The England international added: “We're still trying to work it out within the changing room regardless of what goes on outside. We know that's not helpful.

  “One thing is how we're managing games. Certain points where we have to suffer it feels like we always concede and it puts us on the back foot and makes us have to play a way we don't want to.

  “But in the changing room we have what we need to turn it around, we need maybe a bit of luck or maybe something we need to discuss internally. I have faith this season isn't over just because we're in a bad run of form.”

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  Managerial change? Alonso facing sack threat

  While Alonso continues to dominate headlines in Spain, with many of those casting the 44-year-old ex-Madrid midfielder in a dim light, Real’s head coach insists that he should not be the centre of attention.

  He is eager to point out that everybody connected with the Blancos will be doing their best to turn collective fortunes around. Alonso said when asked if he is worried about his future in the wake of a disappointing loss to City: “I’m worried about the next game. Here the important thing is Real Madrid. It’s the team, the players and how I can help them. The issue is not about me.”

  Alonso may want to divert attention away from himself, but he will continue to fall under the brightest of spotlights. He is in the results business, while filling one of the most demanding managerial roles on the planet, and knows that he needs to get Real firing again.

  His next opportunity to do just that will arrive on Sunday when the Blancos head to Alaves. That is one of three fixtures left on Real’s schedule in 2025, with it yet to be determined whether Alonso will make the new year in his current role.

The technical flaws of their top order were in evidence in Perth. It’s not too late for them to do something about them

Greg Chappell24-Nov-2025The England dressing room on the final day of last week’s Perth Test must have resembled a building struck by a sudden, shattering explosion. One moment there was light, order, and a firm structure; the next, a deafening, visceral shock wave.It was more than a defeat; it was a systemic failure that felt like the lights had been plucked out. The silence that follows such a blast is rarely peaceful. It is instantly replaced by the sounds of the resulting chaos: the alarms begin to blare, smoke and dust swirl in a disorienting, suffocating cloud, and the structure groans under considerable damage.As the initial shock recedes, the occupants – Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, and the rest of the squad – begin to grasp the new reality. They are hurt, disoriented, and the damage is real. But before they can even assess the situation fully, the cacophony begins. From the outside, the public, the pundits, and the media – the bystanders – start shouting. A wall of competing, frantic advice on which direction to run: Tear it all up! Sack the lot! Go back to old methods!Related

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But the leaders inside know that external noise is based on limited information and frustration. They look out of the windows and see the true dimensions of the crisis: on one side, a metaphorical wall of water threatens to drown the established culture; on the other, a fire of fundamental change risks burning down the positive gains of the last three years. And the structure, while damaged, is not a complete write-off.Panic is not the answer. Cold, calm discussion must take place, grounded in the unvarnished truth of the situation. McCullum and Stokes hold the leadership keys because they alone know the full extent of the structural damage, the vulnerabilities, and crucially, which areas of the edifice remain sound. They know that listening to the shouting outside will only lead them down a blind alley, or worse, cause them to add insult to injury by making the wrong decision.Their knowledge, the one unshakeable fact, is that, provided they do not succumb to panic, a perfectly safe escape from the situation still exists. It requires a balanced response, built not on fear but on a clear-eyed assessment of the facts.The biggest mistake England could make now is to discard the foundational game plan that has been built over the past three years. The key is to assess where the approach, sound in principle, went awry in execution against a ruthless Australian unit.For all the talk of a humbling loss, the truth is that England had many positives from the match and were, arguably, in a winning position more than once. Australia won because they were superior in three critical areas and had a more robust plan for the specific conditions in Perth: they had the best bowler in Mitchell Starc, the best batter in Travis Head, and the more tactically acute captain in Steven Smith.The most critical tactical error was the length they bowled in both innings. It is a mistake many touring teams have fallen for at the WACA and now at the new Optus Stadium. England’s bowlers, perhaps seduced by the bounce, bowled too short too often.

England’s top-order batters effectively move from one static stance to a new static position, with the front foot often finishing in front of middle stump. From this position, foot movement is severely restricted

Starc’s success was a masterclass in challenging the English batters’ tendency to drive on the up – a high-risk option in these conditions. By pitching the ball up, he forced them to commit to the drive or play a half-shot of the sort Zak Crawley played in the second innings, making them vulnerable to both the edge and any attempted drive.It is worth noting that Jofra Archer bowled the most consistent and challenging fuller length of the English attack in the first innings, troubling every Australian batter. Stokes’ own excellent figures, which came off a mixture of short and full deliveries, may have inadvertently clouded the collective judgement.This confusion proved fatal when Head strode out in the second innings. His intent to attack was obvious, yet England fell for the oldest trap in the book, dropping short and wide. By taking the full ball and the accompanying threats of bowled and lbw out of the equation, England effectively aided and abetted his brutal cause. What they desperately needed to do was pitch it up and force him to play the more difficult straighter shots down the ground.The task does not get easier. Brisbane, the venue for the next Test, will be different from Perth but equally difficult. The pink ball will swing and seam, and once again, the full ball will be the challenge.England must prepare for the home attack – Starc, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett – to pitch it up relentlessly. The English bowlers must reciprocate. This is no time for tentative half-measures; the mantra for the bowling unit must be: if in doubt, pitch it up.A more worrying structural weakness lies in England’s top-order batting unit, which seems to have adopted a singular, uniform initial movement that will not serve them well against the swinging pink ball.Too many of the top-order batters make a definite, two-part movement: a substantial step back and across with the back foot, followed by the planting of the front foot. They move effectively from one static stance to a new static position, with the front foot often finishing in front of middle stump. From this position, foot movement is severely restricted. They become rooted, relying solely on their hands and arms to search for the ball. This is fraught with danger, particularly against a full, straight delivery, where they are forced to play around the front leg to access the ball.The response must start with technical adjustments from the key batters.Harry Brook seems to have introduced unnecessary complexity to his methods•Getty ImagesHarry Brook is a case study in unneeded complexity. His earlier, highly successful, method was simple, involving minimal movement, allowing him to use the bowlers’ angle against them. His current movement pattern has stripped him of scoring options, forcing him into riskier shots. He needs to go back to the tape, re-evaluate, and simplify.Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope both showed periods of resilience in Perth, offering a foundation upon which to build. They proved that the aggressive method can work, provided the footwork is precise and the shot selection is judicious.Pope has a similar problem to Root and Brook in that his initial movements leave his front leg exposed to full, straight deliveries. The commentators talked about his head falling over to the off regularly but they couldn’t explain why. These early movements cause him to take the leg to the line of the straighter deliveries, meaning that his head has to be to the off side of the ball. He needs to fix the leg issue before the head position will be addressed.Crawley is the batter who will have the most soul-searching to do. His “stand and deliver” driving method, while apparently aesthetically pleasing, will be no more successful in Brisbane than it was in Perth. He will not be able to change a lifetime’s habit in 12 days, so he has to be very disciplined with his selections, only driving at half-volleys and full tosses at the Gabba. Unless he can introduce genuine defence and leave the ball with confidence, his pain will only increase.The itinerary in the lead-up to the Brisbane Test must be strictly managed. The batters intended for the Brisbane XI must play the pink-ball game in Canberra to gain much-needed centre-wicket practice against the moving ball. At the same time, England’s entire bowling unit must dedicate practice time to relentlessly hitting a fuller length and forcing the Australian batters to drive.The analogy remains the ultimate instruction. The alarm bells are deafening. The outside noise is a constant, tempting distraction. But panic will lead to catastrophic decisions. Stokes and McCullum must maintain their equilibrium, trust the intelligence gathered in Perth – the positives, the evidence of clear errors – and formulate a balanced response. Going into their collective shell is not the answer; neither is continuing the helter-skelter approach mindlessly. Discipline and judicious decision-making are required to get back into this contest.The structure is sound enough to escape. But England must not listen to the shouts; they must learn the lessons. Only then can they hope to get back on the course, lest the race be over before the end of the first straight.