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Just shy of 100 games in charge, the Enzo Maresca era is over at Chelsea, with the Blues left to reflect on an 18-month spell that yielded two trophies, yet seemingly brought the club no closer to contending for the Premier League title.

That said, with the west London side still firmly in the mix for a top-five finish, while competing on three other fronts, any new boss isn’t exactly walking into a crisis situation.

A tweak here and there, alongside a new sense of harmony, might be all that is needed to revive this undoubtedly talented crop after a sticky December, with it looking as if Liam Rosenior will be the man tasked with that responsibility.

Currently impressing at BlueCo-owned Strasbourg, the Englishman appears all but certain to fill Maresca’s void at Stamford Bridge, with any hold-up likely to be centred around the Ligue 1 side’s need to find a replacement.

Rosenior looks to be BlueCo’s man, with the Blues hierarchy potentially plotting to hand the 41-year-old a dream 1st signing…

Chelsea readying bid for dream first Rosenior deal

Questions are being asked of Chelsea’s recent recruitment, with The Athletic’s Colin Millar notably highlighting how the club’s raft of summer spending on nine new signings backfired, as the “squad simply didn’t improve”.

Indeed, the likes of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho and the undoubtedly exciting Estevao have scored just two Premier League goals between them, with only Joao Pedro (six) really finding any sort of form.

The returning Cole Palmer has begun to find his groove again, netting against both Everton and Bournemouth, although the Englishman can’t do it alone. Thankfully, he might not have to.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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As per reports in Spain, Chelsea are believed to be preparing a ‘blockbuster’ bid to sign Palmer’s England colleague, Morgan Rogers, with the Blues readying an offer in the region of €150m (£130m).

The report suggests that a bid of such stature would likely be tempting for an Aston Villa side who have struggled to meet financial regulations in recent times, albeit with Rogers himself said to be ‘comfortable’ under Unai Emery’s management.

As for those at Stamford Bridge, the club are said to be ‘confident’ that they can tempt the 23-year-old into leaving the Midlands side.

Why Rogers could be the next Cole Palmer for Chelsea

While hampered by injury in 2025, perhaps part of the frustration at Chelsea of late was Maresca’s use of the aforementioned Palmer, with the 22-year-old not quite hitting the heights that he did under Mauricio Pochettino’s watch.

That debut 2023/24 campaign saw the playmaking genius rack up 41 goals and assists in just 45 games in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, albeit while registering ‘just’ 55 goal involvements in 76 games since under Maresca.

Either way, that total record is still simply ridiculous for a player who was bizarrely allowed to depart rivals Manchester City, with Chelsea more than reaping the rewards of their £40m investment.

City’s ‘trash’ could again be Chelsea’s treasure in the case of Rogers, with the in-form forward having made his way to Villa Park from the Etihad, via a stint at Middlesbrough.

Sold for just £1m by Guardiola and co, the Halesowen-born sensation has more than made his former club pay for that decision, registering 46 goals and assists in 94 games for Emery’s side.

FFC’s TOTS – 2025/26 (so far)

Position

Player

GK

David Raya

RB

Reece James

CB

Nordi Mukiele

CB

Gabriel

LB

Riccardo Calafiori

CM

Granit Xhaka

CM

Declan Rice

RM

Antoine Semenyo

LM

Morgan Rogers

ST

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

ST

Erling Haaland

That isn’t quite Palmer levels, although it is certainly close, with Rogers – like his ex-City colleague – having been a real surprise package in the Premier League in recent years, after failing to even make a senior appearance at the Etihad.

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Like Palmer at Chelsea too, Rogers is the real heartbeat for Villa in his number ten berth, racking up ten goal involvements already this season in the top-flight.

So dangerous from range, like Palmer, the £130m man notably netted two almost identical stunners against Manchester United last month, rifling into the roof of the net in what has almost become trademark fashion.

For an attack-minded coach such as Rosenior to be able to work with a young talent like that is really truly exciting, while the prospect of the two Three Lions star’s in the same side also simply mouthwatering.

Rogers might be working wonders in the Midlands, although the chance to unite with the man he shares a celebration with could be too good to turn down.

Related Chelsea now really keen on £130m double deal as first two signings for Rosenior

Who will the Blues recruit this winter?

Posts ByJames O'Reilly

Aditya Dole, a Maharashtra Under-22 right-arm medium-fast bowler, took all 10 wickets in an innings against Rajasthan in their CK Nayudu Trophy match in Visakhapatnam.As one would expect, Dole said his bowling figures of 16.1-2-63-10 could not be compared to Anil Kumble’s feat, which came in a Test match. “Never in the wildest of dreams I ever thought that I could do it. It happened only for the support of our captain Nikhil Paradkar and the team,” Dole told , a Mumbai-based newspaper.After Maharashtra had posted a first-innings total of 171, Dole reduced Rajasthan to 76 for 6 on day one. He was handed the ball 20 overs into the second day and proceeded to tear through the tail.”I had taken nine wickets and my captain asked me if he could take the tenth one,” Dole said. “I said, ‘Please do.’ But he was kidding as he had placed a very causal field while he was bowling from the other end and there were no indication that he would spoil my feat.”Definitely a ten-wicket haul is every bowler’s dream and I am happy I have done it so early [in my career].”Ajay Shirke, the Maharashtra Cricket Association president, said Dole’s ten-wicket haul was a bonus to a team that had been doing well. “The boys are doing wonders and Dole has taken 19 wickets in the last four matches,” he said.Rajasthan made up for their poor first-innings performance by bowling out Maharashtra for 175 in the second innings. At the end of day two they were at 36 for 1, chasing a target of 208.

Muttiah Muralitharan: under yet another cloud of doubt © Getty Images

Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain, has called for the ICC to review Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling action, specifically the – the delivery that leaves the right-handed batsman.Crowe suggested that Muralitharan needed to be monitored more often to ensure his arm was not flexing more than permitted. According to Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan board (SLC) has prepared a full-bodied defence should the ICC hold an inquiry into the matter.During Sri Lanka’s recent 217-run Test win at Wellington, Crowe, currently a television commentator, claimed Murali’s action deteriorated during a matchwinning spell on day four and needed to be reassessed. Following the match, Crowe sent an e-mail detailing his concerns to the ICC. It was reported that he planned to include video footage.”I have no worries over his offspinner whatsoever,” Crowe told , a New Zealand daily. “It’s the which he now bowls more and more, often up to 50% in a given spell, which needs further clarification. His was banned two years ago and I believe it needs consistent monitoring.”Jayawardene came to Muralitharan’s defence. “It’s quite sad it’s gone this far. From a cricket point of view this is something that has to stop,” he said. “It’s a ridiculous situation. Murali shouldn’t be penalised every time he takes 10 wickets.They [the SLC] will do a presentation to the ICC as well. If he [Crowe] wants to take it higher up … depending on the outcome we will also react.”Jayawardene added that Muralitharan would remain impervious to the latest round of crititicism: “He’s fine, he has no problems and is just concentrating on cricket”.John Reid, the former New Zealand captain who stood on the ICC illegal delivery panel that cleared Muralitharan six years ago, disagreed with his compatriot. “He [Crowe] won’t believe these so-called experts who are the ICC illegal delivery panel. Murali’s also been passed by the biomechanists,” Reid said. “Everyone thinks he has a bent elbow. He hasn’t, he can’t straighten his elbow. He’s got a double-jointed wrist like you wouldn’t believe.”

North West completed a convincing 253-run win over Griqualand West at Potchefstroom, who collapsed to 160 all out in their second innings. North West batted on at the start of the day to allow Mohammad Akoojee to score his maiden first-class hundred. A target of 414 was always going to be trying for Griquas and when Goolam Bhayat reducedthem to 35 for 4 the writing was on the wall.Despite a face-saving 135 not out from Andre Seymore, Easterns could onlyset Northerns a target of 239, one they reached with eight wickets to spare.Fifties from Heino Kuhn, Johan Myburgh and Francois du Plessis wereenough to see the more experienced team through.Free State and Gauteng had to settle for a draw after rain stopped anypossibility of play after the luncheon break. Gauteng had pushed theirtotal to 227 for 3, still nine runs behind, by lunch with Stephen Cookscoring a hundred. With the heavens opening up the game was called offas a draw.In the UCB Shield competition, Eastern Province turned the tables on Border by winning an exciting limited-overs match in Port Elizabeth. A disappointing 177 in 43.4 oversfrom Border allowed Eastern Province to pace themselves towards the win.Lyall Meyer was responsible for the low Border total after taking 4 for33 in his nine overs. A slight hiccup was overcome as 13 runs werescored in the penultimate over to give them the win by three wickets.

Shoaib Akhtar says fast bowlers want to put on a show© AFP

Shoaib Akhtar believes international workloads, modern regulations and batsmen-friendly pitches are forcing fast bowlers out of the game. Shoaib, the world’s quickest bowler who is also in a contract dispute with the Pakistan Cricket Board, said Mohammad Sami and Steve Harmison were the two other genuinely fast men playing in Tests.”There used to be at least nine or 10 fast bowlers around the globe who were terrorising the batsmen,” he told The Australian. “Getting runs in Test cricket is never easy, but now it is comparatively easy.”Shoaib, 29, said playing schedules offering little opportunity for rest and short-bowling limits were also restrictive for players who wanted to “put on a show”. “Even a Ferrari sometimes needs to stop after two laps for a workshop,” he said. “They don’t realise they are finishing the fast bowlers.”Expected to lead the Pakistan attack in the first Test at Perth on December 16, Akhtar is still in a contractual dispute with the country’s board. Team officials said the disagreement was unlikely to force him off the three-Test Australia tour.A new deal for series against Australia and West Indies was offered 10 days ago but Shoaib rejected it because of clauses that could force him to endorse products in competition with his sponsors. Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana and Abdul Razzaq have agreed to the $US3500-a-month packages.Pakistan play against a Cricket Australia Chairman’s XI at Lilac Hill tomorrow and start a four-day game against Western Australia at the WACA on Thursday.

Old Tauntonians & Romsey are out on their own at the top of Southern Electric Premier League, Division 2 after Lymington’s shock defeat at Sparsholt.The overnight leaders came unstuck by two wickets at the Norman Edwards Ground to leave OTR – nine-wicket winners over Burridge – boasting the only unbeaten record.Neil Cunningham (56) fought a lone battle to keep Burridge afloat and got precious little support as Max Smith (3-35) and two-wicket pair Jeremy Ord and Raj Naik put through their order.A total of 147-9 was never likely to test OT’s, who romped home with Charlie Forward (73) and Naik (42) sharing an unbroken century stand.A top order collapse, in which five wickets fell for seven runs, cost Lymington dear on a damp surface at Sparsholt.At 63-0 and Glyn Treagus (35) going well, Lymington appeared to have few problems. But left-armer Mike Ball (3-29) disrupted proceedings to leave the visitors tottering at 70-5 before Matt Malloy (41) retrieved an uncertain situation.Christian Pain (22) and Dave Coles (20) lifted Lymington to 181, with Ian Ellis (3-40) and Ollie Kelly (2-38) sharing the spoils.Sparsholt’s response went in fits and starts, with Tim Richings (36) doing the bulk of the early scoring and Bill Gunyon (30) having to hold things together when the wickets started to tumble.When Pain (3-38) and Danny Peacock (2-42) had Sparsholt wobbling at 94-5, the game was in the balance.But Australian left-hander Jez Lawson took the initiative and carried Sparsholt to an unexpected first win at 182-8.Easton & Martyr Worthy trounced United Services by nine wickets after skittling the Portsmouth side for 98 at Cockets Mead.Mark Stone’s 4-18 return had US in dire straits at 32-6, but Gary Braithwaite (37) at least made a game of it. Ashley Spencer (32) and Shaun Green (33 not out) swept EMW home.Problems appear to be piling up for Gosport Borough, who plunged to a fifth successive defeat, losing by 97 runs to Hursley Park.Paul Edwards (55) guided Hursley to 148-4, but must have been distraught to see the last six wickets tumble for 23 runs and his side plunge to 171 all out (Paul Jenkins 4-44).But it was more than enough for Gosport, who sank from 39-1 (Lee Wateridge 36) to 93 all out, with Rob Lowe (4-6) and Stu Wilson (3-21) doing the damage.St Cross Symondians’ match with Purbrook was called off after Friday’s rain.

A nail-biting finish to the first semi-final of the Red Stripe Bowlsaw Guyana advance to the final ahead of home side Jamaica, in spiteof a tied result. Having won one match more in the preliminary roundthan Jamaica, Guyana was on safe ground as soon as the scores werelevelled.Guyanese captain Carl Hooper, winning the toss, asked his oppositionto bat, hoping to take full toll of a pitch oozing with moisture.Jamaica made an indifferent start, being 75/5 at one stage, beforecaptain Robert Samuels took charge, producing a mature 52 off 62balls. Gareth Breese’s 49-ball 42 further boosted the Jamaican total,helping them to reach 191 for nine in 50 overs.The total looked sufficient as Guyana trod a similar path to theirrivals’; a combination of moist conditions and a new ball saw themteetering at 58/3. Hooper and Ramnaresh Sarwan then collaborated on aninvaluable stand of 56 runs.Both departed in quick succession, forcing Guyana to dig deep into theabilities of its lower order to come up with the remaining runs. With12 balls remaining, they still needed 18 to win; with an over left,they needed 11. Marlon Samuels, who finished with sloppy figures of8-0-48-1, and careless Jamaican fielding contrived to gift Guyana theneeded runs. Colin Stuart, who made a vital 14, was run out off thelast ball with just one run required for an outright victor, leavingboth scores exactly level. The rules being clear, the lively Jamaicancrowd was silenced off the penultimate ball itself, with the result ofthe final delivery being purely academic.Guyana will now face the winner of the other semi-final, betweenBarbados and Trinidad & Tobago, which is to be played on Friday. Thefinal is scheduled for Sunday.

The BCB has confirmed the dates of Australia’s tour of Bangladesh later this year. The visitors will play two Tests in October in what will be their second Test series in Bangladesh.After arriving on September 28 and training in Dhaka for four days, Australia will play a three-day practice match in Fatullah from October 3 to 5.They will then travel to Chittagong to play the first Test from October 9 to 13 before the second Test from October 17 to 21 in Dhaka.Australia’s only Test tour of Bangladesh previously was in 2006 when they played two games in Fatullah and Chittagong. They also came to play a three-match ODI series in 2011.Bangladesh toured Australia twice too, in 2003 to play two Tests and three ODIs, and in 2008 for three ODIs.

Phil Jaques overcame a slow start to score his maiden Test century (file photo) © Getty Images

Phil Jaques wasn’t the only one ecstatic after his maiden Test century and the cries of congratulations continued as he prepared to talk about his breakthrough innings. A jubilant spectator who had bet on him to reach three figures delayed Jaques’ self-analysis and embarrassed him slightly.”You paid $6.50, Jaques, I love you,” the man yelled as he waved his winning ticket into the conference room. The reward for Jaques was much greater after waiting eight months to become Matthew Hayden’s full-time partner. “It’s been a long wait and a tough wait and I felt I did the hard work early,” he said. “It’s just really exciting to get the first hundred.”Once Jaques was set, he was able to cruise, but the first session was incredibly difficult as he dealt with rain delays and a seaming pitch. Neither he nor Hayden made terminal errors and their opening stand of 69 was crucial in setting up Australia’s 3 for 242.Jaques was able to stay calm despite not scoring from his first 34 balls and a cautious start was part of the plan. “There was a bit in the wicket early and the main job as opener is to take the shine off the ball,” he said. “I guess 34 balls is a long time to take the shine off the ball.”I was just trying to grind it out this morning and get to lunch and beyond, just trying to wear them down. I knew the wicket was going to get better and I’m really happy to get the rewards at the end of the day.”The pitch did improve and Jaques was particularly strong pulling and back-foot driving. He struck 13 boundaries and when he raised the century from his 196th delivery he shared a meaningful celebration with Michael Hussey, while his wife, sister and brother-in-law applauded from the stands.”It was hard to keep the emotions in,” he said. “I’m over the moon. I’m a bit disappointed I got out on 100, but happy that I got there.”Jaques fell seven balls after the milestone when he left his crease to chase a slower, more flighted delivery from Muttiah Muralitharan and was stumped. “He did me all ends up,” Jaques said. “I’m disappointed I left my crease because I hadn’t really done it all day.”

Scorecard

‘Shikhar Dhawan looked to hit the boundaries, mostly square of the wicket on the off side, with weight firmly on the back foot, capitalising on any width on offer’ © AFP

Two contrasting cricketers made similar centuries as Delhi inched towardstaking the all-important first-innings lead in their Ranji Trophy matchagainst Tamil Nadu. Shikhar Dhawan with 106 and Rajat Bhatia, unbeaten on101, helped generously by Vijay Dahiya, who chipped in with a breezyunbeaten half-century, pushed Delhi to 309 for 5 at the end of the thirdday, leaving themselves only 39 more to capture the first innings lead inthis match.Dhawan is tall, upright at the crease, and bats left-handed, while Bhatiais stocky, compact in his approach and right-handed. Dhawan looked to hitthe boundaries, mostly square of the wicket on the off side, with weightfirmly on the back foot, capitalising on any width on offer. Bhatia,certainly no mug with the bat but by no means outrageously gifted,understood his role perfectly and looked to stay on the front foot as muchas possible on a wicket that continued to show signs of variable bounce.When the day began with Delhi on 54 for 2, it appeared that Tamil Nadu hadthings under control. After only five runs were added to the overnightscore Vijaykumar Yomahesh trapped Mithun Manhas in front of the stumps.Then, Virat Kohli, making his debut, became Yomahesh’s third victim as heedged one to the keeper. At 75 for 4, Tamil Nadu had Delhi just where theywanted them.Then, slowly but surely, the game began to slip out of their grasp.Surprisingly S Badrinath, the captain, showed little faith in his debutantleft-arm spinner, C Suresh, and barely employed him all day, using him foronly four overs, even as the mediumpacers toiled hard with little reward.With no results coming through, and a couple of close shouts for lbw beingturned down, the spirit of the mediumpacers flagged, and with it went theaccuracy. Dhawan was given too much width outside the off, and he tookfull toll, cutting and driving through point as left-hand batsmen tend todo with ease.Bhatia, known for his commonsense in cricketing circles, just bedded down andrefused to be dismissed. He attempted no extravagant shots, although acouple of punches straight back down the ground would have done anybatsman proud. He showed the full face of the bat to the ball, and refusedto be tempted into playing a horizontal bat shot even when the ball wassent through wide.From 75 for 4, Bhatia and Dhawan nursed the score along to 208, adding 133for the fifth wicket, before the second new ball gave Yomahesh his fourthwicket as Dhawan hit one uppishly to Hemang Badani. Dhawan’s 106 had comeon the back of a rather ordinary previous season, and proved to becritical in the context of the game.Wicketkeepers tend to be annoyingly cheeky batsmen, and Dahiya is noexception. While it seems like he’s always giving you a chance by playingwith an open face, he’s merely playing to his strengths, and Tamil Naducertainly missed a trick on the day by not putting out a fielder atthird-man early on. Dahiya slashed three boundaries down to the vacantthird-man region and then followed it up with two crisp cover-drives, andall of a sudden the runs began to come easily.Bhatia had played the grafter’s hand all along, but the infusion ofDahiya, and the momentum that came with the manner in which he rattled offboundaries, gave Delhi a big boost as they neared Tamil Nadu’s score.Bhatia brought up his fifth first-class century – his fourth for Delhi,and second against Tamil Nadu – and his former team-mates could onlygrudgingly applaud.Meanwhile Dahiya was celebrating a milestone of his own, having reachedhis half-century, and was unbeaten on 51 from only 78 balls, with 9 fours.No-one else who had made 50 or more in the game had scored at a strikerate of even 50 runs per 100 balls. The manner in which the ball sped awayto the fence made you wonder if somehow the outfield had suddenlyquickened overnight, but that could not possibly have happened without thegrass being cut, and that’s not something that’s done in the middle of agame.Tamil Nadu will make one final push on the fourth morning, with theirmediumpacers, to defend 347, but unless Delhi’s batsmen commit suicide,it’s hard to see five wickets falling for 39 runs on this pitch.