Myles Lewis-Skelly is reportedly "working hard with Arsenal coach" to improve two key weaknesses after losing his starting spot to Riccardo Calafiori. The teenage academy graduate had been thrown into the deep end during an injury crisis, cementing himself as Mikel Arteta’s surprise first-choice left-back. He racked up 15 league starts in the second half of last season, dazzled in the Champions League quarter-finals by keeping Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo quiet, and even scored on his England debut under Thomas Tuchel.

WHAT HAPPENED?

But football can be brutal. Fast-forward to now, and the 18-year-old finds himself demoted to the bench, his role reduced to late cameos while Calafiori has stormed ahead in the pecking order. On average, the Italian attempts more passes into the box (1.74 vs 1.18), swings in more open-play crosses (1.01 vs 0.66), and delivers far more attacking threat in front of goal, from total shots (0.91 vs 0.2) to efforts on target (0.55 vs 0.07). Even in progressive play, the Italian averages 13.17 forward passes per game, compared to Lewis-Skelly’s 10.38.

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According to recognising the need to develop his attacking instincts, new assistant coach Gabriel Heinze has taken Lewis-Skelly under his wing. Sessions have been heavily focused on crossing accuracy and how best to exploit attacking zones when Arsenal dominate possession.

The youngster has responded well, putting in extra hours after training and working closely with the coaching staff to close the gap to Calafiori. Those at London Colney believe the teenager is still far ahead of schedule, having jumped from the Under-21s to Champions League knockout football in less than a year.

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While Arsenal minutes are proving harder to come by, Thomas Tuchel has shown no hesitation in trusting Lewis-Skelly for England. He started and impressed in the Three Lions’ 2-0 World Cup qualifier win over Andorra, showing the composure and fearlessness that made him such a sensation in his debut year.

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Lewis-Skelly is still a rock defensively, winning more duels per game last season (6.04) than established stars Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and even Calafiori himself. His relentless tackling, tireless energy and versatility, since he was raised as a midfielder before being shifted to full-back, mark him out as one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects. Club insiders insist his long-term place is secure, pointing to the five-year deal he signed earlier this year.

In search of completing a 10-man overhaul at the club this summer, Everton are now reportedly progressing towards a deal to sign an impressive talent.

Moyes confirms Everton need "9 or 10 players"

Having so far welcomed just three players in Thierno Barry, Carlos Alcaraz and Mark Travers, Everton boss David Moyes revealed at a recent Men in Blazers event in New York that Everton still need “9 or 10 players” before next season gets underway.

With that being the case, The Friedkin Group could be in for a busy month or so away from the action on the pitch as Everton get their pre-season underway.

The big question on Everton fans’ lips will be who those nine or 10 players could be this summer.

Already, the Toffees have reportedly submitted an opening offer to sign Juventus’ Douglas Luiz, with finding a replacement for Abdoulaye Doucoure one of their main priorities in the next few weeks, while James McAtee also remains a top target.

Earlier reports indicated that Friedkin are in a position to spend around £150m this summer if they see fit and that makes Moyes’ desire to welcome a much-needed overhaul all the more realistic.

Luiz’s arrival would particularly make a statement. The former Aston Villa man may have endured a nightmare spell at Juventus, but Premier League fans will still remember the quality that he had when leading the Villans to Champions League qualification.

Signing players from some of Europe’s best seems to be Everton’s chosen plan too, with those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium now turning their focus towards a Bayern Munich sensation.

Everton progressing towards Adam Aznou deal

As reported by The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland, Everton are now progressing in their deal to sign Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich this summer.

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Still just 19 years old, Everton could land quite the coup if they manage to welcome Aznou. The teenage left-back endured a difficult loan spell at Real Valladolid last season, as the La Liga side finished bottom of Spain’s top flight, but will now be hoping for better fortunes if he completes a summer switch to Merseyside.

Although his work going forward needs improving, there’s no denying that Aznou would provide Everton with a high-energy player out of possession and that could eventually see Vitaliy Mykolenko replaced.

Dubbed a “generational talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Bayern starlet is one to watch wherever he plays his football next season. And if it is to be at the Hill Dickinson, then Everton fans could be in for a treat.

Elsewhere, Fabrizio Romano suggests that the deal for Aznou is actually further along, even giving his famous ‘were we go’ tagline, but a deal is never done until the player signs on the dotted line.

Sri Lanka arrived in South Africa dreaming of a World Test Championship final spot, but having now been crushed 2-0, that dream has almost certainly faded. There is special regret that Sri Lanka got to play on the two venues that would have best suited them – Durban and Gqeberha – and still could not seriously push the hosts, as they had done in 2019.Head coach Sanath Jayasuriya broke down the defeat, putting it largely down to the failure of batters to push on from starts to bigger scores. This was especially evident in the first innings at Gqeberha, when each of the top five got to at least 20, but only one passed 50. And Pathum Nissanka, who did make a half-century, did not push on to triple figures, though he had the chance to do so.”Batsmen have to convert their scores into hundreds – 30s and 40s aren’t enough,” Jayasuriya said. “It’s tough on these wickets, but at least two batters have to score hundreds on a tour like this. We didn’t get that. All we got were two 80s. I think the batters by now know the value of hundreds on the road, having played in a place like England recently as well. We missed that this time.Related

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“Although there was a lot of effort from the senior batters, I think if they assess themselves individually, they will realise it wasn’t enough.”This was also the first series in his Test career that Kamindu Mendis failed to make a score of substance. He made scores of 13, 10, 48, and 35 – his average plummeting from a Bradmanesque 91.27 before the series, to 74 by its end.”Kamindu Mendis is a key player,” Jayasuriya said. “In every Test match almost he was in the runs, aside from this series. If you saw the way he batted in this series, it was still with a lot of confidence. In his last innings especially, you saw that. You can’t expect a batter to hit 50 or 100 every innings – that’s why you have six or seven batters. As a player, he’s a quality player. If he’s got shortcomings, he works with the batting coach to figure those out.”I know that oppositions are quite concerned, and South Africa were as well. Now, he will have to work hard to counter that. But I love watching a player like him in the team – he scores at a run-a-ball, and plays positively. What I’ve told everyone is to play their natural game and play positive cricket.”Centurion Kyle Verreynne walks back after his century•Gallo Images/Getty Images

On the Gqeberha loss itself, he felt the match had been lost in key periods. The first of these was the second morning, on which South Africa had put on 89 runs via their last two partnerships.”In that first innings, after we got eight or nine wickets, we let them have roughly 40 runs too many.Another period was the third morning, on which Sri Lanka lost five wickets, having ended the previous day 116 runs behind, and with seven wickets in hand.”We couldn’t afford those wickets. We could have got a big first-innings lead, and we let the match slip a bit on that morning.”And then on the fourth day, there were a couple of instances in which Sri Lanka did not quite turn their momentum into a definitive advantage. They’d had South Africa 282 for 8 at lunch but allowed the No. 9, 10, and 11 batters to crash 35 further runs. Later that day, they’d also been 117 for 3 before losing two quick wickets.”That 25-30 extra runs from their tail also hurt us in the second innings. In the second innings, when we gave two extra wickets in the evening session. If we’d had the chance to come in today only three down, that would have made a big difference to our batting unit. It’s in those little places that it got away from us.”

Captain Nathan Ellis’ all-round effort not enough for Hurricanes, who folded for their lowest BBL total

AAP19-Dec-2024

Hobart Hurricanes crumbled to their lowest BBL total, and lost Matthew Wade to a calf injury, in a shambolic six-wicket loss against Melbourne Renegades in Geelong.After being asked to bat first, Hurricanes’ innings at GMHBA Stadium lasted less than 13 overs on Thursday night as they were skittled for 74. They fell well short of their previous low benchmark – 91 against Sydney Sixers in 2015.New Zealander Tim Seifert, who pulled off a remarkable catch behind the stumps, belted an unbeaten 37 as Renegades chased down 75 in only nine overs.Captain Nathan Ellis saved Hurricanes from worse embarrassment, smashing 35 after coming to the crease at 32 for 6. Ellis then bowled superbly, taking 2 for 12 from his three overs, to clearly be Hurricanes’ best player.In a further blow for Hurricanes’ hopes of breaking through for their first title, Wade was assessed for a calf injury after pulling up sore behind the stumps. Wade, who was on the player microphone for Fox Cricket, expressed his frustration via the commentary when there was a long delay in being able to get off the field.Ben McDermott eventually replaced Wade as Hurricanes’ wicketkeeper after two overs of chaotic communication. The former Australia player didn’t return to the field for the rest of the match, sitting on the bench with a compression bandage on his calf.After conceding boundaries from his first two balls, Renegades seamer Tom Rogers struck back to take 3 for 25, including being on a hat-trick. Fellow opening bowler Fergus O’Neill also claimed wickets in consecutive deliveries. Captain Will Sutherland joined Renegades’ wicket party, finishing with career-best T20 figures of 3 for 14.It was the first BBL match in Geelong since last year’s match between Renegades and Perth Scorchers was abandoned due to an unplayable pitch.Renegades move to 1-1 after losing their opening game of the tournament on Monday night against Sixers. Hurricanes will attempt to put a disastrous start to the season behind them when they host Scorchers on Saturday.

Continuing their search for a striker, Newcastle United could now reportedly jump ahead of Bayern Munich to sign a towering forward whose technique has been compared to Lionel Messi’s.

Isak agrees terms with Liverpool

Things could be about to get worse before they get better at St James’ Park this summer. Fresh reports have now revealed that star striker Alexander Isak has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool, who are now waiting for an opening to submit their first bid.

Liverpool’s interest follows the bombshell news that Isak is looking to leave Newcastle this summer and has reportedly gone AWOL in the hope of pushing through an unexpected departure.

Not for the first time this summer, Newcastle have been put in an unenviable position in the transfer market and must push to get their business done as the Premier League campaign draws near.

On that front, however, those at St James’ Park may need to prepare themselves for even more rejection amid reports that Benjamin Sesko favours a move to Old Trafford.

The RB Leipzig forward is the subject of a Premier League battle between Manchester United and Newcastle, but the Magpies already reportedly believe that he will choose the Red Devils this summer.

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As such, Newcastle must once again take a look down their long list of striker targets and go in pursuit of what could quickly turn into a replacement for Isak. And if it’s the towering Sesko profile that they’re after, then one particular option should be their top priority.

Newcastle eyeing Woltemade hijack

As reported by The Sun, Newcastle are now eyeing a deal to sign Nick Woltemade ahead of Bayern Munich, who have hesitated to complete their move after welcoming Luis Diaz from Liverpool.

The 6’6 VfB Stuttgart striker enjoyed an incredibly impressive season in Germany – scoring 17 goals in all competitions – and quickly followed that up with six goals in six games to win the Golden Boot at the U21 Euros.

The German has unsurprisingly received high praise from all those who have seen him at his best, including from Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor, who said: “Woltemade has Messi’s technique! I think I recognise a good footballer quickly and Nick caught my eye from the first week of training.

“The most important thing for us is to involve Woltemade enough in the game but he can do that as a deep-lying striker between the lines or as a true No.9 in the opponent’s box. Because we know what we have in Nick: he’s a two-metre-tall (Jamal) Musiala or Messi!”

Aston Villa kicked off the brand new Premier League season with a 0-0 stalemate against Newcastle United.

While that, of course, isn’t exactly the most exhilarating introduction back to top-flight life, Unai Emery’s Villans would come away from the opening day contest the happier of the two sides with the drab final result, having been reduced to ten men for the final 24 minutes after Ezri Konsa was dismissed.

Still, even despite that result, the Villans must kick on in the weeks to come in order to turn results like this one into a win.

Aston Villa make enquiry to sign £25m star

Villa haven’t been the flashiest side in the chaotic window to date, with just three incomings through the door.

New goalkeeper recruit Marco Bizot was handed his Villans debut against the Magpies and rose to the occasion with a clean sheet. At the same time, the West Midlands outfit’s most luxurious purchase of the summer – who joined for a hefty £30m – so far in Evan Guessand remained rooted to the bench throughout.

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The cash could soon be splashed in a similarly lavish manner if reports are to be believed, with Caught Offside revealing that Emery and Co. have now enquired over signing Manchester City defender Rico Lewis.

It will be difficult for Villa to get a move over the line, however, with Nottingham Forest allegedly also in talks with the exciting 20-year-old, with the Tricky Trees bidding in the region of £30m recently for the City number 82.

Moreover, further interest in Lewis’ services comes from Premier League rivals Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur, with those named also lodging their own enquiries.

How Lewis can be Emery's next Rogers

Villa will keep their fingers crossed that they can race to the front of this ever-extending queue in the hope that they will be able to land a Morgan Rogers repeat if the two-time Premier League winner swaps the Etihad for Villa Park.

Before Rogers established himself as a top-flight “machine” donning claret and blue – as he was dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell – the England international did find himself in the same boat as Lewis in Manchester.

Unfortunately for the £100m-rated star, he would never go on to make the first-team breakthrough on the books of the Citizens, with countless loan spells greeting him, before he was officially let go of by Pep Guardiola’s men in 2023.

This must surely be a regret on the end of the early table-toppers, though, with Rogers going on to flex his muscles in some style in the West Midlands, as 17 goals and 17 assists have come his way from 79 appearances and counting.

Lewis would love for this same first-team spotlight to come down on him if he were to embark on a new challenge at Villa Park, having only started 40 of his 59 Premier League games to date at his boyhood employers, despite largely impressing when thrust into the senior mix.

He certainly stood out against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out as City brushed off any off-season cobwebs to trounce the Old Gold 4-0 at Molineux, with Lewis getting in on the act himself when teeing up Erling Haaland for the crucial opening strike.

Lewis’ numbers vs Wolves

Stat

Lewis

Minutes played

66 mins

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

66

Accurate passes

45/49 (92%)

Sprints

4

Distance covered

7.9km

Total duels won

3/3

Stats by Sofascore

The lively 20-year-old was lauded as “magical” by City journalist Amos Murphy during the game, with his blistering ability to bomb forward and create openings, further putting him on the same pedestal as Rogers.

With experience of the Champions League also under his belt, Emery would be very confident in gifting Lewis plenty of first-team opportunities on his arrival, much like the Spaniard showed no hesitancy in immediately handing Rogers the senior reins last year.

This will be a testing deal to seal, but if Villa want to make more waves this summer, they should go all out to land Lewis, who has also been labelled as “exceptional” by Guardiola for his standout, bit-part offerings at his hometown side.

Related Emery's new Asensio: Aston Villa hold talks over signing £18m "wizard"

Aston Villa are looking to sign another attacker this summer

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Aug 14, 2025

James Maddison has been an impressive option for Tottenham Hotspur over the last couple of years, after joining the side in a £40m deal from Leicester City in 2023.

However, injuries have massively halted his progress in North London, suffering four separate setbacks within his two-season stint at the Lilywhites to date.

His latest issue will undoubtedly be his biggest, suffering an ACL injury in the pre-season outing, with the Englishman expected to be out for the vast majority of the 2025/26 campaign.

Thomas Frank would’ve been excited to work with the 28-year-old during his first year at the helm, but any success the pair endure together will have to be put on hold for the foreseeable future.

As a result of the injury setback, the hierarchy have had to dip back into the transfer market to help bolster the first-team squad in an attempt to strengthen their chances of building on their Europa League success.

2 The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new signings this summer

Eberechi Eze has once again been linked with a summer move to Spurs this window, looking to pounce and take advantage of the £60m release clause in his contract.

The Lilywhites are facing a battle with North London rivals Arsenal to land the England international, who registered 16 goal contributions in the Premier League last season.

However, he’s not the only player in England’s top-flight currently on their radar, with Brighton star Facundo Buonanotte a player they’re tracking, according to the Daily Mail.

Their report claims that Frank’s side are following the Argentine’s progress ahead of a potential move between now and the end of the summer transfer window.

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

It also states he’s just one of a number of players that the club are monitoring, but it’s unclear whether the Seagulls will be willing to part ways with the 20-year-old before the deadline.

sS from earlier this summer suggested that Brighton could be willing to sell for around £30m

1 Why Spurs’ latest target would be the perfect Maddison replacement

Whilst Eze remains a player firmly on their shortlist, other options are currently being explored, as the side look to have a contingency plan should they miss out on his signature.

His consistency in England’s top-flight would make him an excellent addition, offering the player the next step in his career, allowing him to become a leading talent under Frank’s guidance.

However, the interest from their bitter rivals could make for an interesting battle, with one of the two sides having to suffer a blow in missing out on his signature.

It wouldn’t be the end of the world for the Lilywhites, having options to fall back on, as seen by their recent hunt for a new attacking midfielder over the last few days.

Buonanotte is just one of many on such a list, potentially having the tools to be a huge hit with the supporters if he makes the move to join Frank’s men.

When comparing his stats to Maddison from last season, the youngster highlighted that he has all the tools to fill the void left after his long-term injury setback.

The Argentine, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by Clinton Morrison, completed more progressive carries and more carries into the final third – having the ability to thrive with the ball at his feet.

Games played

31

31

Goals & assists

7

16

Progressive carries

2.4

2.2

Take-ons completed

1.7

1.6

Carries into final third

2.1

1.9

Shots taken

2.2

1.9

Through balls completed

0.8

0.6

Recoveries made

4.7

3.7

He also completed more take-ons per 90, along with a higher tally of through balls completed – able to add an end product to his mazy runs, handing those ahead of him with the tools for success.

Out of possession, Buonanotte has also impressed, making more recoveries and tackles per 90, fitting perfectly into Frank’s system, which requires a huge amount of running – especially without the ball.

No fee has yet been touted for the Brighton star, but it’s clear that he has the ability to be an excellent option for the Lilywhites in their hunt for future success.

Eze will still remain a key option, but if they miss out on the Englishman, a deal for Buonanotte could be an excellent alternative, having the ability to develop further under the Dane’s guidance.

Alongside Savinho: £60m Gibbs-White upgrade now keen to join Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making huge moves in the transfer market ahead of the September 1st deadline.

2 ByEthan Lamb Aug 13, 2025

Everton are having a busy final month of the transfer window in the hopes of having more success in the Premier League than they did in pre-season. David Moyes’ side were winless across their friendlies and the Premier League summer series despite a strong finish to the league last season.

The latest arrival is England winger Jack Grealish, who has joined the Toffees on a season-long loan. If Grealish manages to revitalise his career on Merseyside, then Everton will have the option to make the signing permanent for £50 million next summer.

Off the back of signing Grealish, Everton have been heavily linked with signing Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson. Hutchinson has been known to feature in attacking midfield and on the wing, both areas that Everton need to reinforce, and has been notably absent from Ipswich’s recent fixtures.

However, another player might be through the door before Hutchinson, as the Friedkin Group has reportedly bid to sign a new striker for Everton.

Everton make £37m bid to sign Ukrainian striker Dovbyk

Football Insider has exclusively revealed that Everton have submitted a bid for Ukraine forward Artem Dovbyk from AS Roma, who are also owned by TFG. The bid is reported to be worth £37 million, and the player is open to a move to the Premier League.

However, Everton aren’t the only club interested in Dovbyk. The reports also list Leeds United, West Ham, and Sunderland as interested parties, but they are yet to place a bid. Earlier in the window, Dovbyk had been linked with Arsenal, but the London side eventually opted for Viktor Gyokeres.

Dovbyk first gained international recognition after a stellar 2023/24 campaign that saw him lead Girona to European qualification. During that season, Dovbyk registered 34 goals in 39 appearances, and he was picked up by Roma the following January.

The Ukrainian number 11 currently earns £41,000 a week at Roma and might be expecting a pay rise to leave Rome. Any wage demands may be worth meeting, considering he has been described as a “powerful target man” and compared with Dusan Vlahovic and Santiago Gimenez.

Dovbyk and Beto's reliability

If Everton completes the deal for Dovbyk, then they will have two reliable strikers on their hands.

Beto

Dovbyk

Goal Involvements Per 90

0.47

0.52

Goal to Xg Difference

-0.2

+0.1

Dovbyk has a slightly better goals-to-game ratio than Everton’s current main striker, Beto; however, both have reasonable rates that are close to or just over a goal involvement every other game.

Both strikers’ Xg difference shows their reliability as well. Beto marginally underperforms his Xg, and Dovbyk marginally overperforms. What this means is that both players take their chances when they are provided with them. They won’t score many unexpected worldies, but if Everton can provide them with chances, they will convert them.

New striker Thierino Barry is more of an unknown quantity. His numbers don’t match Beto and Dovbyk’s, but he is younger and has plenty of time to improve. With two experienced strikers ahead of him, Barry will have less pressure to be an instant success, as when he struggles, the team will still have two reliable strikers.

أعلنت لجنة تلقي طلبات المرشحين لانتخابات النادي الأهلي المحدد لها يومي 30 و31 أكتوبر الجاري عن غلق باب الترشح في تمام الساعة السابعة مساء اليوم.

وكان محمود الخطيب رئيس الأهلي، قد تقدم بأوراق ترشحه صباح اليوم الجمعة، في انتخابات الأهلي، رفقة قائمته التي أعلن عنها بالأمس. 

طالع.. قائمة محمود الخطيب تتقدم بأوراق الترشح في انتخابات الأهلي

وتضم قائمة المرشحون في انتخابات الأهلي المقبلة والتي تضم 15 مرشحًا بعد اسنحاب منار سعيد.

وبعد غلق باب الترشح أعلنت منار سعيد ، انسحابها رسميًا من الانتخابات دعمًا لقائمة الكابتن محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي الحالي.. طالع التفاصيل المرشحون لانتخابات الأهلي 

محمود الخطيب: مقعد الرئيس

ياسين منصور: مقعد النائب

خالد مرتجي مقعد أمانة الصندوق.

وللعضوية فوق السن: طارق قنديل – محمد الغزاوي – محمد الدماطي – محمد الجارحي – سيد عبد الحفيظ – أحمد حسام عوض – حازم هلال – منار سعيد – حسن طنطاوي – أحمد شريف – أحمد مجدي الحيوان.

وللعضوية تحت السن: إبراهيم العامري – رويدا هشام.

وسيعقد مجلس الإدارة اجتماعًا خلال هذا الأسبوع لاعتماد أوراق المرشحين قبل إرسالها للجهة الإدارية.

ومن المقرر أن ينطلق ماراثون انتخابات النادي الأهلي، يومي 30، 31 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري. 

Fast bowler is confident England can turn their fortunes around as the games begin to come thick and fast in the Women’s Ashes

Valkerie Baynes13-Jan-2025England are looking for a Melbourne re-set after dropping the first game of their Ashes battle on Sunday with Australia.Faced with defending a below-par 204 after being bowled out inside 44 overs amid poor shot selection and some smart Australian bowling led by Ashleigh Gardner’s 3 for 19, England fell short by four wickets as Gardner and Alyssa Healy mowed down the bulk of the target with 67 balls to spare.Lauren Bell, the England seamer who was economical in taking 1 for 25 in her nine overs, believed her team deserved “a lot of credit” for making Australia’s run chase a little harder than the hosts would have liked in the first ODI at North Sydney Oval. It might have been even tougher were it not for a couple of dropped catches at crucial moments.Alice Capsey put down Ellyse Perry off the bowling of Lauren Filer and was probably relieved to see Bell dismiss the allrounder a short time later. Sophie Ecclestone’s bizarre fumble, meanwhile, when Gardner was on 31 and Australia needed 22 more runs with six wickets down was impossible to quantify.”We got 200 on a pitch that I think the par score batting first was about 250, so putting in an effort to almost defend that was, I think you can take a lot of confidence from it,” an upbeat Bell said. “There are a few things that we could definitely work on moving forward. Obviously Australia caught very well and we dropped a few in at important moments. Moving forward, there’s a few places we can work on and really focus on the next game, but I think as a whole we can take a fair amount of confidence from the game.”Filer started England’s defense well with the early wicket of Phoebe Litchfield for just 4 and had in-form allrounder Annabel Sutherland caught in the deep to end the match with 2 for 58 from eight overs. Ecclestone accounted for the key wickets of Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath to finish with 2 for 38. But England will need an improved performance all-round if they are to avoid going four points down in the second ODI at Junction Oval on Tuesday.”We’re one game into a pretty long series and we’re two-nil down, but we’re going to have to start the next game and imagine it’s nil-nil and go again,” Bell said. That is the beauty of these series. We can come back and we’re just going to have to reset and go with our plan and just go again.”We’ll sit down as a team and review. Our batting group will get together and it will obviously be different conditions over in Melbourne, so we’ll have to adjust to them. But we’ll get together as a group and work out the little bits we can tidy up and hopefully put on a better performance.”With such a tight turnaround between matches a theme throughout the series which consists of three ODIs followed by three T20Is and a four-day Test match in the space of 22 days, any adjustments will need to be made almost on the fly.”It’s definitely tough,” Bell said. “We’re just going to have to adapt really quickly, communicate with the girls that maybe have played at Junction Oval and try and get as much information as we can about the pitch. Then the opening batters, if we bat first, or the opening bowlers, it’s just really important to communicate what the pitch is doing as soon as we get there.”One lesson Bell can take from Sydney is having the courage to stand by her convictions. Her determination that she had trapped Perry directly in front of the stumps was crucial after England had burned a review earlier.Bell managed to convince captain Heather Knight and wicketkeeper Amy Jones to again call upon the DRS, which confirmed that she had Perry plumb.”I was obviously really happy to get her and I had to stand my ground a little bit and tell Heather and Amy that I thought it was out,” Bell said. “It was two v one. I really, really thought it was out. Heather and Amy weren’t sure and I didn’t want to be the one to lose our last review, but yeah, I’m really glad I stood firm.”A batting performance in which Knight and Danni Wyatt-Hodge top-scored with 39 and 38 respectively combined with a bowling attack that struggled to combat Healy’s smart innings of 70 from 78 balls and needed more support in the field suggests that if England are to overturn the deficit in this campaign, they will need to stand very firm indeed.