Hello friends. It’s been a while since we last spoke, or not, I saw both of you last weekend, and a lot has gone on in the soccer world since then. So…. Enough chit-chat, let’s get to it.
1. Will injuries derail Liverpool’s championship aspirations?
Short answer, no! Or, maybe! The bad thing about the rash of injuries currently facing the Reds is that key players seem to be the ones getting hurt. Sturridge, although not as important to the team as in years past, has served well as an emergency backup striking option and, as a true striker, a change of pace from the plethora of attacking midfielders that Klopp has preferred this season. Coutinho has arguably been LFC’s best player this season, and his ankle injury (by the way, did you see how he got hurt? Ouch! I saw it coming as the ball got away from him and he was reaching and just got a toe on it while the other dude smashed right through the ball and his foot. Yikes) will surely hurt our attack. Who else is going to take ill-advised shots from 30 yards out? Firmino, has developed into a consistently productive player (I feel like this would be a good spot to list some stats backing up my previous statements, I need an intern) and a quality performer for my fantasy team despite his ’03 Beckham haircut, while Divock Origi has been a great backup for all these guys. Perhaps the biggest injury blow has been Lallana, whose creativity and movement in midfield is finally producing goals and assists this season.
Somehow, Liverpool has managed to play well throughout all of this and a win tomorrow will keep them within one point of Chelsea at the top of the table. That is at least partly because the timing and duration of these injuries has been somewhat favorable as far as Liverpool is concerned, as Sturridge and Lallana are set to return just as the Brazilian duo of Coutinho and Firmino went down last week. Additionally, the lack of midweek European games is also clearly benefiting the Reds, but really, it seems that Klopp’s tactics and insistence on passing, moving, and attacking soccer has been the key driver for Liverpool this season. I think that going forward, Liverpool have already shown the depth needed to compete for the title as well as the patience and discipline to beat a variety of opponents and playing styles. The big question mark is whether the defense is up to the task, but if the last few games are an indication, we should be in the race til the end.
2. El Clasico
I don’t think there’s too much to say about today’s Barcelona-Madrid match, which ended in a relatively bland 1-1 draw with both goals scored from set-piece headers. My main takeaway is that both Messi and Ronaldo looked, and have looked, like age is finally beginning to take its toll on them. I guess that’s to be expected when you’ve been playing 2 games a week year-round at the highest level for the last 12+ years. Other than that, I thought Busquets was the best player on the field, at least until Iniesta came on in the second half and totally changed the game. Barcelona looked so much more under control once he entered the game, it’s amazing that somebody who plays so simply (with the exception of a handful of Magic Johnson esque passes – cross sports reference! Suck it Tony!) can have such an impact, but that’s what happened.
3. Klinsmann out
It’s been a few weeks since Jurgen was fired as US Men’s National Team head coach, and a lot has been written about the savior-turned-pariah. Really, what was surprising about the whole thing was that it was surprising at all to some. The results simply weren’t there, at least of late. The promises of attractive, attacking soccer from the beginning of his tenure were never fulfilled. He never took responsibility for poor performances and often threw his own players under the bus, who then predictably turned against him. He often tried to implement curious (to be nice about it) tactical plans and his in-game decisions were just as head scratching. I usually wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt since he has won a World Cup and a European Championship while I only start for my indoor team because I show up on time, but his unintelligible decisions never amounted to anything positive. Perhaps the most telling point that Klinsmann wasn’t up to the task was that all of our players were consistently playing better for their club teams than for the national team. Whether it was due to a lack team chemistry, players playing out of position, or just poor individual performances, the team was less than the sum of its parts and after a while that falls on the coach’s shoulders.
4. MLS Playoffs drama
For all of you dedicated MLS fans out there, this will not come as a surprise, but the MLS was back at it again with the wild playoff games. It seems like the league one-ups itself every year with an even wackier playoff game. Last year’s Portland/KC matchup was nuts, but it was in the first round of the playoffs and was only one game. This year Toronto and Montreal teamed up to produce two crazy matches amongst rivals in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the first game, Montreal jumped to a 3-0 lead before giving up two crucial away goals to make the series interesting. After a wild second game in which both teams twice were in position to advance, a 3-2 win for Toronto meant that extra time was needed to separate the sides. Some inspired play by Jozy Altidore (see, I told you our national team players were playing better for their club teams) gave Toronto the lead in overtime, and they added another shortly after to win the series and head to their first MLS Cup Final against Seattle. Should be a great final on Saturday.
That’s it for now. Next we’ll recap the MLS Cup Final, provide updates on Mug Club (I’ve taken on a new player/manager roll) and my new club the Cookie Monsters. Hopefully there are no more injuries for Liverpool to discuss. Check ya later.
-Cheech