03/11/2025
⚽️TUESDAY'S TAKEAWAYS⚽️
🥅Match of the Weekend: Seattle Sounders 5 - 2 LAFC
- Do you like goals? Do you spit in the face of football/soccer traditionalists who say, "defense is important!" and laugh with delight? Then this is the match for you! Now, to be fair, this wasn't the match of the weekend because it was the most competitive. No, this was the match of the weekend because GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL! And let's be real, while a good defensive slugfest is fun, an absolute goal bombardment is certainly exciting. It's thrilling in the sense that it's wrong, it's not right, it's not the correct way, and yet it's just oh so electric! (I think my editor is going to want to have a word with me about phrasing in the future) At halftime, this match was actually tied 1-1. A Rienzi goal for Seattle in the 11th minute saw this goal barrage open up with LAFC's Ordaz getting the equalizer in the 37th. And then Seattle said, "hold my Gatorade bottle," before scoring three unanswered to make it 4-1. Martinez would bring a goal back in 90+2 to make it a less embarrassing 4-2 loss before Seattle's Rusnak said, "I SAID WE ARE WINNING BY THREE YOU SONS OF GUNS!" and proceeded to make it 5-2 in 90+4. MLS is back, baby.
🏅Performer of the Weekend: Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
- He's probably earned this a multitude of times while I've been in hibernation, to be fair. And he put on a show last weekend with two goals after the 90th minute to seal a 4-1 victory for PSG over Rennes. He's been on an absolute run this year. In 35 matches (all competitions), the PSG star has 28 goals and 6 assists. Aka he's averaging a goal contribution almost every match. For a long time, Dembele was viewed as a talented but injury-prone "bust" who may never live up to his potential. I think he'd like to have a word with his doubters, now. I thought about putting him in "Stock Up". However, given that he's been an absolute UNIT this whole season, I didn't think that was fair to him. His stock isn't up. He is the stock, the market, and his stock exchange is the back of your team's net.
🤯Surprise Result: Bochum 3 - 2 Bayern
- As a Bayern fan (I feel like it's better to own my bias than act like it's not there) at least I can say we're still on top of the Bundesliga and still looking good in the UEFA Champions League. Tough loss for the Bayern boys but what a result for VfL Bochum! Bayern took a 2-0 lead in the first 30 minutes. But oh boy, that 31st minute, everything changed. 31' Medic, 51' Sissoko, and finally 71' Bero. And that was while managing less shots and less than 30% possession. This was a crucial victory for Bochum. The win for the Bochum boys sees them firmly cement themselves at 16th in the table, one spot above the relegation zone but still in the relegation playoff spot. They're also only two points away from St. Pauli. A win like this makes their survival hopes much more manageable. For those who don't know, I predicted Bochum being relegated this year and pretty easily. Perhaps the Blue Crew will make me eat my words. As a Bayern fan, I'm not stoked about this result. But fair play, Bochum. 👏
🏆Important Result: Nottingham Forest 1 - 0 Manchester City
- I don't believe it's right to hate, to be a hater, to project hate unto this world. But Manchester City, what happened, dog? The Premiere League used to run through you! Six titles in seven years, consistently getting the best players, arguably having the best coach in the sport's history, and it all finally comes tumbling down? Meanwhile Nottingham Forest barely survived in the Prem last year only to then sit third in the table with a realistic chance to make it into the Champions League next season. This was a match of the trajectories. One team is on their way up this season while the other is on their way down. Now, let's slap some context in here. Firstly, Manchester City have really struggled with injuries this year (mainly to their Ballon D'or winning midfielder Rodri) and have managed to still be in fifth place in the Prem. Also, at least half of the teams in the Prem would look at Man City's position with envy instead of realistic expectations to be where they are, especially cross-city rivals Manchester United. They are truly only two points behind fourth-place Chelsea on 49 points. However, given the standard of play we've seen from City the past. . . like decade, it's very hard to look at this and not at least think, "whoa, this is still not working itself out." Also, fair play to Forest because they are a quality team who are coached well and know how to give it to teams with more star-power. But with this result, Manchester city sit on 47 points in fifth place. Here's a look at the teams behind them and their points totals. 6: Newcastle (47 and only behind them on goal difference), 7: Brighton (46), 8: Aston Villa (45), 9: Bournemouth (44), 10: Fulham (42). This result keeps the race for 3-8 very spicy.
🧐Keep an Eye out for: Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)
- "OMG N&U IS TOO BAYERN BIASED!" Let me speak, please! Listen, I know I talk a lot about Bayern, but I really think we need to keep an eye out for Vincent Kompany, the Bayern Munich manager. Yes, this past weekend was. . . embarrassing coming off of that 3-2 loss to Bochum. However, I want to highlight that with only nine matches left to play, Bayern currently have 19 wins, two losses, and four draws in the Bundesliga sitting firmly on top at 61 points with an eight-point cushion separating them from second-place Leverkusen. Not to mention, they just finished their two-legged smack down of Leverkusen in the Champions League to move onto the quarter finals. I have always thought highly of Kompany. He led Burnley to a record-setting season in the EFL Championship (2nd tier of England). His second year with them, he saw Burnley get. . . relegated, and in embarrassing fashion. To me, that was a combination of him being talented but inexperienced along with having a squad that just wasn't up to the task of the Premiere League. Bayern decided to sign Kompany this summer to make him their team manager. I was a little skeptical at first. Not because he is a bad manager, rather he is good but seemed to show some inexperience at Burnley. And admittedly, there were times I thought I saw that this year. Against Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, Xavi Alonso made Kompany look out of his element and Leverkusen were very unlucky to only come away with a draw. In the Champions League, Unai Emery completely outclassed Kompany. And Celtic gave Bayern a run in the Champions League that truly made every Bayern fan scared for their team. Yet Kompany survived. And it seems like Kompany has really grown into this team. He's got them firing on all cylinders and looking very confident. And it seems like the team has grown with him as well. Now I do think Kompany is occasionally prone to being undone by really good and experienced managers. However, I feel like Kompany is really becoming a top-tier manager. I think in 5-10 years time, we will be looking at Kompany as a highly sought manager with many trying to bring him to their clubs. Keep an eye out for the Belgian playing legend and managing prospect.
📈Stock Up: Mainz 05
- Ah yes, the Nottingham Forest of Germany. Well, let's give Mainz some credit, they've been impressive in their own right. This was a team that finished 13th out of 18 total places last year, three places above the relegation playoff spot with only two points separating them from that spot. Fast forward about 10 months: Mainz beats a solid Gladbach side 3-1 with a very talented, well-trained and coached group. The result sees Mainz move up to third in the Bundesliga standings, ten places above last year with a legitimate shot of qualifying for the Champions League. They're a ways off from competing for the title Bayern, on 61 points, have a 17-point lead over Mainz on 44 points. And even second place is a little farfetched with Leverkusen on 53 points. However, even though gold and silver are most likely not on the cards for them, Mainz have shown that bronze can be just as impressive in its own way. They have teams like Frankfurt and Freiburg breathing down their neck with Leipzig, Wolfsburg, Stuttgart, and Gladbach all looking up at them with glaring eyes. But I have to say that Mainz have proven themselves more than capable this season. I do believe that they will eventually struggle given that their remaining schedule sees half the teams they're playing against either above them in the table or looking to usurp them. However, they should finish top six easily with a top five finish not bad at all. And if they can truly push into the top four, good on 'em. They will have earned it.
📉Stock Down: Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
- I hate to write this one, but I feel like I have to. Tough loss today as Nunez's penalty was saved by Donnarumma, one of the multiple penalty saves by the PSG goalkeeper. This penalty miss feels like a summation of the Darwin Nunez experience all things considered. Signed by Liverpool a few seasons ago, the idea was that he would eventually grow into an elite forward showing that Benfica form that made him such an expensive signing. And there are these moments, like this penalty, where you want to say, "alright, this is it. He's finally going to become what he's destined to be." Only to then have a tough miss or make a rough mistake after showing some flair and potential. Perhaps this is just the Darwin Nunez experience? In 38 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool this season, He's managed seven goals and six assists (five G and two A in the Premiere League). That's not "dog doodoo" statistically. However, it doesn't inspire loads of confidence. Liverpool paid Benfica 85 million pounds (I think over 90 million dollars?) to acquire Nunez's services. According to Transfermarkt, his estimated value right not is around 70 million pounds, but I don't see that being so high after this season. This section isn't to say Nunez sucks. No, he's fun, he has flair, and he occasionally makes magical moments. But to say he's inconsistent is an understatement. Liverpool paid top dollar for a player who at this point just isn't top dollar. I don't think we can sit back and say, "just keep letting him grow and develop." At some point, I think we just have to accept that he is a solid, even good player sometimes, that just isn't the great player he was hyped up to be a few years ago.
