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tellthemeerkatsitsfine · 8 months ago

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I think this is the first time since season 10 that I’ve watched the first episode of a Taskmaster season without writing a liveblogging Tumblr post as I went along (in seasons 11-16, I stuck to varying levels of keeping up the liveblogs for the rest of the season, but I always at least did the first one). If I’m very honest, the main reason why I didn’t do it for this one is it’s the first lineup for which there was only person I was really really excited about. The other four I have varying levels of vague opinions about, from “broadly like based on the one time I saw her on Russell Howard’s show” (Sophie), to “quite strongly dislike based on seeing her promote stalking and harassment on Alan Davies’ show, but I guess it was probably just a joke that came off badly” (Joanne) to “never got into League of Gentlemen because the surreal vibe creeped me out a bit and BBC Sherlock put me off Mark Gatiss so I know almost nothing about him”. Oh, and I do actively like Nick, because I am one of the few people who’s found Mr. Swallow funny on Catsdown, but I didn’t much enjoy his Houdini special and Ted Lasso season 3 was so bad that it put me off everyone who had anything to do with it even though obviously it’s not Nick Mohammed’s fault, so those conflicting opinions balance out into a vague “I guess I like that guy”.

Anyway, I didn’t want to write a post that was meant to be liveblogging the whole Taskmaster episode, and have that post be 90% about John Robins, and lay out just how much John Robins was the only one I was really interested in, and I also didn’t want to try to make myself have more of an opinion about the rest of them than I actually did. So no liveblog post this time, I just watched the episode. Once it gets a couple of episodes in I will have an opinion on the rest of them, and then might start the liveblogs again because I will have a slightly more balanced view.

Having said that. I have now watched it and do have some new opinions:

- Sophie Willan: I expected the charmingly naïve chaos, based on that time she was on Russell Howard’s show, that’s exactly how she came across on there and it’s great. Funny and sweet just great fun to watch. I did not, however, expect this extreme level of incompetence. I find an extreme level of anything funny on Taskmaster, and this is no exception. Love that we’re going to have a good old fashioned disaster contestant and it’s been marked out so early. Love that she appears to have no idea what show she’s on. Obsessed with her decision to paint that actual fence even though she definitely saw the blinds.

- Steve Pemberton: The “old man who is far too well established in comedy to need this show” contestant actually trying in the tasks, that’s always a fun surprise. I mean, I enjoy it either way. Frankie Boyle, Alan Davies, Julian Cleary, Ardal O’Hanlon – all those guys stumbling through the tasks with bemusement is fun. But it’s a nice surprise when you get a Lee Mack, a Dara O’Briain, a thing that Steve Pemberton looks to be – an old man who doesn’t need this but decides to actually put significant effort into doing each task properly. The egg train was impressive. The stumble at the end was funny. The good-natured attitude in the studio is amusing. And John Robins being the competent competitive force I’m hoping for won’t be as much fun if there’s not another good player to challenge him.

- Nick Mohammed: That’s exactly what I wanted from him. It’s almost weird to hear him talk in a normal voice, which doesn’t make sense because it’s not like he was using the Mr. Swallow voice on Ted Lasso, but I think on some level, my brain operated under the assumption the Mr. Swallow voice was his “real voice” and he was just putting on a character for Ted Lasso. It is interesting to see him play himself, where it turns out, he’s not that far off from Mr. Swallow’s quirks, just with a lower-pitched voice. I liked the exchanged he had with Greg in this manner. I liked the pragmatic approach to getting hula hoops out of a river. I liked the dynamic with Steve. I liked it when he threw some bricks around.

Joanne McNally: I dislike her a bit. Which is a lot less than how much I disliked her yesterday. This episode has brought me from disliking her a lot to disliking her a bit. She was entertaining. I wish I hadn’t seen that episode of Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, because it’s sending me into this season with a bias against her that may be too much for her Taskmaster persona, as entertaining as it is, to overcome. I like other comedians who've said worse things than that, because I can put those things in the context of all their other stuff and consider it just one badly judged story. Maybe Taskmaster will give me enough context for McNally to get past it. She was fun. I wanted to be able to enjoy her. But she does still annoy me.

John Robins: Here's an idea. What if I do the opposite of the post this would have been if I'd been liveblogging as I watched and had been honest about where most of my interest was (though that interest broadened out as the episode went along, it only takes a small amount of time at the beginning of a season for me to get to know the unknowns well enough to be interested in them too), and make this a post about everyone except John Robins? I'll just end this post here.

(He crashed a car with an egg and he brought in 19th Century literature and he thought through that live task so strategically and and his drawings were so much better than everyone else's and this is exactly the level of competence I was hoping for and I don't mind waiting a bit for the competitiveness-induced outbursts that I'm sure are coming later, because actually it was equally funny to watch him spend this episode just glaring and biting his tongue (and having his voice crack the way it sometimes does on the radio, it happened right at the beginning of this episode, and you always know we're getting something good out of John Robins when his voice starts cracking) whenever he got annoyed about something going wrong. And is adorable that his buddy Alex got a reference to his big award into the episode, especially in a way that says "You know, technically you're on the level with Steve Pemberton."

(The other reason I didn't do a liveblog this time is I was genuinely embarrassed reading back the one I wrote during s16e01, where I frequently transcribed my internal and/or external monologue verbatim as I was too into the episode to also put an edit between my thoughts and the typed words, and was really into backing Sam Campbell like a sports team and Taskmaster brings out the sports team side of me in general, which is how you had bits of that post with me writing things like "Yes Sammy C coming through" with what I hope any reader would (incorrectly) interpret as irony. It's for the best that I avoided that this time and didn't need to document the number of times the words "Come on Johnny you got this" came out out loud as I was watching him throw hula hoops at things. I have never referred to him by that name before, it's just the automatic sports-ifying of people's names that happens when you watch them like a sports team. I'm pretty sure words in parentheses don't count towards a post, so this one actually ended when I said it did two paragraphs ago.)

#taskmaster spoilers

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kevkesblog · 4 years ago

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Translation: kicker magazine profile about Julian Brandt (July 27, 2020)

By Thomas Hennecke and Matthias Dersch

Had he made this artistic pass during the corona pandemic with empty stands in the stadium, it would have been a pity. A week before Christmas however, there is almost no free space in the Signal Iduna Park left. Everybody is ripped off their seats – except the RB Leipzig fans – the moment Julian Brandt marks the second goal. Brandt digs deep into his toolbox. Receiving the pass by Sancho, processing the ball, shot. Three actions in one fluent move, south American suppleness with ice-cold efficiency, a master class. Goal of the month December.

This cool blonde with the jersey number 19 – he is a man for the special moments. A player who makes a difference. And a gambler. A footballer having fun and who lets the difficult things look easy and made his relaxed demeanor a trademark. You can guess why he named Diego (the Bremer, not Maradona”, like Brandt said in BVB-TV) is his idol. The Brazilian used to have the blessings to do great things on the pitch. Diego also had a dream goal in his repertoire: 62,5 meter distance on April 20, 2007 against Alemannia Aachen. End score: 3:1.

The fact Brandt coolness also comes from a sometimes fatal way of risking things, relativizes his actions. You are torn a bit. People who appreciate show, spontaneity, art and creativity will love him more than people adding statistics and all mistakes and how they translate onto the pitch. The ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ looks beyond that and celebrated Brandt as a “Player with the Wow-Effect”. Brandt plays passes, so precise they will find almost every gap. As if they were managed by an electronic brain. He celebrates chop passes which look good and find their goals. But he also screws up counter chances with sloppy passes. He gives goals to his opponents with carless back passes. Or he shoots x-times against the goal, without a slightest danger to the goal keepers.

2019 is the second year with coach Lucien Favre and the so-called “restart”. BVB manager Zorc took a lot of money into his hands, in order to optimize the team. Looking back he wouldn’t be as passionate about some transfers as he was back then – but the 25 million euros for Brandt are still a good and useful investment, Zorc thinks: “Julian is a talented football player and has a lot of potential. He is very active on the pitch, demanding the ball, plays in a self-confidend way and doesn’t hide.”

Then follows the “but”. Zorc follows everything very closely from his box seat on the team bench. He sees mistakes by Brandt, unnecessary mistakes – calles “unforced errors” in tennis. “He still does a lot of them”, Zorc complains. “He has still work to do when it comes to working against the ball, Julian knows that best himself.” Indeed one doesn’t have to look far to find weaknesses. He himself is his biggest critic, the professional once claimed. Yet, he never lets that sort of self-reflection get out of his hands: “I always question myself, whenever I’m not performing well. But I never question the fact that I still can do it.”

It’s easy to spot: this Brandt-guy is not Mr. Perfect nor a football-playing robot. Rather he is an un-adjusted fine spirit on the pitch. Always in a good mood, with a fresh quote on his lips. During the USA-journey to Seattle last year, he was walking interested through the Museum of Pop Culture where Borussia was celebrating its “Black and Yellow night”. He had some small talk with journalists, he seems relaxed, approachable and cool. The opposite of the footballer clicheé of being arrogant. Brandt is “a fantastic guy” says Captian Marco Reus, “he’s a funny and open guy”.

As engaging, positive and uncomplicated his persona comes across: sometimes however Brandt appears to be less serious about stuff. It’s seems as if an extra scoop of ambition is missing, based on his body language. Unlike many other professionals. “I heard from many people before, about me looking like I’m sort of listlessness I embody”, Brandt said during an interview with the former BVB-player Patrick Owomoyela. Yet he assures: “My inner drive is always there.”

Brandt shows both faces during the game against Leipzig. Magical and faulty. He serves Timo Werner the 2:2-goal on a silver platter with his horrible wrong pass. “Perhaps someday there will be the award: wrong pass of the month”, says the 24 year-old. “I’m sure, I’ll get into the top 5.” BVB-boss Hans Joachim Watzke is face-palming on the stands in that moment. With some distance he likes Brandt’s way of playing. The BVB-boss says: “Julian makes extraordinary mistakes, because you can only play extraordinary if you take risky passes or have risky ideas.”

Five months later, both major teams in Germany play against each other on the evening of May 26. Borussia against Bayern; light house 2 against light house 1. Dortmund has to win, otherwise the Bundesliga title will be gone and Dortmund starts in a rush. Erling Haaland gets the ball in the midfield after 17 seconds, by winning a head ball against Joshua Kimmich. From the back Brandt storms in front like a speed train, captures the situation, speeds up the game and passes over to Thorgan Hazard with his left foot. The clock ticks – 19 seconds into the game – Manuel Neuer gets out of his goal and saves the situation for Bayern at the last moment. But he passes the ball into Haalands feet. His shot rushes through Neuers feet until Jerome Boating saves it for Bayern on the goal line. Brandt goal celebration dies on his lips. The blitz goal after just one minute – it would have been his act as well.

Same game, 43rd minute. Mats Hummels defending for Dortmund, the ball moves a few meters to the left. Kimmich gets the ball, looks up, sees Roman Bürki standing a bit too far away from the goal, shoots and scores. The guy standing the closest to Kimmich: Brandt. It would have been unfair to make him responsible for the goal alone, half of the team is responsible as well. Yet some people who’s heart is beating for black and yellow would have preferred Brandt at least trying to hinder Kimmich on making his genius shot. He does: nothing.

He's a day dreamer, Brandt once said. Day dreamers keep strolling through their thoughts. A study found out: day dreamers are capable finding time to dream because their brains have enough space left. In the past day dreaming was understood as a sign of lack of concentration and attention – today people see it as a sign of intelligence and creativity. Like a lost professor: brilliant, sharp mind, yet sunk into his own world.

It is however no explanation for him being passive in front of the goal in May that basically pre-decided the German championship. Brandt made his day dreamer confession in a different context – when asked about a career plan. He doesn’t have one, he said: “Everything that happens in my life, happens spontaneously. I don’t even know what I will be doing in three weeks from now.” Brandt lives his live as free and individual as possible and as disciplined as necessary. He likes to sleep long in the morning and only leave “shortly” in order to just barley making it on time at the training ground. “Every minute is sacred” he says with a wink of an eye. “I don’t know how often I had to pay a penalty for being too late.”

A year Brandt is employed in Dortmund. The statistics are showing respectable numbers. 42 games, seven goals, 13 assists, ten second-pass assists. The season prior in Leverkusen he had seven goals and 15 assists – just in the Bundesliga. He added six scorer points in the DFB Cup then and the Europa League. “I had to find my place during the first months. I played on many positions and didn’t know many of the boys yet. It’s why it was a bit un-harmonic”, says Brandt. “Nevertheless, now I’m “in”. I had a nice year with great moments. I have to say: I’m really satisfied. Everything can get much better. However its was fine for the first year.”

Brandt wanders through the BVB team, gets put into five different roles. The center midfield is the place where he can show his class the best – whenever he has the game in front of him. He can put his instincts and creativity into force and can create chances with his passes. He is basically a lost force when playing way in front. Except against Slavia Prag in the Champions League he confirmed with two assists, Favre decision putting him into the front as a striker. His abilities are also limited once he plays on the wings.

He never has a lack of commitment and engagement. Brandt is running on average 11,85 kilometers in 90 minutes. Nobody of the permanent Dortmund players is running more. He wins 52,4 % of his one-on-ones – more than Sancho (45,6%), Marco Reus (44,6%), Hazard (42,0%) or Haaland (41,4%). His passing with a 84 percent accuracy however still has room for improvement compared to the other specialists like Axel Witsel (94,1%), Dan-Axel Zagadou (91,1%) or Raphael Guerreiro (89,2%).

Brandt is brilliant in games like against Gladbach (DFB Cup, kicker-grade: 1,5), against Fortuna Düsseldorf or Schalke in the Bundesliga (both 1,5). He has personal low points in Freiburg (sub in and out of the same game; grade: 5), in Munich (grade: 6) and against Milan in the Champions League, where he basically loses the ball in almost every scene. Every game becomes a personal balancing act for the highly skilled national player: he dances on a high wire – here and there he loses his grip and crashes down.

His time in Dortmund started with a glitch. He makes a mistake and drives onto the parking lot of the youth time at 7.45am in the morning. A BVB employee has to show him the way. Brandt decided to leave the comfort zone Leverkusen on purpose. “Dortmund” – he says, “Dortmund is much bigger in terms of media interest, the stadium, the number of fans and in terms of pressure. It’s a different game here. It could make a mark on me and will serve me good.” And then there is the wish to win a title which made him to transfer to Dortmund. It’s about a basic attitude in sports, Brandt said a year ago, “everybody should have the drive to win every game.”

Because Dortmund only won 28 of their 46 games this past season (seven draws, eleven defeats) a lively debate about coach Favré heats up as well as a discussion about the mentality of the team. No fans will get together in Dortmund and celebrate the fifth second place finish of the team since 2013. Nobody will fill extra pages in historic club chronicles, some BVB players are now suspecting. “We are not satisfied to finish second”, Brandt confesses. “We aren’t angry, but also not satisfied. We want more.” He then sticks up for his colleagues who get criticized for some bad performances and whenever there are doubts about their mentality and the harsh criticism: “We want to the big price. The team is hungry, they are in for it to win titles. The team is capable of that. You have to always aim high.”

Children who are having their first day of school this year, have lived a life only knowing Bayern Munich as German football champions. In order for them to understand that other teams can be successful as well, Dortmund needs to win the “all-or-nothing”-games, Brandt thinks. The duels with the other Bundesliga havy weights: Bayern Munich, Leipzig, Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen. “You have to win those games, if you want to stay on top”, he says. “Yet you also have to take smaller teams seriously. Something like a 3-3 draw against Paderborn is fatal.”

Borussia Dortmund gave the players four weeks vacation. This Thursday the team will come back together well rested. The months during the corona crisis, the tough hygiene rules of the German Bundesliga, left a mark on Brandt. “It does something to you”, he confesses, “you don’t see many people. You see your family, perhaps a few friends. Otherwise: nobody. You are happy to be able to go out and have some freedoms again.” Now he can go out again – at least a bit.

#julianbrandt #julian brandt #bvb #BVB09 #borussiadortmund #borussia dortmund #Bundesliga #dfb #diemannschaft #German NT

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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WandaVision Episode 6 Review: All-New Halloween Spooktacular!

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This WandaVision review contains spoilers.

WandaVision Episode 6

Ah, remember last week? When you were living in the glowing warmth of corporate synergy? When Disney’s ownership of Fox meant that, aside from essentially creating a monopoly, the company could also finally introduce the X-Men into the MCU? What a wild time. And in the wake of that utterly satisfying and enjoyable reveal, we now find Westview changed once again. The ’90s never happened and instead the Visions are living in what seems to be the year 2000.

It’s Halloween and the family is preparing for the big night. If you’re keeping count, Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne) are still around 10 years old. The recently arrived Uncle Pietro is crashing on the couch, and Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) seem to be back to normal. Or at least that’s what Vision wants Wanda to think. If you’ve been loving the sitcom of it all then this episode might feel a little less charming and specific, although Bettany is doing his best Malcolm in the Middle-era Brian Cranston when the episode begins.

Though it had always been headed this way, things really seem to be getting out of Wanda’s control this week. Vision is clearly no longer under her spell as he heads off on a secret mission, and she still has no idea why Pietro (Evan Peters) showed up and if he’s actually her brother. Speaking of the silver-headed hero, Peters really delivers a powerhouse performance here. He’s not only pitch perfect as the annoying troublesome uncle from every sitcom but he also manages to break through Wanda’s barriers with an empathetic display of fraternal love. It must be a large responsibility to shoulder the much anticipated coming together of these two huge franchises and worlds, but Peters does it admirably here and alongside Olsen gives the episode emotional heft when it could have easily fallen back entirely on the easy comedy of the situation.

The laughs still come thick and fast though, or at least Wanda wants them too as Billy and Tommy trick or treat with their uncle while Vision helps the neighborhood watch. Except that he isn’t doing that at all and is really more concerned with getting away from Wanda so that he can explore Westview and find out what’s really going on. This definitely feels like we’re going to get that Wanda and Vision showdown that was hinted at last week. Although we don’t see it today, Vision does face up to some of his wife’s powerful magic but we’ll get to that in a minute.

Back at the Halloween celebrations, Peters, Klyne, and Hilliard are all having a blast in classic comic referencing costumes, and after a quick run around town it’s revealed that Tommy is now a speedster, too. That shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s read the comics as his hero name is Speed. Billy also gets his powers this episode, though it’s in a far less fun way than running around with his cool uncle super fast and silly stringing his neighbors.

WandaVision has created a unique challenge for itself, in that the past two episodes each featured narratively huge reveals. Episode four was a stunning season-best entry that revealed the truth behind Westview and gave us extra insight into the world-changing events of the Blip. Episode five saw Vision begin to realize what was truly going on and, of course, ended with the multiverse-shaking reveal of Fox’s Pietro in the MCU. So it might feel to some viewers that this episode doesn’t exactly hold the same massive impact or have that one defining moment. But this episode showcases the real power of WandaVision: the emotional story at its heart. The reason the show works is not because of the cameos or many, many Easter eggs, but because this is an exploration of grief, loss, and how much it can fuck shit up when left undealt with.

Wanda Maximoff has long been sidelined in the MCU. Her grief ignored or manipulated. Her dead brother barely spoken of. And her relationship with Vision rarely given proper screen time. But WandaVision is rectifying all of that, not only defining her powers but also her personality and priorities. And introducing Pietro seems to be a good inroad for expanding on that as Wanda begins to open up to him and explore just what happened to create Westview. Interestingly, the powerful maybe mutant doesn’t actually know how the whole thing began, which seems to hint at some outside interference. And while Pietro is doing a great job playing the loving brother, he seems a bit blurry on how he got involved… is he being manipulated, too? Or perhaps he could even be the manipulator? He was asking an awful lot of questions…

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Outside of Westview, we get some very good Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), Darcy (Kat Dennings), and Monica (Teyonah Parris) action. Literally. We get a little Monica and Jimmy action scene and it is wonderful. Woo is a great comedic lead but also apparently has some action chops, so please give him his own Jimmy Woo series or movie as soon as possible. Anyway, the three are sick of Director Hayward–who is clearly up to no good–and he’s sick of them, so they’re all kicked out of the S.W.O.R.D. base. Of course, they don’t listen and decide to hack into the Director’s computer instead. While Monica calls up her “aerospace engineer friend” to pick up her Hex suit, Darcy gets into the system and discovers that Hayward is tracking Vision’s vibranium. With Jimmy and Monica on their way to get her gear, Darcy stays behind and it does not end well.

Despite the fact that Hayward is clearly planning something with Vision, his response to the synthezoid trying to escape doesn’t clue us in to what it is. But it did give Bettany another solid tragic hero moment as he tried to step outside the loving but suffocating prison his wife has (probably) created. Sadly for Vision, Wanda and the Hex had other ideas. It’s likely that we’ll see the impact of how different the twins’ power origins are as we go forward, because while Tommy was running around making memories, Billy’s powers get traumatized to life when he hears Vision telepathically crying for help. Luckily (for some), he finds Wanda, and she expands the Hex to protect Vision, transforming everything around it in her own vision. From what we see, the S.W.O.R.D. base becomes a circus and its agents clowns. And, as many fans were hoping, Darcy gets sucked into Westview, too. So we’ll see her playing along with Wanda next week.

With only three episodes left to go, there are a lot of loose ends to tie up. But if WandaVision keeps balancing the superheroics and bombastic moments with these intimate character arcs, then we think they might actually achieve it. The biggest question is… how much of a cliffhanger will we be left on after the finale? And how long will we have to wait to see what happens next?

The post WandaVision Episode 6 Review: All-New Halloween Spooktacular! appeared first on Den of Geek.

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wsmith215 · 4 years ago

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Mario Gotze: Where next for Borussia Dortmund’s World Cup winner? | Football News

Peter Smith

Comment and Analysis @psmithXI

Ambitions re-evaluated for ‘German Messi’ hindered by illness

Last Updated: 28/05/20 6:04pm

Mario Gotze will leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season

What now for Mario Gotze? The one-time German wunderkind, the World Cup final match-winner, is being released by Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season. But the next steps are unclear.

“It is very unfortunate,” says former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger. “We all know that Mario Gotze was a great talent when he was younger. Now at the age of 27, these are the best years in football.

“It doesn’t have to be the best club in Europe, but I hope that he will find a club where he will play.”

That is some re-evaluation of ambition for a player who was dubbed the German Messi as he came through the youth ranks under the tutelage of former Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp.

Gotze’s World Cup final winner in 2014 underlined his potential

But since the highs of that extra-time 2014 strike against Argentina in the Maracana, when Gotze became the youngest player to score in a World Cup final in almost 50 years, there have been seasons of frustration.

The big move to Bayern Munich didn’t work out, with Gotze later reflecting that while Pep Guardiola honed him tactically, he didn’t have the “empathy” to coax the forward to the next level.

A return to Dortmund hasn’t sparked a shift to the previously-hoped-for heights, either, with Gotze struggling for game time ahead of compatriot Julian Brandt this term.

On the international stage, Gotze has played just once for Germany in the past three years.

So what are the reasons behind his unfulfilled potential?

There have been tactical issues, with Gotze at times struggling to fit Guardiola’s system at Bayern, while his evolution from dribbling, darting wide player into a more central forward or false nine has left him something of a misfit in Dortmund’s high-speed attack.

Gotze is no longer a good fit for Dortmund’s high-speed attack

Injuries have been a major factor, too, with hip and thigh problems sidelining him at key moments. But a muscular disorder, revealed in March 2017, pointed to a far greater underlying issue which has inhibited Gotze.

“It’s hard to tell how it has affected his career but the fact is, he never came back as strong as he was before,” Sky Germany‘s Jesco von Eichmann says.

“But the style of football at Dortmund has changed too. Lucien Favre wants players with power, aggressive players, fast players – that’s not Gotze’s style.

The style of football at Dortmund has changed. Lucien Favre wants players with power, aggressive players, fast players – that’s not Gotze’s style

Jesco von Eichmann, Sky Germany reporter

“The other problem is he has no proper position. The false nine role was an idea tried by Joachim Low, the Germany manager, but Gotze never felt good in this position. He played also as an eight or a 10 but the coaches don’t seem to trust him anymore.”

So what can Gotze offer clubs prepared to give him another shot?

Gotze may not have the pace and intensity on the ball to suit Dortmund’s style, but he does bring commitment without possession. In a similar style to Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, Gotze fits the bill for a team looking to press their opponents high up the pitch.

Detailed data collected by Statsbomb, shows Gotze ranks among the top one per cent of players for the amount of times he pressures opponents and among the top two per cent for instigating defensive actions to win back possession.

But Gotze’s next team will also need to play to his strengths in possession – and that means finding him in positions where he can turn and create.

Like Firmino, Gotze also registers a high number of touches in the box, averaging 12.13 per 90 minutes, and his Expected Assists figure of 0.25 per 90 minutes is among the best in the Bundesliga.

Gotze – despite his struggles – remains a player with the nous to find dangerous positions, the ability to tee up team-mates and the attitude required to win the ball back in the opponent’s final third.

“The defensive work became part of his game,” says Von Eichmann. “But he is a player that needs the ball at his feet – not chasing it in the defence.

“The coach and the philosophy are the most important things at his next club. They have to trust Gotze and find a proper system, in which he can perform with his abilities.”

So what club could that be? There has been speculation about a move to the Premier League, with Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc saying “he is looking for a new job, maybe abroad.”

But Von Eichmann expects Gotze’s next club not to be on the same level as Bayern or Dortmund – and believes the Premier League may prove too intense.

“He is not a player for the ‘A-league’ clubs like Barcelona, Manchester City and co,” says Von Eichmann. “And he might be too weak for the very physical Premier League.”

As Schweinsteiger says, the priority for Gotze now is game time.

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gadgetsrevv · 5 years ago

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Man City aren’t in crisis despite Norwich shock. PLUS: Bayern’s Bundesliga dominance is under threat

There’s lots to talk about in this week’s Monday Musings following a wild weekend. Gab Marcotti is here to recap the big stories around soccer.

Sky isn’t falling for Man City despite Norwich shock

One of the more odd decisions this past summer was Manchester City not replacing Vincent Kompany. “Replace” is perhaps too strong a word. You can’t “replace” him but you can bring in another live body to give you an alternative at centre-back and provide some competition for John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

– Ogden: Man City might regret inspiring Liverpool – Miller: Have Norwich shown the league how to beat City? – ESPN’s Ultimate XI: This team would win everything

Many of us pointed this out but hey, it’s Pep Guardiola, so you naturally offer the benefit of the doubt. He must know something we don’t. Maybe Fernandinho (at 34) can fill in too. Maybe Eric Garcia is ready. Maybe Kyle Walker can slide across. Maybe Aymeric Laporte is Iron Man and will never get injured. (Oops: we already know that’s not the case.)

Pep Guardiola’s side looked vulnerable in Saturday’s shock defeat at Norwich but there’s still a lot of time left for them to get their balance back.

It’s not that Otamendi and Stones are bad defenders, it’s that the way City play can leave them vulnerable, which is pretty much what happened against Norwich in their 3-2 defeat. There’s a price you pay for choosing to play a certain way and evidently, for City it’s one worth paying. The problem is this is a low-scoring sport. Scoring goals is difficult and ideally, you want to make conceding them as difficult as possible for the opposition. With those two back there and this setup, it’s that much easier for them.

Updated Luck Index: Man City continue to be unfortunate

No, the sky isn’t falling. Even in this game, Man City could have grabbed the three points with a bit more luck. Nor will they always face someone as motivated and as intense as Daniel Farke’s crew who, severely depleted by injuries, went all out with nothing to lose. But the reality is that the gap separating them from Liverpool is already at five points, and the last time that happened was back in January.

Is time running out on Bayern’s Bundesliga dynasty?

Is this the year someone in the Bundesliga topples Galactus (read: Bayern)?

Leipzig had their audition on Saturday, holding the champions to a 1-1 draw. The result keeps Julian Nagelsmann’s crew top of the league with Bayern fourth, two points back. But other than the usual drive and running you’d expect from Leipzig — and, after the break, the character that wasn’t always there last season — I’m not sure we quite saw enough to predict they’ll prevail over the marathon that is a whole season.

Thomas Muller, right, and Bayern were forced to settle for a point vs. RB Leipzig thanks to some familiar flaws that manager Niko Kovac has yet to fix.

In fact, a lot of it had to do with Bayern’s deficiencies. Having gone ahead early thanks to the age-old Thomas Mueller-Robert Lewandowski connection, they failed to capitalise on their lead despite having the upper hand for much of the first half. Joshua Kimmich in central midfield alongside Thiago Alcantara gave them a bit more control against the press, but they were sterile in the final third. Leipzig deserved their equalizer after a bad error from Lucas Hernandez (the sort that prompts you to say “He cost how much?”) and while late chances meant it could have gone either way, there wasn’t too much separating these two.

The difference? Well, you try to imagine how they can get better and you can see far bigger margins for growth at the Bayern end. Nagelsmann can conjure up some more tactical voodoo, Emil Forsberg might last 90 minutes, Kevin Kampl might be fit again and maybe they’ll get something out of Patrik Schick. But it’s slim pickings.

As for Bayern, Nico Kovac lost David Alaba to injury in the warm-up. But he still has Philippe Coutinho, who only came on with two minutes to go, and Ivan Perisic, who stayed rooted to the bench: presumably both were signed for a reason. The question, really, is how much faith you have in Kovac.

Fabulous Fati obscures Barca’s issues

Ansu Fati, already the third-youngest goal scorer in the history of La Liga, got his first start for Barcelona on Saturday against Valencia and set the Camp Nou alight inside 10 minutes. He scored with a confident, accurate finish, set up a goal for Frenkie de Jong and came close to scoring two more times. Oh yeah, in case you didn’t know, the kid doesn’t turn 17 until Halloween.

His emergence, and that of Carles Perez, means that Lionel Messi (who was in the stands) and Luis Suarez (who came on and scored twice) can come back into the team in their own time. But equally, despite the gaudy scoreline (5-2) and the excitement over Fati, there is still plenty for Ernesto Valverde to work on.

Valencia are a mess right now (thanks, Peter Lim!), having sacked Marcelino and replaced him with Albert Celades. And they still stayed in the game thanks to Kevin Gameiro, falling apart only after Jasper Cillessen‘s mistake for the third Barca goal. Suarez, looking sharp and hungry (no, not in that way), later added two to put the game out of reach.

Defensively, Barca looked far from solid, not just at the back but also in midfield; the fact that it was the first choice trio of De Jong, Arthur and Sergio Busquets doesn’t bode well.

Juventus get lucky vs. Fiorentina

There’s a ton of ancient bad blood between Fiorentina and Juventus. Throw in the enthusiasm that new owner Rocco Commisso has engendered within the Viola organization, the fact that it was Maurizio Sarri’s official post-pneumonia debut and especially the fact that the visitors lost Douglas Costa, Miralem Pjanic and Danilo through injury during the match (and the first two are especially key to the way they play) and perhaps Juve should be happy with a point.

Why? They were poor for much of the game against an opponent who treats the match as if it was the Champions League final and “Avengers: Endgame” rolled into one. Sarri later blamed the heat of a mid-afternoon kickoff, which is a bit hard to stomach since presumably Fiorentina felt just as hot. It might have been better to just take it on the chin, be grateful for the point and move on.

PSG fans will take time to welcome Neymar back

Neymar made his first appearance of the season for Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend and was greeted, predictably, with boos and insults. It’s what you expect when, after pledging your loyalty to the club, you go out of your way to force a move back to Barcelona. So what did he do? Easy, he scored a “worldie” deep in injury time to secure the three points against Strasbourg.

– Laurens: The definitive story of the Neymar saga

“I expected it, but in the end I forced them to applaud,” he said afterwards, adding that every game will now feel like an away match.

He made his bed, he can lie in it now and won’t get much sympathy. But at the very least, he deserves recognition for the professionalism he showed Saturday. Whether he’ll ever get love from the Ultras given what happened is unclear but that doesn’t mean they can’t reach some mutually beneficial relationship.

What’s obvious is that if you’re Thomas Tuchel, you’re glad he’s back.

Arsenal’s issues are self-inflicted

The statistics say Arsenal conceded 23 shots on goal in the second half against Watford on Sunday. That’s one every two minutes and it’s frankly hard to do. It’s especially tough when you go in at half-time with a two-goal lead, one which, based on what we saw in the first half, was likely more than generous. And yes, they ended up settling for a 2-2 draw.

You can focus on individuals — Matteo Guendouzi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, David Luiz — all you like and there’s another statistic floating around that says that since the start of last season no team has made more errors leading directly to opposition goals than Arsenal. But this is a team issue.

If you have error-prone players, you design tactical systems that protect them and don’t expose them. That’s just basic. And that’s on Unai Emery.

Real nearly throw it away before PSG trip

It’s a sign of Real Madrid’s current state that even after playing well, creating plenty of chances and racing to a 3-0 lead at home to Levante, they still required a last-ditch save from Thibaut Courtois to retain their three points. In the cold light of day, you’d look at this performance, note Madrid’s domination, the fact that the goals conceded were against the run of play and chalk up the 3-2 scoreline to the randomness of football. And you might even celebrate Eden Hazard‘s debut and look forward to what is next.

Instead, it’s all fraught nerves ahead of the trip to the Parc des Princes to face Paris Saint-Germain in midweek. Context matters, possibly because we’re in mid-September and we have no real idea what Zinedine Zidane has in mind.

Neville a bit harsh on Man United?

Manchester United squeezed out a victory over Leicester City, but I was struck by Gary Neville’s comments suggesting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should get at least three more transfer windows “to clean up the trash in the dressing room, because there is trash in there.”

I have a lot of time for Neville, but I was wondering to whom he’s referring given a summer of significant departures. Of the guys who are most frequently targeted as “trash” (or “weeds,” to use another of his terms), Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo haven’t played this year. Fred has been on the pitch for 24 minutes, Nemanja Matic has started one game. Who does he mean? Paul Pogba? Anthony Martial? Juan Mata?

I’m also not sure about the comparisons with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and how it took him time to produce. He reached a Europa League final after taking over in October and finished fourth the following year. Plus, he had a rather more credible résumé than Solskjaer did. By all means, give him time, but set credible targets and deadlines too.

Why Chelsea’s youth movement feels different

Chelsea’s 5-2 away win to Wolves brings their seasonal goals total to 11 and all of them scored by Academy graduates. Fikayo Tomori, Andreas Christensen, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount all started at Molyneux and all look poised to play a big part in Chelsea’s season. With more homegrown players — Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi, possibly Reece James too — set to return from injury, there could be as many as seven of them in Frank Lampard‘s XI at some point.

What sets this group apart, though, is the fact that apart from Christensen, who joined at 16, the others have all been affiliated with the club since before they were 10 years old. We often play fast and loose with the homegrown label since so many clubs (including Chelsea, of course) cherry-pick top talent from elsewhere at 16, stick them in the Academy for a year or two and then count them as “club-trained.” Technically, that’s true but with these guys, it’s different.

Dortmund look ready for Barcelona

“Bouncebackability” isn’t a real word, but it applies here. Borussia Dortmund had a whole international break to stew over the humiliating 3-1 defeat to newly promoted Union Berlin and with Kai Havertz and Bayer Leverkusen rolling into town, the potential for aftereffects was still high. Instead, we got one of the most dominating Dortmund performances in recent memory. At the attacking end, Marco Reus got his mojo back, Jadon Sancho popped up with his usual two assists and Paco Alcacer scored in his eighth consecutive game, including internationals.

Roll on, Barcelona, this Tuesday.

Odegaard continues to dazzle

Martin Odegaard made his international debut for Norway at 15 years of age and moved to Real Madrid six months later. Too much, too soon? It felt that way to many, given he failed to establish himself at youth level and later spent two years on loan. But players develop at different speeds, and having rocketed to the international stage, he was due a breather.

This year, he’s on loan at Real Sociedad, where he’s already scored twice and, on Saturday night against Atletico Madrid, was arguably man of the match. He doesn’t even turn 21 until December, but it feels as if this could be the year it all comes together for him. Watch this space.

Meanwhile, for Atletico, the 2-0 defeat reinforces what we already know: losing four or five starters in a summer is tricky to metabolize and there will be days like this when Diego Simeone’s tinkering leads nowhere.

Why Roberto Firmino is so unique

My former colleague Matthew Syed, writing in The Times, made the point that Roberto Firmino appears to have 360-degree vision, a bit like those owls, whose heads seem to swivel all the way around. It’s not hard to see why, given his performance in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Newcastle.

Some see him as a prototype of a modern center-forward, the “false nine” who is more creator than finisher. That certainly fits with Firmino’s strengths though another, equally formidable strength is the intensity and intelligence of his pressing game. But I’m not sure he’s a prototype of anything.

Most of Europe’s top teams — from Barcelona to Manchester City, from Tottenham to Real Madrid, from Bayern to Juventus — still have a genuine centerforward rather than a “false nine” (to use another hipsterish term). In other words, Firmino is not a trend as much as he has a nearly unique, extremely rare skill set, which comes as a result of his past as an attacking midfielder.

Conte keeping expectations down at Inter

Antonio Conte is playing that age-old game straight out of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” — “when you are weak, appear strong and when you are strong, appear weak.” Following Inter’s third win on the bounce (one-nil against Udinese) he said, “We know the game. They build us up now to knock us down later. For us to win the title, other clubs would have to have disastrous seasons.”

– Schoenfeld: Romelu Lukaku talks about his Inter mission

It’s pretty transparent what he’s doing. And yes, Inter aren’t title favorites but he has the strike force he says he wanted (Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez, Alexis Sanchez), he has two of the best young midfielders in the league (Stefano Sensi and Nicolo Barella) and arguably the best center-back corps. There’s no reason to hide. Own the responsibility.

What needs to happen beyond #BlueGirl

The harrowing tale of Sahar Khodayari, the 29-year-old Iranian woman who set herself on fire (and later died from severe burns) after being sentenced to six months in prison for disguising herself as a man to attend a football match between her team, Esteghlal, and the UAE’s Al-Ain last March, shocked the world.

Like many such stories, it’s more complicated than it appears. There is no written law barring women from entering Iranian stadiums, so she was sentenced for not fully adhering to Islamic hijab laws and covering her head. But equally, since the Islamic revolution 40 years ago, women have been unofficially banned from watching men’s games with very few exceptions, like last November’s Asian Champions League final.

It shouldn’t take the tragic death of a vulnerable person for the world to take notice. The hashtag #BlueGirl is great to raise awareness but it can’t end there, particularly since there has been so much outrage and support for change, even in Iran.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has pushed Iran on this matter before and the stock answer has been that the “infrastructure” was not yet in place to allow women in on a regular basis. (What infrastructure? Women’s toilets? Surely they have port-a-potties in Iran…) That argument is nonsense as evidenced by the fact that women have been allowed in before. FIFA’s statutes are very clear when it comes to equality and access. They have the power to withhold development money and suspend the Iranian FA.

It’s time to take action and, given the support such action would have within Iran — from much of the population and virtually the entire football world — it feels like a no-brainer.

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#Uncategorized #blog - marcotti Man City aren’t in crisis despite Norwich shock. PLUS: Bayern’s Bunde

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anfieldcentral · 8 years ago

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Summer Shortlist - Mohamed Salah | AS Roma

It’s safe to say that I am personally ecstatic to see the Reds linked with this man. The Egyptian winger is one of my favourite attacking players in the Serie A and it had been puzzling me why, if Jurgen Klopp was looking for a pacy option to play on either wing, he hadn’t been considering a move for Salah. With the ever-reliable Melissa Reddy claiming that alternatives are being lined up after the Reds seemingly missed out on Julian Brandt, Salah has been touted as one of those names. As a result, he is now well and truly on my Summer Shortlist.

Pace, Flair and End-Product |

A highly versatile attacker, Salah has been on Liverpool’s radar since before Klopp arrived at the club. Salah turned down the Reds in 2014 in favour of a move to Chelsea but failed to break into the first team on a consistent basis before being sent out on loan to Fiorentina and then Roma - who he joined permanently last Summer - where he’s been a key player ever since.

The winger possesses serious pace, with his ability to confidently burn opposition players time and again reminiscent of what we’ve seen from Sadio Mane on many occasions this season. He has been a hugely key player for Roma over the last two seasons due to his ability to both help spring fast counter attacks by blitzing opponents but also his superb positioning when capping them off. Interestingly though, for a man with so much pace, Salah does not attempt many take ons having completed just 32 this season - less than half of what Mane has managed.

Salah is a more traditional winger than someone like Philippe Coutinho and often operates in a wider position but his ability to bend his runs centrally makes him an incredibly dangerous proposition, especially with his impressive end-product record. The Egyptian has an impressive 17 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions this season and his record of 13 goals and 10 assists in 28 Serie A appearances this season is nothing short of phenomenal.

Salah has an impressive conversion rate of 23% - he scores one goal in roughly every 4 shots he manages to put on target - while his record of 13 league goals from 73 total shots is second only to Sadio Mane when compared to Liverpool’s attackers with 10+ goals. The Egyptian is also equally adept creatively, setting up 69 chances for team mates this season with 10 of those resulting in assists - only Roberto Firmino has created more chances than Salah this season, with 72. When it comes to chances created per 90 however, Salah walks away with the best stats with ease. The Egyptian creates 2.7 chances per 90 which is comfortably more than Coutinho (2.5), Firmino (2.17) and Mane (1.7) have managed this season.

Suitability |

The first point to look at when working out suitability for a Klopp team is of course, does he work hard and can he defend from the front? The answer to both of these questions is yes. The Egyptian forward has won 21 tackles this season which is more than Sadio Mane (18) and only 3 less than Philippe Coutinho (24). He has also managed to win 45.99% of his total duels this season which is more than any LFC attacker aside from Mane (47.35%). Of course, it’s always hard to gauge just how hard a player has to work in their respective systems with many managers being far less demanding of their front line than Jurgen Klopp.

Considering his pace, physicality, previous Premier League experience - he made 13 appearances for Mourinho’s Chelsea and scored 2 goals - and considerably impressive end product - 27 league goals for Roma in 62 appearances - I would be very surprised to see him struggle to fit into Jurgen Klopp’s system. He’s also only 24 years old which puts him right in both Klopp and FSG’s preferred age bracket as he’s already formed an impressive ability level with further space to just continue improving.

Stumbling Blocks |

The biggest stumbling block Liverpool might have if they do go in for Salah is that Roma are very good at playing hard ball and holding onto their star players. The likes of Florenzi, Manolas, De Rossi, Nainggolan and Antonio Rudiger have all been linked with big moves away in recent years but by one means or another, Roma have managed to hold onto them. There is also whether or not the player would actually want to move on to a side where he wouldn’t be guaranteed first team football every game. If the Reds retain the services of Coutinho, Salah will face a huge task to dislodge either the Brazilian or Mane from Klopp’s starting XI whereas if he stays at Roma he’s already an established key man. Securing Champions League football will also likely be a must with Roma looking set to finish in either second or third in the Serie A this season.

Suitability: 8/10 | Likelihood: 8/10

#Liverpool FC #LFC #Football #News #EPL #English Premier League #Mohamed Salah #Summer Shortlist #Transfers

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tipsoctopus · 5 years ago

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European loan watch: Arsenal ace shines, MCFC outcast scores, Champions League masterclass

It’s often easy to forget that clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all have quality players plying their trade away from English football on temporary loan deals.

However, there are a handful of players from the elite Premier League sides who have been enjoying their football in the past seven days in Serie A, the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Let’s take a look at who’s been impressing…

Ethan Ampadu shines against Tottenham

Ethan Ampadu has largely been a spectator so far this campaign with RB Leipzig in Germany. On loan from Chelsea, he has featured in just seven games in all competitions, and his inclusion in Julian Nagelsmann’s starting XI against Tottenham in the Champions League last Wednesday was his first start for Die Rotenbullen.

You wouldn’t have guessed it, though, based on the quality of his display. Against Spurs, he managed three clearances, four interceptions and one tackle, whilst he also landed 94% of the passes he attempted. Before the match, the absence of Dayot Upamecano may have been a worry for the Bundesliga side, but the Wales international took advantage of his opportunity.

As we approach the business end of the season, Ampadu has less and less chance of making a distinct impression for Leipzig. Frank Lampard and the Chelsea hierarchy will no doubt be disappointed that he has not played on a more regular basis, but they will be hoping that this display convinces Nagelsmann to give him more playing time between now and the end of the season.

Angelino on the scoresheet

After re-signing for the Citizens last summer for just £5.3m, the former PSV man made only 12 appearances in all competitions, of which just four came in the Premier League. Even after just six months, he was already out of the door during the January transfer window, following Ampadu to Leipzig on loan.

Last week was a successful one for the 23-year-old. He started against Spurs in north London, helping his side keep a clean sheet in the process, whilst he also grabbed his first goal for his new temporary club away at Schalke in the Bundesliga – it was beautifully struck as well.

He put in a solid display, completing all four of his attempted dribbles whilst prevailing in seven out of his eight duels as well.

Why he was shipped out so quickly from the Etihad Stadium makes little sense, but Angelino will surely be hoping to convince Pep Guardiola that he has a future in Manchester.

If he can keep up his great start to life in Germany, he may just force his way in to his compatriot’s plans yet.

Mkhitaryan nets for Roma

Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s time at Arsenal was unspectacular, with him managing nine goals and 13 assists in 59 appearances for the Gunners. When he left on loan to join Serie A side AS Roma, there appeared to be few calls pleading for him to stay at the Emirates Stadium.

His spell in Italy, though, he has been a moderately successful one, with him managing five goals and two assists in 18 matches.

He grabbed one of each in the Giallorossi’s 4-0 win against Lecce at the weekend. It was a promising display from the Armenia international, who also managed two key passes during the 90 minutes.

With a contract until 2021, there is still time for the former Borussia Dortmund man to make some kind of impact in north London. First, though, he will need to continue to impress at the Stadium Olimpico – performances like this one will go some way to helping him do just that.

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mancitynoise · 5 years ago

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It’s often easy to forget that clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all have quality players plying their trade away from English football on temporary loan deals.

However, there are a handful of players from the elite Premier League sides who have been enjoying their football in the past seven days in Serie A, the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Let’s take a look at who’s been impressing…

Ethan Ampadu shines against Tottenham

Angelino on the scoresheet

He put in a solid display, completing all four of his attempted dribbles whilst prevailing in seven out of his eight duels as well.

Why he was shipped out so quickly from the Etihad Stadium makes little sense, but Angelino will surely be hoping to convince Pep Guardiola that he has a future in Manchester.

If he can keep up his great start to life in Germany, he may just force his way in to his compatriot’s plans yet.

Mkhitaryan nets for Roma

His spell in Italy, though, he has been a moderately successful one, with him managing five goals and two assists in 18 matches.

He grabbed one of each in the Giallorossi’s 4-0 win against Lecce at the weekend. It was a promising display from the Armenia international, who also managed two key passes during the 90 minutes.

#FootballFanCast #News

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newagesispage · 6 years ago

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MAY 2019

PAGE RIB

***** Illinois pot growers say that if more licenses aren’t issued to growers, there could be a shortage if recreational weed is legalized. Studies show that medical cannabis demand is under reported. ** Support Senate Bill 7 to legalize recreational marijuana. It is the early stages and has not yet been fleshed out but the bare bones of it passed the committee 12-4. Let’s go!

*****With the presentation of the Peabody award, Rita Moreno will become the third PEGOT winner on May 18. She will join Barbra Streisand and Mike Nichols on that list.

***** Harvard and Yale text book writing U.S. rep in California, Katie Porter is really shaking up the congressional hearings. Go Go Go!!

***** Could Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker have a way of keeping Trump off the ballot? Are the Dems getting as creative as the GOP? Illinois is looking into forcing candidates to show the last 10 years of their tax returns or their name will not appear on the ballot.

***** Michael Shannon and Audra McDonald are the newest to play Frankie and Johnny on Broadway.

***** Watching the clueless old white politicians on the Sunday morning shows (yea, you John Barraso) makes me a little queasy. ** And I get so tired of the talking heads speaking for the ‘middle of the country’. Most of the people I know care deeply about the Mueller report. Who the fuck are they talking about? Talk about special rules for our rich President as we remember Nixon and the Clintons. Why should Scary Clown 45 get such great treatment? I am always hearing about the ‘middle of the country’ worrying about feeding our families and fixing our cars and not knowing or caring about issues in Washington. It is true that so many are living the paycheck to paycheck dream and are burdened with health care and other emergencies they can’t afford but they pay attention to the political problems of this country too. Since citizens don’t have the time or the power or money to be in Washington, they rely on those they voted for to keep each other in line. Quit letting the shady shit go on. Have some backbone and do not let things slide. Simple rule: DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

***** Word is that Somebody paid off Brett Kavanaugh’s $92,000 country club fees, $200,000 credit card debt and 1.2 mil mortage. Seems like someone might own him.

***** Maria Butina was sentenced to 18 months.

***** The Man in the High Castle will end after season 4.

***** I love the way Abigail Disney is standing up to CEO’s. The points she makes are ones that the corporation heads always hope you won’t think about. Shouldn’t employees be treated fairly? If a CEO is motivated by their own bonus they are far more likely to overlook things like environmental damage, human rights violations and worker’s rights. Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz agrees.

***** When will the press (local and worldwide), give equal exposure to ALL candidates that run for office, especially President? We want to be informed. I do research but not everybody does and needs it to be easily accessible. Sometimes you have to spoon feed but why is it so hard to be fair? Enough with the agendas!!! There also needs to be more places to look for local issues. I hear so many citizens that tell me they don’t know what will be on the ballot. The info can be hard to find but USA Facts helps. Check it out!

***** Four days after confirmation, secretary of interior, David Bernhardt is under investigation for ethical misconduct.

***** Rod Rosenstein is out! His good bye included praise for the Pres and thanking him for all the personal conversations!! What He is the Deputy AG. What??

***** Jordan Klepper did a great gag on comedy central with the Clintons about Hil doing the audio book of the Mueller report. Yes!!

***** The Trumps are suing Deutsche bank and Capital One so they won’t turn over financial records to congress. Aren’t these actions obstruction of congress?

***** Indivisible is getting voters and candidates to sign a pledge to make the primary constructive and support the ultimate democratic winner.

***** Thank you to Tricia Newbold who is the WH whistle blower who let us know about Trump overriding security clearances. Rumor is that to punish her they took advantage of her physical limitations and purposely put files high and out of her reach. Wow! That is right out of high school.

***** Julian Assange was taken into custody and it seems he has turned into some sort of odd Howard Hughes character.

***** Hollywood is putting on a fundraiser for Mayor Pete. The event will be co-hosted by Ryan Murphy and hubby David Miller, Matt Bomer, Jess Cagle and hubby Matt Whitney and Billy Eichner among others. Murphy also hosted Kamala Harris on April 12. Some of Pete’s major donors have been Ryan Reynolds, Jane Lynch, Mandy Moore, Bradley Whitford and James Murdoch.

***** The Webby awards have been announced. Some winners are Billy on the Street, James Corden, Schitt’s Creek, Pod Save the People and Jimmy Kimmel’s mean tweets. Best music video went to Donald Glover for This is America and The Daily won for its onald J. Trump presidential twitter library.

***** Better Call Saul will call it quits after season 6.

***** Charlize Theron and Seth Rogan star in Long Shot, a political rom com out May 3.

*****& Sara Gilbert joins season 3 of Atypical!!!!!

***** Mushroom season is here and it looks like our friend Kavin is sure bringing ‘em home.

***** The shower toga looks like a great get for the festival scene.

***** Barry has been picked up for season 3. Hell yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

***** The state of Georgia wants to make any embryo a fully legalized citizen. An embryo would count on taxes and be able to receive child support.

***** Please let the immigrant children out of their cages!

***** Stacey Abrams has a best seller, Lead from the Outside.

***** Did Harper Lee write ‘The Reverand?’ Oh how I wish I knew!!

***** When will the Bob Geldof story make it to the big screen and can Pete Davidson play him please??

***** Tuca and Bertie from Netflix looks awesome. It has to be good with stars Ali Wong and Tiffany Haddish!!

***** John Lithgow is about to release a book with his poetry about the President which will carry the title of his pet name (everybody seems to have one for Trump), Dumpty.

***** The Sultan of Brunei owns the Hotel Bel-Air in L.A. and the Beverly Hills Hotel. His country will now stone gay people to death. BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*****

***** Tim Ryan is running for President.

***** Seth Moulton is running for President.

***** Joe Biden is running for President.

***** What the hell is happening to Steak ‘n Shake??

***** What the hell is the matter with Senator Mike Lee? He makes a ridiculous presentation with a flying Reagan and all and now he says that babies may be the answer to climate change. He says we need to be free and develop. What is this gut talking about? Why are people like this getting into office?

***** There is a new podcast called Analysis of a killer.

***** Marianne Williamson is running for President.

***** Eric Swalwell is running for President.

***** The notion that Trumps twitter is like a national nanny cam makes perfect sense.

***** Can’t wait to read Seth Abramson’s, Proof of collusion.

***** The question isn’t really collusion. The redacted Mueller report is out and we now see why the team itself did not draw conclusions. All the evidence is there and a sitting President can’t be indicted…. Or can he? There are, however, multiple examples of corruption. It didn’t cost as much as other independent counsel reports because of all the fines that were charged to Manafort and others pretty much paid for it. Mueller called and wrote to Attorney General Barr and told him he created confusion with his memo and that it didn’t really tell the story.

***** In about 12 years Mueller Probe will be a cool name for a band. –Sarah Silverman

***** Federal appellate judge Maryanne Trump Barry, sister of the President has officially retired at age 82. She was put on the U.S. court of appeals by Bill Clinton. And with that, so ends the investigation into her alleged violations of judicial conduct rules because of participation in fraudulent tax schemes with her siblings in the 90’s.

***** I loved the mash up of Trevor Noah taking over the chair and interviewing Colbert on the Late Show.

***** Oliver North and Wayne LaPierre have been fighting amongst themselves at the NRA. Blackmail? Was North trying to get LaPierre out? The board is standing by the VP while North seems aligned with a public relations firm that some board members disagree with. There are many financial questions as well. Once again the NRA held its annual convention which does not allow guns. At the end of April North was forced out

***** The Universe is about a billion years younger than we thought according to astronomer Adam Riess. This is causing experts to look into rethinking dark energy and dark matter. Total mind blow!!!

***** People have taken to wearing Free Britney T’s. Her fans held a protest in L.A. to free her from the facility they believe she was forced into.

***** It seems fads lately are all about internet speak like. “felt cute ….” And etc. like that.

***** They are working on a Beauty and the Beast themed bar in Florida.

***** Seymour, Indiana recently uncovered pieces of a mastodon.

***** Mia Farrow has a cute little blue headed bird that visits here every morning. Is it Sinatra?

***** U go Grace Jones, showing us how to do it at 70!!!!!!

***** J Lo and Owen Wilson will star in Marry Me about a pop star who marries a random man in the crowd.

***** Magic Johnson resigned as President of the Lakers. The Owner and general manager were supposedly bad mouthing him.

***** The sweetest moment in the inductions on this year’s rock and roll hall of fame was the love shown for Rick Allen, the drummer for Def Leppard.

***** So twice as many companies don’t pay taxes now thanks to all the tax cuts. Some even get refunds. Scary Clown sure is making it work for the big guys!!

***** Former President of Peru, Alan Garcia shot himself before his arrest for corruption.

***** Wendy Williams and Howard Stern seem to be having a little war of words. She claims he has gone Hollywood and he called her a cunt. She has filed for divorce from this apparently nasty hubby of hers. I thought I heard her say just weeks ago that they were fine.

***** Joel McHale is in the new season of Santa Clarita Diet.

***** Has anybody checked out John Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg ( Wow! Talk about getting the whole treatment) lately ? John F’s only grandson, better known as Jack Schlossberg , has a bright future ahead.

***** Lori Lightfoot has been elected the first black, openly gay woman as Mayor of Chicago.

***** Dave Tilley beat out John McCarty, who passed away in February, to become Spring Bay, Il. Village President.

*****Britney Spears’ Father is in ill health and Britney checked into a facility.

***** Zachary Quinto stars in the new NOS4A2.

***** It’s funny to me that when a true crime story hour begins, you never hear that he (cuz 9 times out of 10 it is the male spouse who is the culprit), was an atheist or an agnostic. No, it is always that he or the family attended church regularly or that they were close to God. This is just a pattern I have observed, totally my own thoughts. Sometimes it gets way outer limits with the Fathers who sort of run their own cult out of the house. Of course this is not a blanket statement for we see wonderful things being done in the name of the Lord. It just seems like there is a fine line where religion can be used as a way to hold their power and hide secrets. JS

***** Herman Cain and or Stephen Moore on the Federal regulatory board? Well, Herman Cain dropped out.

***** Andrew Yang is running for President. Join the Yang Gang!! He wants to free all prisoners with non -violent marijuana offenses, free healthcare for all and every adult gets $1000.00 a month.

***** The Criminal Minds cast is ending their run. I think they should get together one more time and do a sort of Agatha Christie whodunit.

***** Secretary of Homeland security, Kirstjen Nielsen is out.

***** Acting ICE director, Ron Vitiello is out.

***** Dislike the elite? Nobody is more elite that Trump. How do so many people not get that?

***** Every woman should be able to tell her truth and who knows what makes a person uncomfortable but I think Joe Biden is going thru some bullshit. I don’t agree with everything he has done thru the years but I trust Biden and think he would be a great President. I do think, however that his moment has passed.

***** Check out the behind the scenes book of Washington, ‘The Hill to die on’ by Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer. More proof that Trump just looks at everything as just a big show with his quote,“ There are ratings for everything.”

***** The Profiles in Courage award this year goes to Nancy Pelosi.

***** I have seen the pharmaceutical reps while at some recent Dr.visits, buying elaborate catered affairs for the medical staff. It is a weekly thing. They sure have some money to throw around. No wonder everybody is hooked on something.

***** Real National emergencies: The electoral college, the discrepancies between the rich and the poor which makes it impossible to achieve the American dream, climate change and healthcare.

***** The co- founder of Home Depot, Ken Langone has seen to it that medical school students at NYU are given free tuition always. YEOW!!

***** We should take a lesson from Sudan. They have ousted President Omar al-Bashir, the butcher of Dafur. The protests have led to his indictment for genocide and crimes against humanity.

***** We never stop learning: Archaeologists have discovered an extinct human species they have never known in the Phillipines that they are calling homo luzonensis.

***** Is Cody Fern teasing us on Instagram about season 9 of American Horror Story:1984?

***** Rumple Buttercup by Matthew Gray Gubler hit #1 on the NY Times bestseller list.

***** As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Tarantino’s Palme d’or win in Cannes, he is busy editing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It isn’t clear if he’ll get the film to this year’s event. Word is coming out that it is fantastic though.

***** I am a little bit sickened that the worst cooks show actually has Jimmie Walker and Tonya Harding on the same show. Can’t the world find something better for a talent like Walker?? Come on!!

***** Is Stephen Miller and Fox news really running this country?

***** R.I.P. Mildred Mercy Tomes, Christine Marie Rinehart, Sen. Ernest Hollings, Dan Robbins, Shag Sheckler, Charles Van Doren, Georgia Engel, victims of the Sri Lanka shrine and hotel bombings, Lyra Mckee, David Brion Davis, MyLecia Naylor, Shelley Lazar, Mark Medoff, Warren Adler , Lori Kaye, John Singleton, victims of the University of North Carolina shooting and Ken Kercheval.

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jodyedgarus · 6 years ago

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Can Christian Pulisic Possibly Live Up To The Hype?

Christian Pulisic made U.S. soccer history last week when he reached an agreement to join Chelsea in the coming summer transfer window. Borussia Dortmund, where Pulisic has played since 2015, will pocket $73 million for the rights to him — by far the largest fee ever for an American. But this transfer raises a number of questions: Is Pulisic worth the money? What can Chelsea expect from a young player out of the Bundesliga, and how well does the American fit his new club’s needs? How will Pulisic slot into manager Maurizio Sarri’s system, and what can fans expect to see from him in the coming years?

The first question is how to adjust for a transfer from the Bundesliga, the top tier of German soccer. Do we expect Pulisic’s production to drop off significantly from Germany to England? Given the players who have moved between the two leagues before, the answer is no.

Since 2010-11, 103 midfielders or attackers have transferred between the Bundesliga and the Premier League. Normalized for minutes, these players created about 371 expected goals and assists in the Bundesliga and 364 in the Premier League, based on data from analytics firm Opta Sports. That’s a difference of about 2 percent.

While there is variation, on average a player who creates attacking chances in the Bundesliga can be counted on to do the same in the Premier League.

With more than 6,000 minutes played before his 21st birthday, Pulisic is in rarefied air already. Since the 2010-11 season, only 47 players have more than 6,000 minutes played among one of the top five European leagues1 and the Champions League.

And even among that group, Pulisic’s production stands out. Here are players since 2010 with at least 2,500 minutes played before their age-21 season, sorted by expected goals and expected assists per 90 minutes, with strikers excluded.

Pulisic is one of Europe’s elite youngsters

European soccer leaders (excluding strikers) in expected goals plus expected assists per 90 minutes prior to turning 21 and nonpenalty goals plus assists for up to three seasons* afterwards

Through age-20 ages 21-23 Player seasons exp. goals + assists/90 minutes Seasons nonpenalty goals + assists/90 min Ousmane Dembele 2015-17 0.60 2018 0.92 Mario Gotze 2010-12 0.57 2013-15 0.67 Dele Alli 2015-16 0.55 2017-18 0.61 Leroy Sane 2013-16 0.55 2017-18 0.90 Erik Lamela 2011-12 0.54 2013-15 0.43 Marco Asensio 2015-16 0.54 2017-18 0.41 Raheem Sterling 2011-15 0.54 2016-18 0.78 Keita Balde 2013-15 0.52 2016-18 0.76 Kingsley Coman 2012-16 0.49 2017-18 0.54 Yann Karamoh 2016-18 0.49 — — Philippe Coutinho 2010-12 0.47 2013-15 0.43 Richarlison 2017 0.46 2018 0.61 Goncalo Guedes 2015-17 0.46 2018 0.10 Xherdan Shaqiri 2010-12 0.45 2013-15 0.52 Julian Draxler 2010-13 0.44 2014-16 0.44 Christian Pulisic 2015-18 0.44 — — Eden Hazard 2010-11 0.43 2012-14 0.52 Malcom 2015-17 0.43 2018 0.70 Thomas Lemar 2014-16 0.42 2017-18 0.34 Roberto Firmino 2010-12 0.42 2013-15 0.69 Domenico Berardi 2013-14 0.42 2015-17 0.38 Lucas Ocampos 2013-14 0.42 2015-17 0.36 Florian Thauvin 2012-13 0.41 2014-16 0.43 Maxwell Cornet 2015-16 0.41 2017-18 0.74 Koke 2010-12 0.40 2013-15 0.48 Aaron Ramsey 2010-11 0.40 2012-14 0.52 Federico Chiesa 2016-18 0.40 — — Julian Brandt 2013-16 0.40 2017-18 0.41 Antoine Griezmann 2010-11 0.39 2012-14 0.57

* Season listed is the year in which the season started

Minimum 2,500 minutes played in the big five European leagues

Source: Opta Sports

Not every young star hits: Lucas Ocampos remains a capable but unspectacular Ligue 1 attacker for Marseille, Erik Lamela has struggled at Tottenham and faced major injury problems, and Xherdan Shaqiri stagnated for years before becoming a key cog in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool squad this season. But on average, results are strong. In up to three seasons after their age-20 seasons, these players averaged 0.54 nonpenalty goals and assists per 90 minutes. That’s an improvement for their expected goals and assists numbers — players who are this good at 20 tend to get even better in their early 20s.

And as befitting that production, players like this tend to find their way to big clubs. Excluding the players currently in their age-20 seasons, 18 of 27 are regulars at teams in the Soccer Power Index top 20. Further, when players this young and this productive make their moves to big clubs, it’s expensive. Ousmane Dembele, Pulisic’s teammate at the time at Dortmund, cost Barcelona well over $100 million. Pulisic’s teammate-to-be Eden Hazard cost Chelsea only about $40 million in a less inflated market after his age-21 season. A few others came more cheaply — Inter Milan selling Philippe Coutinho for less than $15 million after the numbers he put up as a 20-year-old looks like a historically poor decision, while the less impressive futures of Ocampos and Domenico Berardi suggest the roughly $10 million fees paid for their services were more in line with their values. On average, the players on this chart who transferred within two years of their age-20 season cost about $44 million.

Pulisic’s future looks bright, and Chelsea’s fee is not out of line with what players of his pedigree tend to command. But one concern that arises here is that Pulisic’s best production came in his age-17 to -19 seasons. Now at 20, when he should be coming into his own, his production has declined from his usual 0.4 to 0.5 expected goals and assists per 90 minutes to less than 0.3. He has even lost starting minutes in the Bundesliga to Jadon Sancho.

The decline represents fewer than 1,000 minutes, and Pulisic’s total production including these minutes remains strong. But the drop is still concerning. The problem appears to be Pulisic’s role in the system of new Dortmund manager Lucien Favre. Favre prefers a more defensive and counterattacking system than the high-pressing, high-possession style of Thomas Tuchel, under whom Pulisic broke in. This year, Pulisic is playing much deeper on the pitch than he ever used to. Only about 8 percent of his open-play pass receptions have been in the penalty area or on the flanks near the penalty area, compared with about 13 percent in previous seasons with Dortmund. Instead, Pulisic has done much more buildup work, with 13 percent of his passes received in the central area of the defensive half, compared with 6 percent previously.

Pulisic is currently expected to contribute to a slower buildup style or help run counterattacks through the center, rather than making himself available as a passing outlet near the goal or near the endline. But it’s that latter skill where he has stood out.

Pulisic has averaged just fewer than 1.5 open-play passes received into the penalty area in his career so far. The most comparable players at such a young age are strikers — a few being among the best forwards in the world.

Pulisic is great at finding space

European soccer leaders in rate of receiving passes inside the penalty area per 90 minutes, among players prior to turning 21

Name From To Received passes inside penalty box per 90 minutes Kylian Mbappe 2015 2018 2.15 Mauro Icardi 2012 2013 1.51 Christian Pulisic 2015 2018 1.41 Marcus Rashford 2015 2018 1.31 Mattia Destro 2010 2011 1.29 Maxwell Cornet 2015 2016 1.28 Leroy Sane 2013 2016 1.28 Raheem Sterling 2011 2015 1.26 Julian Brandt 2013 2016 1.24 Manolo Gabbiadini 2011 2012 1.24 Paulo Dybala 2012 2014 1.18 Gabriel Jesus 2016 2017 1.16 Timo Werner 2013 2016 1.12 Romelu Lukaku 2011 2013 1.09 Erik Lamela 2011 2012 1.09

Season listed is the year in which the season started

Minimum 2,500 minutes played in the big five European leagues

Source: Opta Sports

Pulisic does not look like a better prospect than Leroy Sane or Raheem Sterling in shot production. And he certainly falls behind strikers like Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi, Gabriel Jesus, Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku in goal-scoring prowess. But what you get in Pulisic is good shot production and an elite ability to make himself available for passes in dangerous areas. In Favre’s system, where deep possession sequences around the penalty area are less common, his best skills are wasted.

Sarri’s high-possession Chelsea attack, however, might just be the perfect place for Pulisic’s game. At the same time, Pulisic may be just the attacker that Chelsea needs to get Sarri’s attack flowing. At Napoli, Sarri’s team completed elite numbers of open-play passes within or into the penalty area, 11.7 per match in his final season in 2017-18. But Chelsea this year has completed just 9.8 open-play passes in the penalty area per match despite a higher share of possession (61.9 percent) than Napoli had last year (60.3 percent). Favre’s Dortmund, with its less possession-heavy style, has only 9.1 of those passes per match. Pulisic may find the right fit for his skills at Chelsea, and the Blues appear to need a player with Pulisic’s ability to find space in the penalty area to execute their manager’s tactics.

While other Americans have found steady work in the English Premier League — Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride — none has commanded even close to the money that Pulisic has. All eyes will be him from day one. But Pulisic’s combination of production at a young age and skills that fit the needs of his new club make him a good bet to succeed even under international scrutiny.

Check out our latest soccer predictions.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-christian-pulisic-possibly-live-up-to-the-hype/

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buddyrabrahams · 6 years ago

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10 NFL players who need a big turnaround

Through five week of the NFL season, we’re getting a much better sense of the contenders and teams that will be picking high in next year’s draft. Some players’ seasons have taken off, while others are struggling. For those in the latter group, there is still time for a turnaround.

Here’s a look at 10 players who badly need to turn things around.

Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys

The Cowboys looked like they were set at the quarterback position for a very long time when Prescott burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2016, but he has been quite underwhelming since. Dallas has basically had no passing game this season, and that is one of the main reasons they are off to a 2-3 start. Prescott has just five touchdowns compared to four interceptions in five starts. Teams are challenging the Cowboys to throw by loading up to stop Ezekiel Elliott, and Prescott hasn’t looked up to the challenge. That could have a lot to do with not having playmakers like Dez Bryant and Jason Witten to throw to, but Dak needs to pick things up if the Cowboys want to make a run at the postseason. Luckily the NFC East is in bad enough shape where there’s still time.

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders

A lot of people expected Carr to thrive in Jon Gruden’s system — including Gruden himself — and that has not been the case through the first five weeks of the season. Carr, who appeared to take a step back in 2017, has continued his struggles. He has eight interceptions on the year and has thrown a pick in all but one game. The Raiders have not shown any consistency in the passing game, with Carr seemingly forcing the issue and making crucial mistakes in big moments. His latest mishap was a brutal interception on the 1-yard line in Sunday’s loss to the Chargers — one that Gruden had no problem criticizing his QB for. If Carr doesn’t show signs of improvement, Gruden may think about cutting ties with him after the season.

Case Keenum, QB, Broncos

The Broncos were one of the teams interest in free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins last offseason, but they felt they could get better value by signing Keenum. So far, it looks like they were wrong. Keenum has thrown seven interceptions compared to just five touchdowns this season, and his 78.1 passer rating ranks 30th in the NFL out of 35 qualifying quarterbacks. He’s also lost three fumbles, which means he is accounting for about two turnovers per game. He had just eight turnovers all of last season, so it goes without saying that the Broncos have not gotten the production they hoped for from Keenum, which may have led to discontent in the locker room.

Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins

Miller looked like he was ready for a breakout when Deshaun Watson was torching defenses last year, so the sky was seemingly the limit for him in 2018 with a healthy Watson under center. He has not made the most of the opportunity. Miller is averaging a mediocre 3.9 yards per carry and has caught just eight passes in four games. Between Alfred Blue’s presence and former third-round pick D’Onta Foreman expected to return in the next couple of weeks, Miller needs to be looking over his shoulder. Bill O’Brien needs someone to provide a spark for his offense, and Miller has failed to do that.

LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills

McCoy had a decent game on Sunday after a horrible start to the season, though he still turned 24 carries into just 85 rushing yards. He added another 23 yards on two receptions, but you have to wonder if the dreaded age-30 season is rearing its ugly head with the star running back. While an abysmal offensive line certainly isn’t helping McCoy or rookie quarterback Josh Allen, McCoy used to be able to make defenders miss with regularity and create enormous plays. We have not seen him do that with consistency this season, and he is scheduled to carry a salary cap hit of $9 million next year. Unless he finds the Fountain of Youth, McCoy seems destined for free agency.

Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots

The Patriots have come alive on offense over the past two games, yet Hogan continues to command very little attention from Tom Brady. Hogan looked like one of Brady’s favorite targets last season before he missed time with a shoulder injury, and things really haven’t been the same since. With Josh Gordon now in the fold and Julian Edelman having returned from suspension, Hogan had just five targets in the past two games. The Patriots put up 38 points in each of those games, so that gives you an indication of how far he has fallen down the depth chart. Brady seems to be looking to Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and even running back James White before Hogan, who is seemingly the odd man out in New England.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans

Mariota’s NFL career has been plagued by nagging injuries thus far, and that trend has continued with his elbow issue this season. It’s hard to say how much of a role that has played in his uninspiring play, but Mariota isn’t doing enough to put the Titans in positions to win. Tennessee had numerous chances to put up points against the Bills on Sunday, but they managed just 12 and ended up losing. Mariota completed just 53.8 percent of his passes, and he now has two touchdown passes compared to two interceptions on the season. The former No. 2 overall pick is in no danger of losing his job, but the 3-2 Titans need him to start making more plays.

Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars

The story with Bortles this season has been the “Tale of Two Blakes,” but we have seen the bad one more often than the good one. The Jaguars had an opportunity on Sunday to show the NFL they are once again for real when they traveled to take on the Chiefs, who look like the best team in the AFC. Bortles turned in his worst performance of the season with four interceptions and completed just 54.1 percent of his passes. To give you an idea of how inconsistent he has been, six of Bortles’ eight touchdown passes this season have come in two games. Jacksonville is such a better team when he plays well, but they’re in danger of being blown out any team he plays like he did on Sunday.

David Johnson, RB, Cardinals

The Cardinals signed David Johnson to a three-year, $39 million extension right before the season, and their investment has not paid off in the short-term. Johnson is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry in what has been a surprisingly bad season for a dynamic player who racked up nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2016. Johnson underwent surgery for a wrist injury last year and is said to be completely healthy, but he just can’t seem to get it going. A lot of that has to do with Arizona being a bad team that’s suffered from poor QB play. Some of it also has to do with play-calling, but the Cardinals go as Johnson goes. So far, Johnson has gone close to nowhere.

Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars

If the Jags are to make another postseason run, they’re going to need Leonard Fournette healthy and running well, which is something they haven’t gotten all season. Fournette suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1 and missed the team’s next two games. He returned in Week 4 but re-aggravated the injury. The second-year back missed Week 5 and seems likely to miss Week 6 as well. Fournette only has 24 touches for 90 yards this season, a year after putting up over 1,300 total yards as a rookie. The Jags have managed without him, but will probably be in much better shape with him on the field.

from Larry Brown Sports https://ift.tt/2pFtBCe

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yahoo-roto-arcade-blog · 7 years ago

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Juggernaut Index, No. 6: Brady leads unstoppable attack, but Pats backfield a mess

Tom Brady, fantasy (and reality) legend. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Few athletes in any sport have delivered decade-long periods of dominance like the one Tom Brady produced from 2007 to 2016. It borders on total mastery of craft. Over the past 10 NFL seasons, Brady’s passer-rating was 102.5. He averaged 7.8 yards per attempt. Six percent of his throws resulted in touchdowns. He’s had the lowest interception rate in the league in four of the past eight seasons, including the last two. He’s led his team to seven conference title games and four Super Bowls in 10 years. Since 2007, his regular season record as a starter is 113-28-0.

Brady’s absolute ownership of the NFL can’t really be denied, even by those who view his franchise as a sort of roving Death Star. We’re under no obligation to like the Patriots, but facts are facts. Brady has been almost impossibly good.

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Just look at some of the key stats he produced to bookend his ridiculous 10-year run:

2007 – 300.4 YPG, 68.9 cmp%, 8.3 Y/A, 8.7 TD%, 1.4 INT%, 16-0 record 2016 – 296.2 YPG, 67.4 cmp%, 8.2 Y/A, 6.5 TD%, 0.5 INT%, 11-1 record

Absurd. Brady’s supporting cast has changed, but the numbers have not. He turned 40 in August, yet there have been no signs whatsoever of a decline in performance.

We can feel certain that a decline is coming at some point, of course. The full list of QBs who’ve produced quality seasons after 40 is basically just Brett Favre (2009) and Warren Moon (1997). There is no precedent for a quarterback playing well in the NFL for any significant, sustained period of time beyond age 41.

But Brady is an all-time talent with a legendary dedication to task, and a much-publicized, well-branded nutrition/training/lifestyle plan. There’s no arguing with his results. It would be madness to bet against him, at least for the next season or two. You shouldn’t need an expert to tell you that he needs to be among the top three quarterbacks selected in any fantasy draft, regardless of format.

Brady’s receiving corps took a hit when Julian Edelman (ACL) was lost for the season, but the Pats clearly have the talent and depth — and the otherworldly quarterback — to manage around the injury.

Where do all those Edelman targets go?

First of all, we need to reinforce the fact that these are not just any targets. We’re talking about 9-10 targets per week from one of the most efficient, productive passers in NFL history. If any single player were in line to receive them all, that guy would vault into must-start territory.

Unfortunately, it’s probably not going to be quite that tidy. We should expect Edelman’s 150-160 targets to be distributed broadly and unevenly, boosting the value of several players to varying degrees without creating an every-week star. Sorry. Rob Gronkowski, already the consensus No. 1 TE, jumped a few spots in my overall ranks to No. 15. Gronk was limited to a half-season in 2016, as he underwent another back surgery, but he was plenty valuable when he played. He’s healthy at the moment and reportedly living clean (or clean-ish).

Gronk only caught 25 balls last season on 38 targets, but it’s worth noting that he averaged by far the highest yards-per-catch of his career (21.6). His average depth of target was over 15 yards, so, in a small sample, he was used in a fundamentally different way. I’m not quite on board with Hribar’s prediction that Gronk will lead the league in receiving yards, but I appreciate the process behind the bold call. Gronkowski obviously didn’t need a bump in targets to cement his spot as our game’s top tight end; draft him anywhere in Round 2, with a mix of hope and dread.

yahoo

Brandin Cooks, acquired in the offseason via trade, previously figured to see 110-120 targets for New England, and that total jumps a bit on the Edelman news. Cooks is still a burner, a versatile receiver who can line up anywhere, running vertical routes and quick-hitters. He’s an unsolvable problem for opposing defenses within the context of this team’s offense, with Gronk on the field and a dangerous ground game behind Brady. No one should be surprised if Cooks finishes the season as a solid WR1 in PPR formats. His red-zone role is less certain, although Edelman actually led this team in targets inside the 10-yard line last season (9). Like Gronkowski, Cooks is a bankable second rounder.

Chris Hogan should have been on your fantasy radar a month ago, but his ADP has spiked over the past week. He too can line up all over the formation, and he’s a dangerous weapon on every route. Salfino gave you all the Hogan hype you should need a few days ago, and I’m basically on board. He was deadly from the slot. (Hogan, not Salfino.) Hogan should be the greatest beneficiary of the forthcoming target redistribution; we need to begin treating him as a top-30 fantasy receiver. It helps that he’s had a full season in the offense.

Danny Amendola has a clear path to 60-plus targets as well, which gives him a certain appeal in deeper formats. It’s tough to consider him a must-own, but he wasn’t even in the fantasy conversation two weeks ago. Today, he’s among the most added players in Yahoo leagues. Brady has made it clear he has a high level of confidence in Amendola, not that he would publicly say anything else.

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New England’s receiving corps is plenty deep beyond the marquee names, with tight end Dwayne Allen added to the mix and Malcolm Mitchell entering his second season. Un-drafted Northwestern rookie Austin Carr exactly the sort of player who could eventually pop for this team, too.

OK, the backfield. Gillislee, Burkhead, Lewis or other?

LeGarrette Blount produced a monster fantasy season for the Pats in 2016 despite averaging just 3.9 YPC. He converted his 299 carries into a league-leading 18 rushing scores, thanks to a massive workload near the goal line. His 71 red-zone carries led all backs by a wide margin; David Johnson was second with 58. Blount also comfortably led the NFL in carries inside both the 10 and 5-yard lines (42, 29). Even an inefficient runner like him couldn’t screw up that workload, not in this offense. And now, of course, he’s gone.

If any single back in New England seemed likely to claim Blount’s full rushing workload, that guy would obviously be an early first-round fantasy selection. But no such player exists. Instead, we’re confronted with one of the league’s murkiest backfield depth charts, a spin-the-wheel situation in which we feel compelled to invest, even though four different players could receive 90-110 touches each. (The lack of a clear featured runner is the primary reason, in fact, that this elite offense isn’t a top-three team in these meaningless fantasy power rankings.) Let’s meet our contestants, arranged in the order in which I prioritize them…

Rex Burkhead makes a preseason house call. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Rex Burkhead, ADP 124.3 – Burkhead is the cheapest of the four New England options, and he’s had the cleanest and most encouraging summer on the field. The highlight of his preseason was this 22-yard score.

Burkhead was buried on the depth chart in Cincinnati over the past four years, but he did well with limited late-season opportunities in 2016, averaging 4.6 YPC on 74 attempts and catching 17 balls for 145 yards. He doesn’t have great straight-line speed, but he has plenty of lateral quickness and athleticism — he was a beast at the combine back in the day (39-inch vertical, 6.85-second three-cone). Burkhead is a capable receiver and, at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, he appears built to handle a substantial workload. He converted 10 touches into 70 yards and a score in the preseason, running with New England’s varsity offense. He’ll play, no doubt. Again, he carries the best price in this backfield by far. He’s a terrific lottery ticket.

Mike Gillislee, ADP 73.1 – Gillislee is the most expensive of the Pats backs by far, and arguably the most talented runner when healthy. But we’re required to include the words “when healthy” because he is, in fact, only rarely healthy. He missed multiple weeks of camp with a hamstring issue, a problem that’s plagued him throughout his career. He missed the entire 2014 season with a hamstring injury. Gillislee also averaged 5.7 YPC on 148 attempts over his two seasons in Buffalo, so we know he’s a gifted runner. He’s a bit larger than Burkhead and faster, if not necessarily shiftier.

Here are a few of Coach Belichick’s comments on Gillislee, after the new acquisition made his first preseason appearance days ago:

“We were able to get Mike a few carries and a few plays in the game,” Bill Belichick said Saturday on a teleconference. “I think he still has quite a ways to go. He has missed some practices this fall and missed some practices last spring. … He works hard to stay on top of things and to stay caught up and we’ve worked hard to catch him up, but he still has some ground to make up. We gained some on it.”

As everyone knows, this franchise is notoriously secretive regarding health and playing time considerations, so you can’t expect Belichick to give us any additional intelligence. My assumption, as of this writing, is that Gillislee is still running behind Burkhead, if only slightly. We can expect both to play. Rex is going 50 picks later than Mike, and both are obtainable at reasonable costs in drafts. It now feels as if Gillislee’s odds to reach 250 touches are poor.

James White, ADP 121.8 – White really should have been the Super Bowl MVP after his three-touchdown performance, but whatever. I’m sure he’ll happily take the win and concede the award. He’s the safest bet in this backfield, because his role is well known. He’s caught 100 balls over the past two seasons, including 60 last year. White is a nice mid-rounder in PPR formats, a back likely to see 100-110 touches over 16 games. It’s not crazy to expect a small increase in opportunities for him, actually, with Edelman out of the mix. Don’t be surprised if he gives us 750-800 scrimmage yards and perhaps a half-dozen TDs. If those numbers work in your league, get him.

Dion Lewis, ADP 118.9 – This guy hasn’t had a noisy preseason, but he’s been fine (11 carries, 45 yards). Lewis has alternated between the Brady-led squad and the Jimmy Garoppolo group. He’s played only 14 regular season games over the past two seasons after tearing an ACL in 2015. Availability is key in the NFL, and it hasn’t been a strength for Lewis. When active, however, he’s been great, averaging 4.6 YPC for New England and catching 53 passes on 74 targets in 14 games. For now, he remains in the team picture; he’d seemed like a cut candidate after the additions of Burkhead and Gillislee. We have to think of him as a plausible late flier in deeper formats.

So yeah, this is a mess. But we can’t ignore this particular mess, because the team is going to average roughly 30 points per game. None of these RBs are poorly priced, so I’d urge you to take a shot with at least one of them. Burkhead has been my guy, but I’ve got no beef with Gillislee at his Yahoo ADP. This is the rare case where it makes some sense to target two backs from the same offense, then see if September brings clarity. We have to prepare for the possibility that New England will ultimately produce three flex-worthy backs and no every-week rock solid RB1.

New England’s D still belongs on your cheat sheet.

This defense ranked eighth in yards allowed (326.4 YPG) and first in scoring (15.6 PPG) last season, but only mid-pack in turnovers (23) and sacks (34). The team doesn’t offer a standout IDP, but the team as a whole remains a top-10-ish fantasy asset. Think of the Pats as a luxury matchup D, generally benefitting from game flow. Opening matchups with the Chiefs and Saints aren’t ideal, and it’s a letdown to see one of the two Jets games in Week 17, when respectable fantasy leagues will be finished. Still, this team will see Jay Cutler twice in the final five weeks, which should result in plenty of takeaways.

2016 Offensive Stats & Ranks Points per game – 27.6 (3) Pass YPG – 269.3 (4) Rush YPG – 117.0 (7) Yards per play – 5.9 (6) Plays per game – 67.7 (3)

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Previous Juggernaut Index entries: 32) NY Jets, 31) San Francisco, 30) Cleveland, 29) LA Rams, 28) Baltimore, 27) Chicago, 26) Minnesota, 25) Detroit, 24) Denver, 23) Jacksonville, 22) Buffalo, 21) Philadelphia, 20) Miami, 19) Indianapolis, 18) Kansas City, 17) Washington, 16) NY Giants, 15) Tennessee, 14) LA Chargers, 13) Carolina, 12) Houston, 11) Arizona, 10) Oakland, 9) Tampa Bay, 8) Cincinnati, 7) New Orleans, 6) New England

#Juggernaut Index #_author:Andy Behrens #_uuid:a60552fe-7cb5-3d09-81ac-6f054c207688 #_category:yct:001000854 #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL #Tom Brady #New England Patriots #_revsp:54edcaf7-cdbb-43d7-a41b-bffdcc37fb56

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