Well not a great game for our boy. TJ had no business dropping points in this match. Blew a 3-0 lead (that they had built on three pretty great goals) in the last 20 minutes. The penalty was directly on Paul, the second naive penalty he's given up this season, both trailing the ball and tangling feet. The third goal wasn't necessarily his fault, but he gave the Pumas left back a lot of space on the overlap and his cross was turned in for an own goal. His wingback defense remains a work in progress. Poor on crossing, didn't connect particularly well, ran his socks off. But points lost and one to forget for Paul.
I'm frustrated with myself and others finding it hard to support our Liga MX players... Pretty much no one pays attention on Big Soccer. They are pretty accessible.... Anyone with thought on why this is?
A couple of obvious issues... very little press out of Liga MX in English and the time difference means a number of games don't kick off until late on the East Coast and that is tough to do after a morning spent watching the European stuff. Many commenters focus their energies in Europe and possibly MLS. Hard to get people who are really into the league to post here, perhaps because they are more team than YA player focused. The decision to broadcast games on Facebook Live with English commentary will help.
Well it helps if you pick a team. I'm from San Diego so I like Xolos. I've watched them for about 5 years now, probably 75% of their games. I can't say my knowledge of Liga MX player base is anywhere that of MLS, but I'll try to watch each of our boys once or twice a year as well. You start to pick up the Spanish a little bit. If I listen real hard (or if I'm high) I can hear it. The production value is awesome for a lot of the games. The same teams are in the same time slots for home games. So if you know you're able to be around every Sunday morning at 10a pacific, boom, you're a Pumas fan in the making. The style is easy on the eye, boy, I tell yea.
I think (in addition to the excellent reasons posted here) is that our players that play in Mexico are probably never going to leave the Hemisphere. A good deal of why we follow players who are making a living in Europe is 1) it can be hard to watch any of their games AND 2) They are playing at leagues vastly better to the MLS AND La Liga or have the potential too. Veteran players that aren't in the USMNT picture and have found their level abroad get the same treatment that a lot of our players in the Mexican League get. Nobody cares to a degree how Tim Ream or Jon Spector (yes I know he's coming back) do because they aren't getting a look at by the USMNT. IDK if I put forth the best argument, but the structure is there.
How many leagues can we actually follow ? We have the EPL, Bundesliga, and the rest of the European leagues. And we follow the national team, and the occasional youth national team. With MLS in the mix as well. And we potentially follow non soccer sports.
Video profile: A home on both sides of the border for @PaulArriola. #TheTeamWithoutBorders #ElEquipoSinFronteras #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #ligamxeng #USMNT pic.twitter.com/j0d1eqRlpa— Xolos (@xolos_en) February 24, 2017
On the bench: .@xolos_en First XI vs. @Rayados: Week 8 @LIGABancomerMX #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #ligamxeng pic.twitter.com/MTZjTtUHJJ— Xolos (@xolos_en) February 25, 2017
On the bench in Copa MX: .@Xolos First XI vs. @CimarronesFC in Week 6 Group 1 @CopaCoronaMx action at Estadio Caliente. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #FuerzaYasser pic.twitter.com/W4sZsuw79t— Xolos (@xolos_en) March 1, 2017
60th Min. First substitution for @xolos_en: @PaulArriola comes on for Jorge Ortiz. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #FuerzaYasser pic.twitter.com/hSPqfObYpK— Xolos (@xolos_en) March 1, 2017
On the bench: ¡Estos son los 11 Xoloitzcuintles que defenderán nuestro escudo a muerte ante @Tuzos! ¡A darlo todo, Xolos! #FuerzaYasser pic.twitter.com/Wzaz3nbRRD— Xolos 🐕 (@Xolos) March 4, 2017
Kind of off-topic, but Paul was apart of this funny twitter conversation heard the same thing. Unreal.— Paul Arriola (@PaulArriola) March 5, 2017
Starts in Copa MX: .@xolos_en First XI vs. @ClubAmerica tonight in @CopaCoronaMx playoffs Rd of 16. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #CopaMX #FuerzaTijuas pic.twitter.com/Xp8eT6jUDL— Xolos (@xolos_en) March 9, 2017
#MiercolesDeFut ¡Arriola define raso ante la salida de Marchesín! ¡EN VIVO! en TDcom https://t.co/NzMkeQeyND pic.twitter.com/tK19hdmuj0— TUDN MEX (@TUDNMEX) March 9, 2017 Slipped in for a goal
Same goal. Different tweet. 29th Min. 1-0 GOOAAALLL!!!! Club Tijuana takes the lead. @PaulArriola sends one in. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #USMNT pic.twitter.com/cHqGEAuneH— Xolos (@xolos_en) March 9, 2017
Looks like the video above isn't working. Let's try this: Here it is!! @PaulArriola's goal vs. @ClubAmerica in the @CopaCoronaMx playoffs. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #FuerzaTijuas #USMNT @ussoccer pic.twitter.com/cBNeZg2gT5— Xolos (@xolos_en) March 9, 2017 And a different angle: .@PaulArriola's goal with the Mexican TV call. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #FuerzaTijuas pic.twitter.com/9pCxuVgubs— Xolos (@xolos_en) March 9, 2017 Xolos moves on to the quarterfinals of Copa MX.
In the above graphic it looked like ol Orozco-Fiscal played in the midfield? Jack of all trades that kid.
Very underrated player. He's never going to set the world on fire, but he's consistently put in a 5.5ish performance for his clubs and the NT.