Ecuador NT (Post-World Cup)

TBH, I didn't even try. After seeing the hassle with domestic politics, ticketing + travel considerations, that's just too much to swallow. I'll buy a new OLED and enjoy the games at home. It was a tough decision to forego the tournament, but there are also some major ethical objections, and for now, I'll leave it alone.

$200 parking + flights + hotel + matchday tickets + meals/entertainment + car rental, that's easily a 3k commitment per city to catch Ecuador's group stage tickets.

To those of you who do decide to go, I sincerely wish you all have an amazing time- especially if it's supporting our lads.

 

This week's CL wrap up:

Looks like Pacho has a semi decent match in a come from behind win vs. Monaco. PSG has looked noticeably weaker as of late, so any bit of success to help steady the ship is certainly positive news.

Ordoñez had an OG yesterday and it seemed like a VERY rough day for him. Long term, this is good for his mental resilience. Costly errors, if you learn from them, are wonderful teachers and help you down the road when things get tough.

Piero scored his first goal for Arsenal in yet another bottled lead. But good for him to get on the score sheet. He fired a missile into the back of the net. This bodes well to build his confidence and might allow him to take some shots at the NT- this bodes well.

Though Nilson has only been on the pitch a few times since his move to Sunderland finalized, reports seem to show that folks are happy with what they are seeing. League play has gotten significantly more difficult in the PL, so this jump in rigor will help him develop if he stays focused and hungry. Hopefully they can hold a strong position in the league.

 

At this rate, I don't see Kendry as a viable candidate to play the WC. Between the lack of fitness and adaptation time coming in to the River squad + the fresh injury which should sideline him for most of March, the window to see him get fit would be too narrow- decisions are made in early to mid May on the shortlisted roster. That's just too little time. He'll be unfit for the first few weeks of April assuming he heals as expected. That means he misses the two marquee friendlies we have scheduled.

I don't want to say it's karma, but damn, it sure feels like it. He's been off since last summer and that stint at Strasbourg was nothing short of disastrous (professionally and personally). His past antics put his ethics and professionalism in serious question. Maybe this is the straw that finally broke the camel's back? Hopefully it's a wakeup call to get (and stay) serious.

I have high hopes for Angulo, and I expect Moises to keep up his play. He's one of the immovable pieces on that Chelsea roster.

Seeing Ordoñez score was a nice surprise despite the loss. We need to see our guys in Europe see the back of the net even if they are nontraditional attacking pieces. It just adds some extra confidence which they can carry into their next games. Defensively, he looked good in the highlight reels I watched. He will be moving to a new club this summer. Good luck to him- he is vital to our continued defensive success.

 

Another kid who has been quite consistent this season and showing out regularly as of late is Denil Castillo.

 

as we say- "no pinta bien".

I think the signature tied to Chelsea adds some heft to Kendry's candidacy, and certainly they will add some nuanced pressure behind closed doors to try and get him "active", but ultimately, he'll need to grind it out in training and justify a spot in the starting XI. That's always the best insurance policy anyway. He needs to show everyone that he earns his spot and can keep it. That will leave no doubt.

Definitely sobering news. I am a bit shook by the news tbh. Years ago I loved watching Gallardo play for River and later on enjoyed watching his squads compete when he was DT. Good luck to him- he's a fantastic coach.

 

So apparently the local press that hyped Kendry's injury to be 4-6 weeks turned out to be roughly 1 week. That's a pretty big gaffe to make.

With that in mind, does it make sense for Becca to call him up? The general lack of minutes and need to regain form still lead me to conclude that he should still sit out the games vs. Morocco and Netherlands. Rhythm with the club means more than time with the seleccion, IMO.

 

Agreed re: Plata- he actually played a final now which is crucial, and though he missed the libertadores final due to a soft red, the experience of being on a title winning squad is important. These pressure cooker games are what cuts the men apart from the boys, and sadly he missed a sitter and is taking a lot of heat for it in the press. Taking an L like yesterday is an important lesson- the best team on paper doesn't always win, and his main job due to his position is either get assists or bag your chance(s). What a way to go down, though....Maracañazo and with 2 extra time goals 4 mins before going to penalties. Cosa de locos.

As for Kendry, I agree with your assessment. Becca is not known in Ecuador to be the most tactical coach when it comes to call-ups, and Egas is another maniac.

Ps- freaking Egas won't let go of the damn presidency! He's now running AGAIN unopposed, and I believe he shouldn't be based on rules, but enforceability is a different issue, and I doubt Paz and his consortium will escalate to the TAS. The corruption with Egas, unlike with Chiriboga, is less mob boss-like, but it's just repackaged now with a corporate/board-led look and feel.

 

Agreed! Building momentum matters. Hopefully gets a few more chances to start and can turn public opinion around. Nonetheless, scoring in the derby match is epic. What a way to make a splash.