devastating news!!!!!!!! Just sad. Edison is my dude. How unfortunate for him, Liga, and the NT....who steps up now? Not many guys are as cerebral as Mendez tbh...This is a tough spot for us to try and fill.
this only means that Saritama is here for the take over...forever as long as Rueda is in charge. B/c that's Rueda's cerebral genius in the midfield.
This it's horrible news for Ecuador. We really depended a lot on his experience, especially towards the last 20 minutes of these games. I'm surprised we don't call up Cazares yet. Even if he doesn't get playing time but most national teams call up their future stars to gain some experience for the future but then again it is Rueda so I'm not too surprised by this.
he was definitely needed vs. Bolivia....we don't have a brainchild on the field to do the Mendez/Riquelme-style job. It's upsetting
Dude, the freakin bar I was at was screaming out MENDEZ!! I think it's obvious how we play. If montero or Valencia are covered by 2 people each, Ecuador does NOT advance up the field. It was so evident against Bolivia. There is NO generator of futbol in the middle of the field. Saritama was CRAP even if that foul on him led to the penalty, he did not help us move up the field and "surprise" at all. And I'm telling you guys- Miller Bolanos, Fernando Gaibor, Carlos Feraud. ONE of them will work. Daniel Samaniego is good, but I'd rather start with someone younger. Juan Cazares is THAT GUY, but he needs playing time in River. We have three options and if Rueda doesn't get rid of Saritama we will not fix that issue we have in the midfield- not even with Cristian Noboa and Castillo as starters. That won't change anything. Noboa is not Mendez's replacement.