Vaya con Chivas, Cabrón! Richard “Richie” Ledezma at CD Guadalajara

Yeah, I ment symptoms related to concussion.

 

3rd: Sound made when a horse kicks you in the head.

 

PSV tie 1-1 and are now only 3 points (+ huge GD) in front of Ajax who have 2 more games to play. Ajax is on a great streak while injuries are really clobbering PSV at the wrong time. Bosz started Karsdorp at RB with JR on the bench and Malacia at LB. Kars came off at the half with the game 0-0. Did not watch but something is obviously up with Kardorp and fitness or pain or Bosz just doesn't like what he sees but the guy hasn't gone a full 90 in over 6 weeks. That said, the Willem II goal came after Kuhn subbed in for Malacia, so the JR/Kuhn FB pair didn't exactly lock down the game. PS have won only 1 of their last 5. They need to right the ship soon or they're going wake up one morning to find themselves in 2nd place.

 

They've been cooked for a while now.........

The title is gone.

 

I think you are probably right, but I don't think anyone should underestimate the ability of the current Ajax to shoot themselves in the boot either. Feyenie fan thinks his Rotterdam crew will be able to win with a kick down the stretch, but it's time for them to make their move. My money is still on Ajax, though I would love to see Utrecht pull it out, they just aren't showing the sharpness they need. PSV still have what it takes if Bosz can get his act together. He has faced an extraordinary injury crisis, but has not done the best job navigating it.

 

Actually after the 6 points game of Ajax - Feyenoord, the chance to get into spot 2 is gone for Feyenoord. In that match it was a matter of winning for Feyenoord and narrow the gap to 6 points or lose it and make it a 12 points gap. With about 12 matches to go it would be miraculous for Feyenoord to catch either Ajax or PSV for the 2nd spot, let alone for spot one.
However this season proves any prediction is only right when it's right and in a month everything can be different again.
But for now in my opinion spot 1 and 2 are a matter between PSV and Ajax.

 

Despite their less than sparking form, they've won 7 and drawn 1 of the last 10 games and are level on points with a game in hand, plus they have 3 bottom-feeders ahead (Almere, Zwolle, Heracles) followed by AZ and PSV.

I agree that this is not exactly a vintage Ajax team but if we take the old saw of the mark of a title winning team being the ability to play poorly but still win, then Ajax are the 2024-25 champions-elect

 

Ledezma and Dest travel to the shroud.

"Peter Bosz also has Ledezma back for Juventus-out, in addition to the fact that Dest also traveled to the city in the north of Italy."

https://www.psvinside.nl/ledezma-in...e-maar-geblesseerde-karsdorp-opnieuw-afwezig/

Bummer there are so many injuries (Pepi out for rest of season, Bosz also said btw.) This had the potential to be a 6 yank-a-rama. Maybe Ledezma gets some time.

 

If he does, it'll be a very clear statement of how Bosz rates him versus Karsdorp. Until the end of the season anyway.

Any news on the contract negotiations? While he's certainly earned an extension, I'm not sure that it's the best idea for him with Dest coming back. Unless Karsdorp is leaving, it's hard to see his patch to regular PT.

 

Ledezma starts, but Karsdorp is listed on Fotmob as being out until March, so no real info to be gleaned regarding the pecking order.

 

Karsdorp is obviously broken. Good for Ritchie. Another tough blow for PSV. Hopefully they don't rush Dest back too soon due to thin reserves.

 

Also, how crazy is it that we have two starting RBs in a CL knockout and neither has been our "regular" starting RB for the national team. (Not looking to start a National Team convo here, just noting how interesting that is)

 

Not that interesting.

They are both multi position players who happen to be playing RB under unconventional circumstances

 

Then Richie is guaranteed to be the No. 1 RB until March/and or Dest returns and may stay that way until the end of the season if Dest plays at LB. Given Tillmann's injury, Junior may be deployed in midfield to reinforce that area so it depends on how well Malacia does

He's also odds-on to be the No. 2 RB or LB next season. Whether Karsdorop has been nursing an injury (since mid September if he has) or Bosz doesn't rate him, it's hard to see PSV exercising their option at the end of the season.

Not when he's the second-highest paid player in the squad.

 

Lol. Ok. Happens all the time for the good ol' USMNT. My bad...

 

After the match yesterday, Richie told a Spanish speaking journalist that he is currently processing his application for a Mexican passport.

1889481852509102471 is not a valid tweet id

He'll always be a Yank, but he might not be a USMNT player abroad for long...

 

Maybe he's transferring to a club in Mexico.

 

He's a good player, playing for a CL team so the Mexican national team will definitely be interested and as @Pl@ymaker noted, Mexican teams will too

The real question is how much of a loss he'll be for the US programme.

 

I doubt much. He's 24, sort of positionless, and this is the first real season of playing time he's had at a good level.

The track record of dual nats after choosing Mexico isn't good either.

What this may set him up for more than anything is a nice move to Liga MX when his contract expires. IIRC their squad restrictions pretty strongly encourage teams to sign Mexican nationals.

 

You must have 10 Mexican citizens on your 23-man roster every match, and teams can only register up-to 9 players "not trained in Mexico" (I haven't looked into what this actually means, but I assume its a way to encouraging Mexican clubs to buy talented youngsters from all over the Americas and have them trained in MX academies even if they aren't Mexican citizens). Additionally, they're introducing a system of regulations which appear to be inspired by England's "work permit" regulations that is designed to create a high "barrier to entry" for foreign acquisitions.

All of this creates an environment where Mexican players are wildly more valuable to MX clubs than anywhere else on Earth.

 

Well, given the other yanks are out of the running for PSV:

 

Game on ESP+ in the states. The webz have Utrecht running out a relatively unusual 4-4-2 with Pax an RWM facing Junior and Ledezma starting RFB for PSV. Big game for PSV and Utrecht. Ajax have jumped PSV in the standing, tho both have 51 points, but Ajax has an extra game to play. Utrecht still in 3rd but only 2 above AZ and 3 above Feyenoord, who has also only played 21 games to date.