Brooks-Alvarado in the 2015 Gold Cup is the gutsiest thing Klinsmann did. It was risky but worth it, since the guys complement each other in style. In the end we lost in the semis to Jamaica (more due to lousy game tactics), and people on these boards focused the blame on Alvarado (Brooks was just as iffy, though). Shame. We never saw Ventura play for the USA in a competitive game again. That game also showed just how useless Aron Johannsson could be.
I remember him as fast, especially as a center back. His physical tools looked very good. If he got some of the brain farts out of his game, I’m all for calling him in. Liga MX is competitive so it is likely he has improved. Defenders are like wine-they usually need to age a little. 30 is perfect for a World Cup defender. Let’s see what he’s got.
Part of the XI Ideal for this round of Copa MX: #11Ideal - Defensa CentralVentura Alvarado: El central se hizo presente en el marcador en el partido contra Atlético de San Luis. Además, sus intervenciones fueron importantes para que @ClubNecaxa no metiera gol.#CopaMX 🏆 ⚽ #SienteTuLiga@CITEC_Futbol pic.twitter.com/Tqd71jhPAr— Copa MX (@CopaMx) January 14, 2019
On the bench in Copa MX: #NECvsAME | Así iniciamos esta noche en el Estadio Victoria.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/2ymqF2FhhD— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) January 16, 2019
Starts: Alineaciones confirmadas para el #BUAPvsNEC 👇.¿Cuál es su pronóstico para hoy, Rayos? ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/KF5qxxfcHq— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) January 20, 2019
Went the distance in a 3-2 win. On the opening goal he seems to move the wrong way when the centering ball is hit (start of video) though I am not sure it would have mattered. On the second goal the goal scorer runs off his back shoulder clean on goal (0:21).
Starts: #NECvsMON | El once con el que iniciamos esta noche en el Estadio Victoria.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/yrJQpWJiqS— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) January 27, 2019
Starts & captains the squad: #PUEvsNEC | El once con el que iniciamos en el Cuauhtémoc. ¡Vamos, Rayos! ⚡ pic.twitter.com/ItzsxhAmey— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) February 2, 2019
Made Team of the Week: ¡Bien hecho, Sebas! 👏🏻@sebastianjr1 aparece en el XI IDEAL de la @LIGABancomerMX por su gran desempeño en la #Jornada5 frente a Chivas.#CreandoOportunidades 🤝#PorLaEducación 📚#VibraEnMiSer🔴🔵🦈 pic.twitter.com/BoUKK8DeG4— Club Deportivo Veracruz 🦈 (@ClubTiburones) February 5, 2019
Captain again: #NECvsCHI | Te compartimos el once inicial para esta noche.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/36wE1IoCTh— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) February 10, 2019 And scores an autogol: 27'⏱️| #NECvsCHI | 0-1 | #LIGABancomerMX | Autogol de @Ventuzzz 😐.— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) February 10, 2019
Out with an injury of some kind: ¡LESIÓN LO FRENA!Ventura Alvarado no fue convocado ante Tigres por lesión y de esa manera cortó una racha de 22 partidos completos en Liga MX de manera consecutiva; tras su ausencia el capitán será Hugo González. pic.twitter.com/Kdmx1eAmzD— Goles y Cifras (@golesycifras) February 17, 2019
On the bench: #CAZvsNEC | El once con el que arrancamos en el Estadio Azteca. ¡Vamos, Necaxa!#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/GVlnvYRUgV— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) March 2, 2019
Starts: #AMEvsNEC | El once con el que iniciamos esta noche en el estadio Azteca.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/6JQhoDjdY7— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) March 6, 2019
Starts: #SANvsNEC | El once con el que arrancamos esta tarde. ¡Vamos, Necaxa! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/UK48OGQ3uu— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) March 17, 2019
Starts in friendly against North Carolina FC: #NCFCvsNEC | Con el regreso de @d_alvarez92 y una banca con mucha presencia de @ClubNecaxaFB, así salimos al encuentro de este día.#FechaFIFA ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/eytf8ftDHL— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) March 23, 2019
Started in 2-1 loss: #LEOvsNEC | El once con el que iniciamos esta tarde en León.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/flRM4GMIAC— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) April 7, 2019
Starts: #ATLvsNEC | El once con el que arrancamos en el Estadio Jalisco.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/LtKJpgTdms— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) April 13, 2019
Starts: #ATLvsNEC | El once con el que arrancamos en el Estadio Jalisco.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/LtKJpgTdms— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) April 13, 2019
Starts: Alineación confirmada para el #NECvsPAC.#FuerzaRayos ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/H1d86mEN5Z— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) April 20, 2019
Picked up a yellow... 53'⏱️| #NECvsPAC | 2-1 | #LIGABancomerMX | Cartón preventivo para @Ventuzzz, por dura entrada sobre Raúl López. pic.twitter.com/THpwsXpu0D— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) April 20, 2019 Which became a red after VAR review: 55'⏱️| #NECvsPAC | 2-1 | #LIGABancomerMX | Tras revisar la jugada en el VAR, el árbitro cambia su decisión y expulsa a nuestro central. https://t.co/pRmaefZ6LY— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) April 20, 2019 The match ended 2-2.
Starts: Alineación confirmada para el #NECvsQRO. ¡Vamos, Rayos! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/jDnmbAn8BS— ⚡️Club Necaxa⚡️ (@ClubNecaxa) May 5, 2019
Interview: https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/alv...ing-necaxa-can-lead/vre2ntx8gtdt1se3os9z2s9dc With a few injury absences, a red card in a critical match and a few bad games this tournament, Alvarado acknowledges it hasn't all been puppies and cupcakes for him this season. Yet, despite that, he's still enjoying the best season of his career, one he hopes will continue with an upset win this round of the playoffs and a long-awaited return to the national team. "It’s not easy to get to the Liguilla. It’s not easy to be here. A really difficult game is coming, and I have to keep taking advantage of that, getting rhythm," he said. "Playing against the champion of Concacaf is a chance to show what I’ve done."