I’m not doing a real “this is how I feel about Ange” piece until next week but I am aware I haven’t written about the men’s team in a while. I’m excited they’re back because I think we have an interesting run of games that excite me, even if lined up with a stupid schedule (Monday-Friday-Monday-Saturday Lunch Kickoff).
1) They're fun to watch again, and the players seem like they really like each other. And, crucially, we got young this offseason, so it feels reasonable to have expectations they'll continue to grow into their own skills as well as Ange's system.
2) Man, Ange is so good at press/fan management. Obviously he's had lots of good news to sell but I think it's also an enormous part of us fans not spiraling after that Fulham cup loss (not to mention the departure of whatshisname right before the season).
3) A little concerned at what will happen if we don't stay healthy, because while we don't have Europe to rough us up, this team is still one or two injuries from being entertaining but quite bad.
4) Related to the above, it will be a while before the part of my brain that goes "oh, fuck" when the opposition are on to something recognizes how fast and capable Van De Ven is.
5) Also related to the above, protect Sonny at all costs. Not just for goals and stretching defenses, but for the job he's done as captain.
6) Might be something to be said about the player culture under in the recent past with how successful we've been with Harry fucked off to Germany and Hugo and Eric marginalized. I hate giving the lightest credit to Mou or Conte but... maybe not wrong about that one thing.
7) While I'm on dire assholes: my god, how was Biss not getting clock?
8) The memes are more pronounced than my revision of Paratici's work, but... man, his signings mostly aged very well.
9) We're ahead of schedule again, like we were a few times with Poch, and it's going to set up some major fan rage at Levy after this happy lull.
10) I wonder if we're set to move on from Richy, which is a shame because I like him and he's finally stopped his skid but as I sit here and praise Fabio, that one hasn't gone up to task.
11) Accidentally sent my kid to school photo day in a Vicario jersey. Pretty fine with it, actually.
1) They're fun to watch again, and the players seem like they really like each other. And, crucially, we got young this offseason, so it feels reasonable to have expectations they'll continue to grow into their own skills as well as Ange's system.
2) Man, Ange is so good at press/fan management. Obviously he's had lots of good news to sell but I think it's also an enormous part of us fans not spiraling after that Fulham cup loss (not to mention the departure of whatshisname right before the season).
3) A little concerned at what will happen if we don't stay healthy, because while we don't have Europe to rough us up, this team is still one or two injuries from being entertaining but quite bad.
4) Related to the above, it will be a while before the part of my brain that goes "oh, fuck" when the opposition are on to something recognizes how fast and capable Van De Ven is.
5) Also related to the above, protect Sonny at all costs. Not just for goals and stretching defenses, but for the job he's done as captain.
6) Might be something to be said about the player culture under in the recent past with how successful we've been with Harry fucked off to Germany and Hugo and Eric marginalized. I hate giving the lightest credit to Mou or Conte but... maybe not wrong about that one thing.
7) While I'm on dire assholes: my god, how was Biss not getting clock?
8) The memes are more pronounced than my revision of Paratici's work, but... man, his signings mostly aged very well.
9) We're ahead of schedule again, like we were a few times with Poch, and it's going to set up some major fan rage at Levy after this happy lull.
10) I wonder if we're set to move on from Richy, which is a shame because I like him and he's finally stopped his skid but as I sit here and praise Fabio, that one hasn't gone up to task.
11) Accidentally sent my kid to school photo day in a Vicario jersey. Pretty fine with it, actually.
12) God, you're right, that schedule is dogshit.
I agree with so many of these points, but the few I kinda disagree with are the basis of my upcoming article!