Well, it's another "milestone" edition, so this'll be a little different.
This time, I'll be revisiting some of my takes from past issues and analyzing them through the lens of the present to find out how they ended up. Some aged well; others certainly did not.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-weekly-take-issue-26-powerhouse.html
Date: September 2, 2018
Club: AC Milan
Club: AC Milan
Quote: "(This) season could shape up to be the best in many years for one of Italy’s most storied clubs. While I don’t necessarily think they will hit such heights, do not be surprised if Milan finish as high as second in Serie A, win the Europa League, or both."
Outcome: AC Milan would only finish fifth in the league, once again missing out on the Champions League. In addition, their major mid-season acquisition proved to end up having little to no impact. More on that in the next segment.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-weekly-take-issue-47-best-signing.html
Date: January 28, 2019
Club: AC Milan
Player: Krzysztof Piątek
Quote: "I had been of the belief that AC Milan were one of those clubs who were one key piece away from being serious contenders, both domestically and in Europe. Now, I genuinely feel that Milan have got their man[...] [...]Names such as Gunnar Nordahl, Marco van Basten, Andriy Shevchenko, and Pippo Inzaghi have all shone in the famous red-and-black jersey. Now, Milan may just have brought in the 'heir to the throne'".
Club: AC Milan
Player: Krzysztof Piątek
Quote: "I had been of the belief that AC Milan were one of those clubs who were one key piece away from being serious contenders, both domestically and in Europe. Now, I genuinely feel that Milan have got their man[...] [...]Names such as Gunnar Nordahl, Marco van Basten, Andriy Shevchenko, and Pippo Inzaghi have all shone in the famous red-and-black jersey. Now, Milan may just have brought in the 'heir to the throne'".
Outcome: Piątek ended up doing next to nothing for AC Milan. After scoring just four league goals in the first half of the 2019-20 season, Piątek was sold to Hertha BSC in January 2020. He never again showed the form which he displayed at Genoa and convinced Milan to sign him.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-weekly-take-issue-61-step-closer-to.html
Date: May 3, 2019
Club: Liverpool
Coach: Jürgen Klopp
Quote: "[At] what point does he (Klopp) no longer get a pass for these late-tournament failures?[...] [...] [A] Champions League title would serve as the ultimate boost to his legacy. Unfortunately for him, however, it appears as though this title might not arrive for quite some time."
Club: Liverpool
Coach: Jürgen Klopp
Quote: "[At] what point does he (Klopp) no longer get a pass for these late-tournament failures?[...] [...] [A] Champions League title would serve as the ultimate boost to his legacy. Unfortunately for him, however, it appears as though this title might not arrive for quite some time."
Outcome: In the wake of Liverpool's 3-0 loss to Barcelona in the first leg of the 2018-19 Champions League semifinals, it looked as though Liverpool had no shot of advancing to the final. Astonishingly, they reversed the deficit, eliminated Barça in an iconic comeback, then beat Tottenham Hotspur to win the Champions League.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-weekly-take-issue-69-paying-through.html
Date: June 30, 2019
Club: Manchester United
Player: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Quote: "It’s not that I believe the Londoner will be a complete failure at Old Trafford.[...] [...]What United need right now is a player who will be ready to contribute at a high level straight from his first day at United. Wan-Bissaka does not fit that bill."
Outcome: I pretty much called it exactly. No, Wan-Bissaka has not been a bust; he is now a regular starter for United. However, he has not even come close to living up to his lofty transfer price. This is certainly a transfer that United fans wish could have been undone.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-weekly-take-issue-101-next-great.html
Date: February 11, 2020
Club: RB Leipzig
Player: Dayot Upamecano
Quote: "(It) appears that the potential of the player whom I believe to be the next great French defender is almost limitless."
Quote: "(It) appears that the potential of the player whom I believe to be the next great French defender is almost limitless."
Outcome: While Upamecano has certainly been a solid player in the time since I made this post, he has not quite fulfilled the praise which I had lavished upon him over two years ago. That said, I was right about the prospect of Upamecano signing for a bigger club (Bayern Munich).
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-weekly-take-issue-111-die-bullens.html
Date: June 21, 2020
Club: Chelsea
Players: Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic
Quote: "It's not every day that a club gets to sign a potential future Ballon d'Or winner. Chelsea now have two."
Quote: "It's not every day that a club gets to sign a potential future Ballon d'Or winner. Chelsea now have two."
Outcome: This post was made shortly after Chelsea confirmed their signing of Werner.
...The less said about this one, the better. Let's move on.
...The less said about this one, the better. Let's move on.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-weekly-take-issue-128-one-injury.html
Date: October 17, 2020
Club: Liverpool
Player: Virgil van Dijk
Quote: "This injury is a crushing blow to Liverpool's season. Van Dijk is a force who is truly irreplaceable. His injury hands the status of Premier League title favourites to Manchester City.[...] [...][Overcoming] the loss of perhaps a top-five player in the world for almost an entire season might prove to be a step too far."
Outcome: Liverpool's Premier League title defense never really got off the ground due to van Dijk's ACL tear. They would only finish third in the league and be eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-weekly-take-issue-136-they-surely.html
Date: December 13, 2020
Club: Real Madrid
Coach: Zinedine Zidane
Quote: "Zidane has clearly built up a body of work which proves that he is an outstanding coach. Firing him would be an epic mistake of almost unparalleled proportions. The decision should be obvious. Only one question remains: will Real finally 'get it', or will they revert to type?"
Outcome: I'll give myself partial credit for this one - Zidane resigned at the end of the season; however, his position had been becoming increasingly untenable at the time. Real failed to win any titles in the 2020-21 season: they finished second in the league and were eliminated in the Champions League semifinals.
Post: https://theweeklytake3.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-weekly-take-issue-172-missing-piece.html
Date: August 22, 2021
Club: Chelsea
Player: Romelu Lukaku
Quote: "Lukaku could realistically claim the status of 'undisputed best centre-forward in the world' as soon as this season.[...] [...]Chelsea badly needed a true goalscoring threat to not only make a serious Premier League title challenge, but also to contend for back-to-back Champions League titles. With Lukaku back at Chelsea, they now have exactly that."
Quote: "Lukaku could realistically claim the status of 'undisputed best centre-forward in the world' as soon as this season.[...] [...]Chelsea badly needed a true goalscoring threat to not only make a serious Premier League title challenge, but also to contend for back-to-back Champions League titles. With Lukaku back at Chelsea, they now have exactly that."
Outcome: Lukaku has not even been close to the player he was at Inter Milan. He is on pace to score just seven league goals this season, which would be a career-low ever since becoming a starter in a major European league for the first time.
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