The Weekly Take, Issue 134: A Legend Like No Other

"There goes (Diego Armando Maradona), the best there ever was in this game." - modified quote from The Natural

There really could only be one topic for this week's post.

Diego Maradona, considered by many (myself included) to be the greatest footballer to ever walk this planet, died of a heart attack yesterday at the age of 60.

If you ever wanted to know Maradona's true impact, consider the following:

- Alberto Fernández, the president of Argentina, declared three days of national mourning after the legendary number 10's passing. Unsurprisingly, Maradona will also receive a state funeral
- FIFA postponed its annual awards which would have been held on December 17 as a show of respect for Maradona
- In Buenos Aires, electronic signs around the city which would normally have been used for public transport updates were modified to pay tribute to Maradona
- All over Naples, murals and other tributes were displayed on walls of buildings across the city.

These are but a small snapshot of what the kid from the slums grew up to mean to so many.

If you're still not convinced that Maradona is the greatest of all time, I'd like to bring up a few points.

Most of you probably remember his legendary 1986 World Cup campaign in which he put Argentina on his back and dragged them to a world title which almost no one could have expected. It is regarded by many as the greatest individual tournament performance of all time and was highlighted by his iconic quarterfinal performance against England. Maradona memorably gave Argentina the lead after controversially fisting the ball over Peter Shilton's head and into the net. The infraction, of course, went uncalled. Soon after, Maradona scored perhaps the greatest goal in World Cup history, torching England's defense with a blistering run before putting it in to make it 2-0 to the Albiceleste.

But with that being said: his 1990 World Cup campaign was arguably even better. Argentina were a much weaker team than they had been four years prior. Maradona carried a team which had no business making it to the final all the way to the showpiece match against West Germany. Somewhat ironically, Maradona was denied an even more incredible World Cup victory by a refereeing error: Roberto Sensini's tackle on Rudi Völler was incorrectly ruled as a foul, allowing Andreas Brehme to score the title-winning penalty for West Germany.

Although the record books say that Maradona was never a Ballon d'Or winner or the FIFA World Player of the Year, the Ballon d'Or was not open to non-European players until 1995, while the FIFA award did not exist until 1991.

Had Maradona been allowed to contend for the Ballon d'Or throughout his career, he would have probably won it in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1991. He'd also have been, at the very least, in the top five every year from 1981 to 1992 and in the top three in most of those years.

That's not even all. Consider the fact that on many occasions, Maradona was denied the opportunity to play in what was then the European Cup because this was before countries could send more than one representative. Under the current rules, Maradona would've featured in the tournament in 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, and 1990. The last two appearance would have seen Maradona's Napoli run headfirst into an AC Milan dynasty. However, who's to say that his Barcelona teams of 1983 and 1984 or his Napoli team of 1987 couldn't have been a contender for Europe's biggest club prize?

Such was the shadow Maradona cast over all his successors that many an Argentina number 10 between Maradona's retirement and the emergence of Lionel Messi wilted simply by wearing the iconic number. Ariel Ortega, Andres D'Alessandro, Juan Roman Riquelme - none were scrubs by any means, but it is almost a travesty that they all wore the 10 for Argentina in a major tournament.

It's almost impossible to believe, but somehow, in spite of his unquestioned brilliance on the football field, Maradona might very well actually be underrated. Never has there been a player who could carry a team as he did. Similarly, never has there ever been a player who forced opposing teams to craft game plans specifically to account for him to the extent that Maradona did.

Anyone who does not have Diego Maradona on, at the very least, their Mount Rushmore of footballers is flat-out wrong. For me as well as so many others, he is the greatest there has ever been and perhaps the greatest there will ever be.

I can't say anything else except RIP to the GOAT.

The Weekly Take, Issue 133: Still on the Outside Looking In

Unquestionably, one of the most memorable league campaigns in recent memory (and indeed, of all time) was Leicester City's victorious 2015-16 Premier League season. The Foxes capitalized on various errors and slumps by their more established title rivals to defy the odds and claim a maiden league title. With a team armed with players such as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, and of course, ace midfielder N'Golo Kanté, the future looked extremely bright at the King Power Stadium.

Unfortunately, the fairytale came to a screeching halt almost as soon as it had begun. Kanté left for Chelsea in the off-season of 2016. It soon became evident that the Frenchman had been the lynchpin of Leicester's title run; despite fielding a largely unchanged squad from the previous season, Leicester only finished 12th in the league. They then continued to struggle over the following two seasons.

Things began to turn in the 2019-20 season. Leicester were on course to return to the Champions League for the first time in four years but lost their last two league matches to surrender fourth place and the last Champions League spot. Nevertheless, there was cause for Brendan Rodgers' team to be optimistic heading into the 2020-21 campaign; perhaps this would be the season in which they would seal their return to Europe's biggest stage.

However, during the most recent Premier League matchday, Leicester received a stern reality check, losing 3-0 to Liverpool. To make matters even worse for Leicester, only Schmeichel's excellent performance between the posts prevented the Reds from really running up the score on a completely overmatched Leicester team.

Leicester had come into the match on the back of three consecutive Premier League victories and were actually ahead of Liverpool by one point in the league. Despite these facts, it became clear as the match unfolded that Leicester are not likely to be top-four material come the end of the season unless some major changes are made during the upcoming January transfer window.

This is a team which is quite simply not on the level of other top-four contenders. The other teams which are most comparable to Leicester at the moment are Everton, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur; despite currently leading the league, Tottenham are likely to fall back into the pack at some point, while Manchester City will probably begin their climb up the standings before too long.

When you look at Spurs, you can see that in Harry Kane, they have someone who is capable of putting the team on his back and single-handedly willing them to victory when the pressure is at its highest. Kane is ably supported by Hugo Lloris, Son Heung-min, Eric Dier, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. With José Mourinho in the dugout on top of all of that, there's no reason why Spurs shouldn't be in the top four.

Looking at Everton and Manchester United, while neither have a player of Kane's calibre, both nevertheless have squads which, player for player, are clearly better than what Leicester are currently fielding. Everton can boast of the likes of Jordan Pickford, James Rodríguez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Lucas Digne while also being coached by Carlo Ancelotti. United, meanwhile, have Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, and David de Gea, among others.

Leicester just do not stack up. They have done well to be where they are right now. However, as was shown by what happened against Liverpool, staying there will be a tall order indeed. It is one thing to beat the odds with the level of players they had four years ago. It is quite another to do it with their current roster.

It's much too early in the season to jump to any conclusions about Leicester. That being said, it is beginning to appear somewhat likely that their achievements last season might very well represent the high point for this iteration of the team.

If Leicester are to make a genuine push for the top four this season, they need to strengthen the squad in January. However, this time they face the problem of a relative lack of financial might. Every other team around them can easily outspend the Midlands club if they so desire.

It might not be impossible for Leicester to make next year's Champions League, but the outlook is definitely grim.

The Weekly Take, Issue 132: Who Will Pick Up the Torch?

The latest round of UEFA Nations League fixtures saw Portugal take on France in a match which would see its winner qualify for the Nations League Finals. France emerged with a 1-0 victory and thus became a part of the tournament's final four. N'Golo Kanté scored the only goal of the match to give the reigning world champions an opportunity to add a Nations League title to their world title from 2018. They also denied Portugal the opportunity to claim back-to-back Nations League titles.

As for Portugal, the match revealed a harsh truth which they will soon have to confront. Cristiano Ronaldo was not quite at his usual excellent standard against Les Bleus. Thus, the task fell to Portugal's supporting cast to step up and chip in when it counted most, but none of them managed to do so.

This fact becomes particularly worrying when one realized that Ronaldo is now 35. He does not have much longer at this level. With this in mind, the big problem facing Portugal right now which was also made evident against France was this: who is going to become the leader and driving force of this team after Ronaldo's looming decline and retirement?

One name which might come to mind for some is Bruno Fernandes. The Manchester United midfielder has been extremely impressive for his club ever since signing for the Red Devils in January. He has already established himself as the club's best player and has also shown considerable leadership qualities, leading many United fans to tout him as a future United captain.

However, his performances for his club have thus far not translated on the international front. This was once again evident against France; apart from a few moments when he set up teammates for goalscoring chances, he largely looked lost on the field as he was completely outplayed by his United teammate Paul Pogba. The evidence to date seems to paint Fernandes as the type of player who thrives for his club but struggles for his country.

Some might claim that João Félix could become Portugal's next ace. At just 21 years old, the Atlético Madrid winger has begun to live up to his lofty price tag after having endured a slow start to life in the Spanish capital. He already looks as though he is the future for Atlético; what's more, at his young age, he is likely years away from his peak.

Unfortunately, that may also be the problem for Félix: just how high is his peak? Does he truly have the potential to become, if not a Ballon d'Or contender, at least one of the five best players in the world at some point? As great as he has been thus far, the signs currently do not point to Félix having that kind of sky-high ceiling.

Looking at the rest of this Portugal team, there are a lot of very solid, above-average players who will be key contributors both now and in the future. Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota, Francisco Trincão, and Rúben Neves come to mind. Unfortunately, it is even more unlikely that any of these players will ever be good enough to be the centrepiece of a team contending for international silverware.

Portugal clearly have a collection of formidable young players who will form an impressive core for the next four to six years. The problem, however, is that any team intending to truly contend for a World Cup title or even a European Championship requires, at the very least, that one guy who can say "give me the ball and get out of my way" and take over a match all on his own. After Ronaldo leaves, who do Portugal have who can even come close to filling the void? At the moment, their best player is Fernandes, but as I mentioned earlier, he hasn't quite figured it out for Portugal the way he has for United.

It is somewhat ironic that Portugal won Euro 2016 with a far inferior squad to the one that they will be taking to Euro 2020 (yes, it's retaining its name despite the postponement) or the 2022 World Cup, yet they have almost no chance of winning either of the two upcoming tournaments.

The Ronaldo years have been truly incredible for Portugal, but now the future looks murkier than it has in a long time.

The Weekly Take, Issue 131: Bouncing Back Immediately

The most recent Champions League matchday saw RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain square off in a rematch of last season's Champions League semifinal. This time around, Leipzig claimed their revenge over their Parisian opponents with a 2-1 victory. Emil Forsberg's penalty proved to be the difference between the two sides. That being said, PSG's attempt to equalize was hampered by two red cards: one issued to Idrissa Gueye and the second to Presnel Kimpembe. PSG also played without their full complement of players. Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Mauro Icardi all missed the match due to injuries.

With all of that being said, Leipzig deserve much credit for their performance. Considering that their prior result in the competition had been a crushing 5-0 loss at the hands of Manchester United, it would have been all too easy for Die Bullen to have folded against PSG and slumped to another defeat. Instead, the club from Saxony dug deep and demonstrated their resilience and guts on their way to an impressive win.

Apart from their disaster in Manchester, this season has thus far gone well for Leipzig. They are once again firmly in the Bundesliga title race. What's more, their victory against PSG left them well-positioned to advance to the next round of the Champions League while also putting a serious title contender in jeopardy of being eliminated after the group stage.

One encouraging sign for Leipzig lies in the fact that their win over PSG was not even predicated on the performances of multiple shrewd off-season signings. Leipzig signed up Hwang Hee-chan and Alexander Sørloth from Red Bull Salzburg and Crystal Palace respectively. They also picked up Angeliño and Justin Kluivert on loan deals. Thus, they experienced absolutely no problems as they compensated for the departure of Timo Werner to Chelsea. Once these new additions acquire more of a presence within the team, Leipzig will only improve. The fact that a combined total of just €29 million was spent to bring all four players to the Red Bull Arena is especially remarkable, given their actual quality of play.

Head coach Julian Nagelsmann has also been continuing to prove himself as the best young coach in world football. I have sung his praises time and again, but it is true: even at this early stage of his coaching career, Nagelsmann is already one of the five best coaches in the world. He first worked wonders at Hoffenheim and has since enabled this Leipzig team to play at a level above their apparent level of talent. If Nagelsmann were to lead Leipzig to the club's first Champions League title this season, he would certainly be a part of the discussion as perhaps the best coach in the world. Although it once seemed likely that Nagelsmann would soon leave Leipzig for a more historic and iconic club, the signs now point to his remaining there for years to come.

Leipzig is a team which has been seamlessly put together. Despite never having had a true elite-level superstar on the team ever since they rose to the status of league title contenders, Leipzig have always been among the very best with regard to roster construction as well as player development. It is highly unlikely that players such as Forsberg, Werner, Dayot Upamecano, and Naby Keïta, among others, would have reached the heights which they attained if they had been at almost any other club. LeipIzig has clearly managed to get their front office, players, coaching staff, and everyone else involved with the club to truly buy into the system. As a result, they are now one of the best-run clubs on the planet. For all that can be said about how Red Bull took over the club, it can't be denied that they have since done incredible things there.

Despite their ultra-corporate exterior, Leipzig are a shining example of a club which have done things "the right way". A first Bundesliga or perhaps even Champions League title would be a just reward for the excellent culture which has been built at Leipzig. Will this be the season when Leipzig make a breakthrough and win either of these titles? Maybe not, but do not be surprised if a decade from now, RB Leipzig's trophy room is overflowing with silverware.

The Weekly Take, Issue 130: A Season Hanging in the Balance

Napoli's strong start to the Serie A season hit an unexpected roadblock this past weekend. The Campania-based club crashed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of this season's surprise package Sassuolo. Goals scored by Manuel Locatelli and Maxime Lopez ensured that Gennaro Gattuso's team would not finish with any points to show for their efforts.

This has become a familiar story for Napoli: their team once again appears better on paper than it actually is on the field. It has seemed as though for years now, they have been a step away from making a breakthrough but never actually do so. Already, it appears as that may again be the case this season. They are clearly behind Juventus, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and AC Milan in the current pecking order in Italy. If Sassuolo continue their form throughout the season, it is going to be very difficult for Napoli to make next seasons Champions League.

There were certainly questions about Napoli heading into this season. Last season, they finished seventh in the league. This was their worst league finish since 2009 when they were eighth. They accumulated just 62 points in the league; their lowest tally in eight years. On top of that, they were also knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage. That being said, Napoli also did pick up some silverware by winning the Coppa Italia.

Napoli's future remains somewhat unclear. This is especially so after losing midfielder Allan to Everton for €25 million during the past off-season. They did replace him by picking up Tiémoué Bakayoko on loan; however, despite this fact, Bakayoko's impact on this team is yet to be truly determined. Unless Napoli make some moves in January, this could end up being their worst season in years.

It is somewhat surprising that over the past decade, Napoli have never made a true breakthrough. Despite the immense talent which has sometimes graced their squad, they have not won a league title during this span. Even more damningly, they have not even made it to the Champions League quarterfinals even once. Not even the likes of Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuaín, Dries Mertens, Marek Hamsík could turn Napoli into a true force at the highest level.

However, it isn't all bad news at the Stadio San Paolo. Despite the problems they currently face, they should be able to at least make a top-four push. A team with a core containing Mertens, Hirving Lozano, Kostas Manolas, and captain Lorenzo Insigne can never be truly overlooked. Gattuso, meanwhile, has another year of coaching experience under his belt; for all we know, this might be the year in which he really begins to figure it out. It must also be remembered that prior to the Sassuolo match, Napoli had won four of their first five Serie A matches. If those wins represent their true level this season, their fans have reason to be optimistic.

One step which Napoli could take which would undoubtedly improve their prospects for the rest of the season would be signing a new starting central midfielder during the next transfer window. A midfield with the likes of Fabián Ruiz, Diego Demme, and Bakayoko, while decent, clearly lacks the punch that those of Napoli's Serie A rivals have.

Napoli should also consider adding a new, younger winger who will someday be Mertens' replacement. The Belgian is now 33 years old and thus does not have many years left. Signing Victor Osimhen from Lille was therefore a good move in this area. That said, Napoli can definitely afford to get a little younger, especially if Osimhen ends up not panning out.

If this season ends up being a wash for Napoli, they might even have to take another look at whether Gattuso really is the coach for them going forward. In his coaching career, Gattuso has shown an ability to raise a team's floor. However, he has not shown that he can really team a good, above-average team into an upper-level one, let alone an elite one. Another season in which Napoli fail to make the top four could spell the end of Gattuso's tenure.

Napoli are truly at a crossroads right now. They have many decisions to make. If they choose wisely, they could soon be once again among Italy's top clubs. Get it wrong, however, and the road back will be long and arduous.

The Weekly Take, Issue 129: Has the Magic Run Out?

When the draw for this season's UEFA Champions League was released, one of the fixtures which caught the attention of many was the match between reigning champions Bayern Munich and perennial title contenders Atlético Madrid. However, despite the expectations heading into the first matchday of the tournament, not many could have predicted just how one-sided this match would be.

In a dominant display that illustrated why they are the defending champions and clearly the team to beat this season, Bayern utterly torched Atlético, beating the Madrid club 4-0. Kingsley Coman scored two goals, while Leon Goretzka and Corentin Tolisso also made their way onto the scoresheet.

This was an unexpected result because not only are Atlético typically in the mix for the title; they have also been the gold standard for overachievement with limited resources for the past decade. Despite their relative lack of financial might and glamour when compared to many of Europe's other leading clubs, Atlético have been very competitive over the past 10 years and were just minutes away from what would've been a legendary first Champions League title over city rivals Real Madrid in 2014.

During the past off-season, Atlético even managed to land the services of former Barcelona legend Luis Suárez. After a glittering six-year run in Catalonia, the arrival of new head coach Ronald Koeman saw the Uruguayan forced out of Camp Nou, leaving Atlético free to take advantage and make one of the biggest signings in club history.

However, the way that events transpired proved to be worrying for Atlético. Although they have outperformed expectations for many years now, at some point they will no longer be able to keep it up. Sadly for fans of Los Rojiblancos, their heavy loss in Bavaria may have shown that this could be the year when it all comes crashing down.

Atlético were not even remotely a threat throughout the match. While it is true that their German opponents were clearly the superior team, one would nevertheless have expected a far better performance out of Diego Simeone's team. It is clear that this iteration of Atlético Madrid is nowhere near the level of their 2013-17 team.

For years, Atlético have been able to handle departures of players such as Diego Forlán, Sergio Agüero, Fernando Torres, Thibaut Courtois, and Antoine Griezmann without letting these departures have a severely negative impact on the team's performance. However, this may very well be coming to an end soon. Atlético have already begun to show signs of decline, especially over the past two seasons.

Although Atlético finished second in La Liga in the 2018-19 season, they did so with just 76 points. This tally represented their lowest in six years. They also failed to qualify for both the Copa del Rey and Champions League quarterfinals; this had not happened to them since 2007. Last season, their league points total of 70 was their lowest since 2012. They were also eliminated from the Copa del Rey in the round of 32 and the Champions League in the quarterfinals.

This is a team of which much more than what they have produced thus far was expected at the beginning of the season. They have by far the world's best goalkeeper in Jan Oblak. Apart from Suárez, their squad also boasts the likes of Kieran Trippier, Ángel Correa, João Félix, Saúl Ñíguez, and Yannick Carrasco, among others. Add in iconic head coach Simeone in the dugout, and you have a team which should on paper be one of the top seven or eight in Europe.

It might very well appear that the law of averages has finally caught up to Atlético. Their entire club - front office, scouting, coaching staff, players, everyone, really - has been a role model for every other football club in the world in virtually every way. However, given their limited resources when compared to their rivals at the top table, they might no longer be able to defy the odds as they have done so valiantly for so long.

Make no mistake about it - the Atlético Madrid team of 2011 until the present day will be remembered with the greatest fondness even decades from now. If the club is appropriately grateful, someday a statue of Simeone should proudly guard the front gate of the Wanda Metropolitano.

That being said, we might be witnessing the beginning of the end - and maybe a subsequent rebuild.

The Weekly Take, Issue 128: One Injury Might Change Everything

The latest edition of the Merseyside derby had everything. Heading into the match, this clash already carried more weight than did any other iteration of an Everton-Liverpool match in a long time. Everton's decisions to hire legendary head coach Carlo Ancelotti and sign 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner James Rodríguez have clearly paid dividends. The Toffees have now established themselves as a genuine force in the league and could potentially have their best league campaign since 2004-05, when they finished fourth.

This time around, the highly eventful encounter between the city rivals ended in a 2-2 draw. Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Everton's equalizer to keep the club in first place in the Premier League, while what initially seemed to be a winning goal for Liverpool courtesy of Jordan Henderson was waived off by way of VAR. Just to add to the drama, Everton striker Richarlison also received a late red card.

And yet, in spite of all these events, probably the most notable incident of the match took place early in the first half. A dangerous tackle by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford left Liverpool's ace defender Virgil van Dijk severely injured. It would later be found out that van Dijk had suffered a torn ACL and would almost certainly miss the rest of the season.

It cannot be overstated just how devastating a blow this is to Liverpool's season. In 2018-19, van Dijk was clearly the best player on the team and the driving force behind the Reds' victorious Champions League campaign. If not for a miracle shot by Vincent Kompany, Liverpool would have claimed a Premier League and Champions League double that season. Van Dijk, who was almost certainly robbed of a Ballon d'Or despite the finest season by a defender since Fabio Cannavaro's effort in 2006, backed up his breakout season with equally brilliant play at the back during the following season. Liverpool romped to an easy league title victory - their first in 30 years.

Van Dijk has clearly established himself as the best player on this Liverpool team and the best defender in world football. He has been that since around the midway point of the 2018-19 season. As of right now, the gap between the Dutchman and most of his closest competition is massive. Realistically, only Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich and van Dijk's teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold are even in the discussion.

Van Dijk also brings the intangible advantages to Liverpool. Although Henderson may be Liverpool's captain, van Dijk is their unquestioned leader on the field. His leadership, intelligence, and in-game savvy combined with his outstanding play have allowed him to strike fear into any strikers who dares to challenge him.

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. It also knocks them out of the group of leading Champions League contenders alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid; I'd have put them in that tier before the injury.

The bad news doesn't stop there for Liverpool fans. There have to be questions raised about how van Dijk will perform upon his return. A torn ACL is arguably the most devastating injury in sports. Long-time Liverpool fans will recall the fact that former Reds superstar Michael Owen was never the same after suffering the same injury. Other players such as Robert Pires, Radamel Falcao, and Jakub Blaszczykowski saw their careers derailed by ACL tears. If van Dijk returns as a shell of himself, Liverpool might not be a Champions League contender for quite some time.

Apart from a 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg deficit against Barcelona in 2019, this van Dijk injury is probably the most severe adversity which Liverpool have faced ever since the arrival of Jürgen Klopp as head coach. While the Merseysiders were able to overturn the three-goal deficit against Barça, overcoming the loss of perhaps a top-five player in the world for almost entire season might prove to be a step too far.

This season will be a true test for Liverpool. That said, this Liverpool team have shown that they can never be counted out. If they can summon the spirit of that one magical April night at Anfield over a whole season, don't be surprised to see them once again exceed all expectations.