Purdue Conference Preview

Purde Basketball started the year with high hopes aand a lot of freshman stepping into big roles. Throughout the season so far there have been highs and lows but ultimately we can see the potential for growth. Purdue started the year down to 9 scholarship players with EHJ and Dowuona injured.

They headed to Florida for the space coast challenge. They started strong with a good win over a tough Liberty squad. Then were harrassed by the pressure of Clemson and fell in the championship game of the Challenge. The Challenge showed that Edey was ready to play along with Newman and Ivey showing some real flashes. Ivey unfortunately went down with a foot injury that held him out for the rest of the nonconference games. While the loss showed that we needed to work on handling thee press (seems like thats a continuos problem) two of our best ballhandlers were out that game.

Next we had two cupcake games. Against Oakland we started slow and then hit full gear with an offense that moved the ball and hit open shots all game. Then Valpo came and even when the offense ran smoothly the shots were not falling. The team leaned into the veterans to get to the line and make sure the game was a win even with a subpar performance. These two games showed the ultimate potential but also the tough times that come with a young but talented team.

In the B1G ACC challenge we saw the tale of two halves. Purdues defense was tout and the offense made the most of the size advantage down low. The second half showed that not being able to stop drives to thew baskets our bigs will get in foul trouble as both Edey and Williams fouled out. Free throws and falling in love with the 3 killed all the good work of the first half.

The game against ISU showed some more positives along with aareas of improvement. Turnovers and missing free throws are the two biggest things that need to improve for a successful season. Purdue pounded the ball down low all game with Williams dominating in the post. The veterans are continually looking like they are the ones to trust with the lineup finishing the game being Hunter, Thompson, Stefanovic, Wheeler, and Williams. Honestly while this game was closer than it should have been I think the offense in this game is what will lead to a successful season. Most games Purdues advantage is going to be in the post and the continuous effort to get the ball down low paid off.

With one game remaining against ND Purdue begins B1G play Wednesday against OSU. The B1G looks to be even deeper than last year and easily the best conference in the Nation right now. For Purdue to be successful they really need to play their best on a nightly basis. Purdue will have an advantage down low even against most of the B1G. Purdue needs to continually focus on getting the ball in the post. Williams will either score or make the right pass as he gets into the groove again. Our guards need to show improvement and shot making to space the floor. If Purdue can do that, they will grow into one of the better offensive groups in the B1G. Now on the defensive end there is a lot more room for improvement. Without Eastern we lack a lockdown defender and while Hunter and Newman have shown flashes as solid defenders they still leave a lot to be desired. Without time to meld as a team on defense you can see they are still learning when to switch and when to help weakside. Without Haarms they also don't have a bonfide defender down low. To get this defense to a higher level they need to become more than a sum of their parts. That takes time they haven't gotten and will be tough to do during the season.

All in all I see this group taking its lumps this season, but also showing its potential and growing into a really solid team. At the end they'll be in the upper half of the B1G and getting ready to dance come tourney time (if there is a noraml 68 team tourney that is). I loko forward to seeing the progression and as always Boiler Up!.

Liverpool season review.

    Liverpool has been decimated by injuries this year. Nonetheless, they sit 2nd in the League on Goal difference and just won their UCL group without stressing over the last game. Liverpool are starting to show they are now a machine that can withstand a lot before being tumbled. At the beginning of the year Liverpool were title favorites alongside Man City. 

    Their starting 11 were;

Alisson, Robertson, Van Djik, Gomez, TAA, Wjinaldum, Henderson, Keita, Mane, Firmino, Salah.

This may have been considered the best lineup in the world and if not it was up there. With this lineup they had quality bench options of Fabinho, Jones, Matip, and Milner among others. Liverpool then signed Thiago and Jota with Thiago being a huge playmaker that would start in midfield and Jota being an option up front that fit the Liverpool mold much better than Origi. There was excitement in the club and among fans as Liverpool kicked off their season. 

    The matches came aplenty with a shortened timeframe and just as many games as usual. Liverpool started with a lightning opener against Leeds. Championship winners and an electric attack. The game came don to the end with Salah lifting Liverpool to a 4-3 victory to open the season. Next up was Chelsea: Big spenders in the transfer window and a team on the rise to Premier League contenders. Liverpool silenced them in the second with a Mane double to win 2-0. The youngsters got a win in the Carabao Cup against Lincoln city 7-2. Next up an Arsenal team that had started the year brightly. Liverpool dispatched them easily with a 3-1 on the road. 

    This is where the season begins to turn. Liverpool get doused by Aston Villa 7-2 with every shot Villa taking somehow managing to go in it seems. Keita gets hurt and is out for 2+ months. The defense is exposed and now there are big questions going into the Derby against Everton. At this point only Henderson is missing so the team health has been good. Everton has looked brilliant to start the year. This game has huge implications even apart from the rivalry. Liverpool take an early lead and then look to have a penalty when Pickford hastily tackles Van Djik in the box. VAR determines its offside and ignores the challenge completely which should have Pickford seen Red. Oh and now Van Djik is injured and he's done for the year. The game goes back and forth with it 2-2 late in the game. Now its Richarlsons' turn to take out Thiago and he's injured for 2+ months. Richarlson at least sees red this time. Liverpool score late: but wait VAR overturns it somehow so it ends even. 

    Liverpool lose the worlds best defender one of the worlds best midfield creators and only get a draw. This is where a lot of teams would crumble. Liverpool are resilient and win their next five games 3 UCL and 2 League but Fabinho goes down and Liverpool are left with Gomez and youngsters at the back. Next up is City who have been less than impressive but always a threat. They draw in an uninspiring game from either team to get us to the international break. 

    This international break sees Gomez get injured is out for the rest of the season and TAA and Henderson also get injured. Liverpool are left with Robertson as the only backline starter still healthy with our midfield also decimated. Despite this Liverpool thrash Leicester who topped the league at the moment. Liverpool lose their first UCL game to Atalanta and draw to Brighton in dull games with VAR showing itself to be Liverpools biggest rival this year. Liverpool wins against Ajax and Wolves before a much changed squad draws Midtjylland in a game with no competitive consequences.

    Liverpool have lost about half of their starting 11 but continue to get results. Jota has been a revolution as a regular and a man who gets goals. The backline has had many different faces and all of them seem to rise to the occasion. Matip, Fabinho, Williams, Phillips and whoever else has to be put there. Neco has filled in well for TAA and Jones has shown why he belongs in the midfield. 

    What Liverpool are showing is that through too many games and even more injuries they will not be stopped. They have a mentality that is going to put them near the top no matter what. Klopp has truly transformed them into the team to beat. The starting Lineup may be continually changing but nonetheless the results continue to impress amid it all. YNWA