Podcasts
Joveljic, Sporting KC offense starting to click
Dejan Joveljic has four goals in his last three matches.
The rebuild got off to bumpy start, but Joveljic and the Sporting KC offense are beginning to find their new identity. Shades of Blue is talking this week about what has changed and what the ceiling might be for this scrappy team.
Dejan Joveljic now has four goals in his last three matches after a brace in the road win over Houston. His nine goals on the season are one behind Lionel Messi, and just two shy Sam Surrige for the second most goals in MLS. As a team, Sporting KC have netted six goals in the last two matches.
It was always going to take some time so many new players to come together under a new coach, but it appears this team is finally starting to round into form.
Last week, Head Coach Kerry Zavagnin stated an intent to keep midfielder Manu Garcia further up the pitch. The 27-year-old Spaniard has been the engine in his first season with the club. But they want to keep him up the field and impacting the game closer to goal. When he is able to connect directly with Joveljic, good things happen.
That philosophy was working against the Dynamo, even if the 1.6 xG doesn’t jump off the page. There were several free-flowing sequences and quick passing in their buildup play. The guys have learned how their teammates move and where they want the ball. Additionally, Garcia was the most fouled player of the match (4), seemingly all of which led to a dangerous free kick. He also had ten passes into the final third.
Two matches is not yet a trend. But the signs are there for Sporting KC, and it feels like the rebuild is moving in the right direction. By the way, the summer transfer window is coming soon…
Listen to this week’s episode of Shades of Blue below and let us know if you’re starting to believe, or if the last two matches are more just false hope.
Find the KC Soccer Journal wherever you get your podcasts. Please subscribe, rate, & review! Feel free to yell at Cody @ThatCodyTho, Thad @TheBackpost, and Robert @SpKCLife.
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talking about getting “the tingles” followed by an ad about treating eczema is hilarious.
This podcast flatlined that tingling feeling hard.
I gotta say it. Some of y’all sound like you wish SKC were doing worse just to vindicate Vermes. Guess what? He gone.
And suddenly it’s fun to watch SKC again, in no small part because it looks like it’s fun to play for SKC again.
There’s light in what was before a dark and dismal place. Save the debate on how bright it is for next season, because all that matters now is that it feels so much better than before to watch this team.
(And play for it, no doubt.)
It’s awesome that I now watch SKC games thinking they might win.
It’s awesomer that I now see them go down a goal and think they might still win.
It’s awesomest, however, that I now watch SKC lose or draw and still want to watch next week’s game. That’s my ten-game sample size.
Remember, you’re allowed to smile when they score.
p.s. thank you for the content, and shout-out to the reminder about Jake Davis not being in the lineup.
#vermesout#reidoutRespectfully, I don’t think any of us are wishing the team was worse. You have to remember that we’re all fans too. Not only is the team we love bad but covering it and creating content when they’re bad is also not easy or fun.
not to speak for everyone else but i think we’re all thrilled that the team is so much better but probably trying to be realistic about our ceiling moving forward this year.
Eh, I disagree re. the vestigial vermes longing. But like I said, it’s what it sounds like to me, loyal long-time listener and kcsoccerjournal superfan! Woohoo subjectivity.
This podcast and the others got me through some dark skc days, and some good ones. And plenty of dog walks. I don’t take it for granted, nor disagree that it’s y’all’s podcast to make and only mine to listen to…
(here it comes!)
…But respectfully — oh man, that sounds so sassy suddenly — this episode felt like another patented #vermesout vermes loss from last season. Tingles? Gone. Even my hapless passenger-seat listener asked me, “Didn’t your team win?”
Anyway, look forward to next game and next episode!
I hate to say it, but they’ve got me believing again! I know it’s going to feel cruel when our hopes get dashed in the final few weeks, but this team is finally fun to watch again. Joveljic has been fantastic and he 100% is a better finisher than Pulido. I don’t think Pulido pulls off some of the goals Joveljic has. It’s nice to not have to turn off a game after conceding the first goal because I know we can pull something back.