The immediate impact of Andre Luiz at Sporting KC

This week on Shades of Blue, we’re talking about the immediate impact Sporting KC has felt in the first two starts from Andre Luiz. These last two matches are arguably the best two performances of the season as we see players showing fight and having fun again.

You can see it both in the statistics as well as the emotion from the players. But a quick look at goal totals make it obvious.

Sporting KC have scored six goals in the last two matches, which is the same number they scored in the previous eight matches. There’s been a boost in Expected Goals as well. In spite of the loss in Dallas, the 2.84 xG was the highest of the season.

But the match against LAFC was also a bit more than just the stat line. The players on the field were determined to hold that lead in the second half. They had some bite to them. Harris got a gritty yellow card, Cleveland had a couple massive stops, and they showed the fight to tack on the third and final dagger.

To steal from Mauricio Pochettino, Sporting KC were playing ‘like kids’ again. The guys had fun, the fans had fun, and Marc Dos Santos was f****** pissed!

It was a great night in The Blue Hell and something the city has been longing for.

Is it enough to turn around the fanbase? Is it enough to climb out of last place?

Another test will come this weekend as the Philadelphia Union and Cavan Sullivan come to town.

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