Alright, so I finally got around to doing the player ratings for that Club América vs Club Tijuana match. It’s always a bit of a task, this, but someone’s gotta do it, right? And I actually kinda enjoy picking apart the performances once the dust settles.
Getting Started: The Prep Work
First thing, I had to make sure I had a good recording of the game. Can’t just rely on memory, especially when you’re trying to be fair to everyone on the pitch. My memory’s not what it used to be, haha. So, I got the full match replay cued up. Then, it’s the trusty notepad and pen. Yeah, I know, super old school. People tell me, “use an app, use a spreadsheet!” But there’s something about scribbling notes, arrows, quick thoughts that just works for me. It feels more direct, you know?
I also poured myself a big coffee. This usually takes a couple of hours if I’m doing it properly, so caffeine is pretty much essential. No distractions, phone on silent. Just me and the game.
The First Watch-Through: Getting the Vibe
I always watch the game through once without stopping, just to get the general flow, the narrative of the match. Who looked up for it? Who seemed a bit off the pace? Which team had the better tactical setup? You get a feel for the overall dynamics. This first pass isn’t about individual ratings so much as understanding the context of the performances. Was it a tight, cagey affair, or an open, end-to-end battle? That matters when you judge a defender’s quiet game versus an attacker who didn’t get much service.
The Nitty-Gritty: Player by Player
Then comes the real work. I go back to the start and watch it again, this time focusing on players. I might do it in sections – defense, midfield, attack. Or sometimes I’ll track a couple of key players for a 15-20 minute segment, then rewind and do others. It’s a bit messy, to be honest.
What I’m looking for:
- Goalkeepers: Shot-stopping, sure, but also command of the area, distribution, dealing with crosses. One big save doesn’t make up for flapping at three corners.
- Defenders: Tackling, positioning, interceptions, aerial duels. How often were they beaten? Did they make recovery runs? How was their passing out from the back?
- Midfielders: This is often the hardest. Work rate, passing range, breaking up play, creating chances, supporting attacks, defensive duties. A lot on their plate.
- Attackers: Goals, obviously. But also movement off the ball, creating space, assists, holding up the ball, pressing defenders. A striker can have a good game without scoring, sometimes.
I jot down key moments for each player. A great pass, a bad miss, a crucial tackle, a moment they got skinned. It all goes in the notes. It’s funny, sometimes you think a player had a quiet game, but when you focus just on them, you see all the little things they did, good or bad.
The Actual Rating: Numbers and Justification
Once I’ve got a decent set of notes on everyone, I start assigning numbers. I generally use a 1-10 scale. For me, a 6 is an average, satisfactory performance. Below 5, you’ve had a poor game. 7 is good, 8 is very good, 9 is outstanding, and 10 is like, legendary, once-a-season stuff. I rarely give a 10. Or a 3, for that matter. Most players will fall in the 5-7 range in a typical game.
This is where it gets subjective. What I think is a ‘7’ someone else might see as a ‘6’ or an ‘8’. That’s just the nature of it. I try to be consistent with my own scale, though. If a player made a crucial error leading to a goal, it’s hard for them to get above a 5, even if they did other things well. Conversely, a game-winning goal or assist can really bump a rating up.
I spend a bit of time comparing. If I gave Midfielder A a 7, how does Midfielder B’s performance stack up against that? Sometimes I’ll adjust ratings up or down a little after comparing them side-by-side. It’s not an exact science, more like a gut feeling backed up by those notes I took.
Subs are always tricky. If a guy comes on for 10 minutes and scores the winner, what do you give him? He had a massive impact, but for such a short time. I usually lean towards rewarding impact, but it depends on the context.
Wrapping It Up
Then I write a short blurb for each player, a sentence or two justifying the rating. Just the number isn’t enough, I think. People want to know why they got that score. It helps to recall specific moments from my notes.
It’s a bit like putting a puzzle together. You’ve got all these individual pieces, and you’re trying to build a coherent picture of the match through the lens of player performances. It’s satisfying when it’s done, though. Feels like I’ve properly digested the game. And then, of course, comes the fun part: seeing if everyone else agrees with me! Usually, they don’t, haha. But that’s football, isn’t it? All about opinions.
So yeah, that’s pretty much my process for the Club América vs Club Tijuana ratings. Took a while, involved a fair bit of rewinding, but they’re done. Now, onto the next one, I suppose.
