Alright, so I sat down to hammer out these Necaxa vs Club León player ratings. It’s not just kicking back and throwing numbers around, you know? There’s a bit of a ritual to it, or at least, that’s how I try to do it to make sure I’m being somewhat fair.
First Pass – Just Watching
First thing’s first, I watched the game. And I mean, really watched it. Not just having it on in the background while scrolling through my phone. I try to get a feel for the flow, who’s imposing themselves, who looks a bit lost. Sometimes I’ll even jot down super rough notes during this first watch, like “Number 10 looks sharp” or “Left back getting cooked.” Just gut feelings, really.
The Rewind and Scrutiny Phase
Then comes the not-so-fun part, or maybe the most crucial part. I’ll often rewatch big chunks of the game. Especially key moments – goals, big chances, defensive blunders. This is where I’m looking closer. It’s all about the details.
- Did that midfielder track his runner?
- Was that striker making good runs, or just standing around?
- How was the keeper’s distribution, not just his saves?
This is where I start forming more solid opinions. Sometimes a player who didn’t catch my eye initially actually did a lot of the quiet, important stuff. And sometimes a flashy player actually didn’t contribute much overall. It’s a pain, I tell ya, going back and forth, but you gotta do it.
Getting the Numbers Down
Once I’ve got a decent handle on individual performances, I start thinking about the actual ratings. I usually have a baseline in my head, like a 6 is an average, “did their job, nothing special” kind of performance. Then I go up or down from there.
It’s not a perfect science, obviously. Some days, a 7 for one player might feel different than a 7 for another, depending on their role or expectations. I try to be consistent with my own scale, though. If a defender was solid, made key tackles, maybe helped in attack, he’s climbing. If a forward missed sitters and was invisible, well, the number’s gonna reflect that. No hiding place, really.
I’ll usually go player by player for each team. Necaxa guys first, then Club León. Or vice-versa, doesn’t really matter. I try to recall specific actions that back up the number I’m giving. It’s easy to just throw a 5 at someone, but why a 5? That’s what I’m asking myself.
The Final Check and Acceptance of Fate
After I’ve got a rating for everyone who played significant minutes, I’ll look over the whole list. Do these numbers make sense together? Does it reflect how the game actually went? Sometimes I’ll tweak one or two up or down a bit if something feels off on a second look.
And then, well, then it’s done. I put it out there. I know not everyone will agree. Someone will always think their favorite player deserved a 10, or that I was too harsh on someone else. That’s just the way it is with ratings. It’s subjective stuff, at the end of the day. But I try to base mine on what I actually saw, minute by minute. It’s a process, that’s for sure, but kind of satisfying to get it all down on paper, so to speak.
