Well, well, well.
The Burnleys are 1–0.
But enough about the Burnleys. Let’s discuss the Ottawa Senators. Then? You guessed it. Straight back to the Burnleys. We call that the razzle dazzle. Hit ‘em where they want it, then hit ‘em in the other place they want it. Then? Mention Austin FC, despite none of us being interested in that team.
Nothing of note happened to the Ottawa Senators this week, but one thing happened to the Toronto Maple Leafs and I learned about a second thing that I would like to discuss with all of you here.
The thing I learned is that the Senators do not have an ECHL affiliate. I probably knew this at one point. I may have even blogged about it when they and the Allen Americans broke up last spring or summer or fall. Either way? They do not have one. I don’t know whether that’s a bad thing, because it makes the Senators less involved in Senators prospect development, or a good thing, because it makes the Senators less involved in Senators prospect development. One thing I did hear is that this practice is called “raw-dogging the ECHL.” Evidently that phrase is common in Canada.
The thing that happened to the Toronto Maple Leafs is that John Tavares was stripped of his captaincy with a year left on his contract, and that captaincy was given to Auston Matthews in his place. Who did this? I don’t know, but it seems bad for the Maple Leafs, because it’s awkward, and long story short I think the Leafs are Texas A&M and the Canadiens are Texas and the Sens are Texas Tech. It’s not a perfect allegory—the Leafs are far more historically successful than Texas A&M, which is a real bummer for Texas A&M—but it makes sense to me, and I will do just about anything to compare my team to Texas Tech. Although…are the Sens more Texas State? Hmm. I do like Texas State. Worst drivers in Texas, allegedly.
Burnley Won!
Man, that was cool on Monday. The lads looked great. A thorough shit-pumping of Luton Town (condolences to Luton Town, our second-favorite team in the EFL Championship).
Through a quirk of the camera position at Kenilworth Road, Lucas Pires looked like he was a million feet tall, and the man played like it, dropping that pass ahead of Josh Brownhill like Paul Bunyan tossing a ball for Babe to play with on the Dakota plains. Through another quirk of Kenilworth Road, the Dara O’Shea celebration was even more fun than usual, as were the others in the second half. Something about that little run behind the net. Maybe it happens everywhere, but it felt different at Kenilworth Road.
We got a Wout Weghorst sighting, which is always fun. Wout Weghorst remaining a Burnley is like if the U.K. discovered one of the prime minister’s guards was a Russian spy and said, “Well, then. Back to work you go!” as they figured out how to deal with him. The guy still has to do his job, you know. Surely, he wouldn’t let anybody tackle Tony Blair.
Luca Koleosho went down with an injury of some sort, but Scott Parker confirmed this week that he’s fine. Sander Berge’s absence was ostensibly due to something with his quad, and that seems suspicious but Burnley did play Wilson Odobert moments before selling him for one gagillion dollars to Tottenham.
The Transfer Situation
Odobert plays for Tottenham Hotspur now, and we knew something like that might be coming. If I’m looking at the right numbers, the fee is bigger than even Nathan Collins’s fee two years ago, and by enough to not make an inflation joke. Good for Odobert, good for Burnley. Tott ‘em up, big hoss.
Scott Twine’s going to Bristol City, and that fee will presumably be a lot smaller.
I don’t know whether I had bad information coming in or whether the CBS Sports broadcaster just really likes Dara O’Shea, but he talked a lot about O’Shea as a transfer target. I’d heard more about Odobert, Berge, and James Trafford (who started), plus Manuel Benson and Anass Zaroury (Zaroury came in off the bench, Benson was in uniform). Time will tell. Still a couple weeks left.
Update! Right after publication, we learned Burnley signed Bashir Humphreys from Chelsea. Defender. Does this mean O’Shea’s gone?
Today
The details:
- Burnley vs. Cardiff City
- 10:00 AM EDT
- Paramount Plus
The opponent:
Well, it’s Cardiff City. They lost to Sunderland last weekend in their opener but they beat Bristol Rovers this week in their first League Cup game. I don’t think they’re supposed to be all that good, Burnley hasn’t lost to them since 1988, and Burnley looked like the best team to ever sniff a blade of grass last week, so I’m going to go in ruthlessly overconfident. Turf Moor is where Cardiff dreams go to die.
The starting XI?
Odobert can’t be part of it, because he is a Hotspur now (I know, but it’s so funny to hear them explain it). Koleosho practiced this week, but is he good to go? Berge is said to still be out because of the “quad.” I’m a little confused about Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, but I think he’s just banged up? I feel like I missed something there. I will guess…Zaroury in for Odobert and the rest unchanged? (*braces self for mass reader revelation that NIT Stu is a soccer casual*)
Burnley Miscellany
The League Cup draw is out, and Burnley will open against Wolverhampton on the road. Where the Wanderers belong! Just kidding. For Wolverhampton, the game won’t be on the road. For Wolverhampton, this game will be at home. There’s only one road team here, and it’s Burnley. That match will be played a week from Tuesday, and it’s the round where 57 teams are left in the tournament.
The women’s team plays Hull City tomorrow in their season opener. The last time the two met, Burnley won 7–0. Hull does go by the Tigresses, though. And that’s badass.
Connor Roberts’s mustache looks great.
Burnley might have signed Ronaldinho’s son?
Ok, Ok. MLS.
Austin FC didn’t play this week, and they don’t play this coming week either. There. You happy? They’re not even playing. The stadium’s just sitting there being all cool and open for other uses. Honestly, this is an ideal situation. That stadium rocks, even if Austin FC is a little exhausting.
