Good first half from Sierralta. Best defender on the pitch by a country mile. Practically won everything that has come his way, bar one of two moments. His passing has been exceptional. Right before HT he was probably at 87/88% passing accuracy, then he decided to hit a couple long balls that found no-one, so probably went in with a 84/85% accuracy. However he did decide to do his best impression of Andre Gray, and it truly was shocking. Open goal, 2 yards out, hits the bar. Didn’t let it effect him though, and he had a good half. We really need to tie him down to a longer contract.
Good game by our boy. Game finished 1-1 which was the most undeserving result. Chile absolutely smashed them from start to finish, but Maripan with a stupid handball gave Bolivia a pen. Anyway Sierralta was Chile’s best defender the whole game. Not sure what a minority of Chile fans were watching complaining about him fouling “all game,” literally gave 2 fouls away all game. He won almost everything that came his way. Was interesting watching him line up as the RCB in a back three. Spent a good amount of time hugging the touchline. Again his short passing was class, his long balls let him down. Bottom line, we really do have a class defender. We must extend his contract.
As mentioned at HT Here is Sierralta harnessing his inner Andre Gray. https://mobile.twitter.com/TNTSportsCL/status/1402440555230023683
Info from Chilean FA. I tihnk they mean muscle imbalance but can't be sure... https://www.laroja.cl/new/parte-medico-francisco-sierralta-y-carlos-palacios Hat tip to Watford Loan & International Watch on Twitter
I can speak Spanish, but I can't say I know the technical term for his current injury! In any case, it doesn't sound serious, might do him good to miss a few games as the Copa America is needlessly long. Blackburn fans will be happy to see Ben Brereton scored, less happy when he returns to Lancashire knackered
The game is being shown here for those that want to watch: Copa America LIVE: Watch Uruguay v Chile plus score updates - Live - BBC Sport
Playing in that weird Sheff Utd style attacking CB in a 3. He's not suited for it. Dominating when not doing that though.
Disappointed not to have seen him so far this summer, as he was my player of the season last year. I read a story today saying that players going back to South America during the forthcoming international break will not be able to play in the PL match immediately after, because of isolation rules. And that clubs don’t have any power to stop their players going. They mentioned the likes of Allison and Firmino being possibly caught up in this. Should we worry that FS will be too, and his disputed start to our season might continue a bit longer?
Chile play three World Cup qualifiers during the forthcoming international break, and the last one of those is on the Thursday before the PL resumes. So any players getting a call up for the South American matches won’t be back in time for the domestic weekend. Liverpool face being without Allison, Fabinho and Firmino, and I fear we will lose Sierralta for the Wolves game. Annoyingly the same thing happens with the October break. They are playing three qualifiers in South America during the international breaks because they got themselves so behind by playing the Copa America this summer over World Cup qualifiers.
I had a horrible feeling it was one year so at least I can sleep easier now. Needs an extension still!
Chile is a red-list country and by the looks of it players aren't being released for internationals. Colombia too if Cucho impressed enough.
Goodo, so we don't have to worry about him being forced to miss the game after the international break! Gino Pozzo has done it again!
Has there been an indication anywhere as to why Sierralta isn't starting? Manager's choice or fitness related?
I said it on a different thread and it's only my opinion but he joined pre season late as he was playing for Chile over the summer and maybe the stats he was showing in training were not quite up to speed. Ok for a place on the bench to be used in an emergency but if played too much too soon there was an injury risk. Maybe missing a couple of games at the start while getting up to the required fitness levels was better than risking him playing and then getting injured thus missing a longer period of time. Only my opinion and we've not had a disastrous start so I'm ok with this. Would like to see him start soon though
Would seem a bit weird seeing as basically everyone who took part in the Euros/Copa America (even Harry Kane!) are now back (Chile didn't even get that far in the Copa America!), although it would seem weirder to me if Xisco is suddenly preferring Kabasele and WTE over him now after last season
He's too attractive for the PL, that's a scientific fact. It also explains why Kiko hasn't featured and Zinckernagel was sent to the Championship.
It is odd. It must be some kind of fitness issue I would have though. Kabs has done okay so far though to be fair, but we all know calamity is never far away.
Seems very unlikely to me that he sudden fell out of favour after being first choice last season, so I have to assume there's a fitness related issue involved here.
That was one theory I was chucking about the other day, as he’s got two years left, the time to sign an extension would be yesterday (not literally, he just should’ve done it by now) so you can only assume it’s something that has been put to him, and if he had signed an extension you’d expect the club to shout it from the rooftops, so he clearly hasn’t.
