The reaction to Kai Havertz missing a few volleys in the MLS skills challenge has been incredible.
I remember Erling Haaland in the Community Shield missing a couple of chances and people saying he was going to flop… he went on to score 52 goals in all competitions for Manchester City last season.
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Havertz is not going to be a flop based on not being particularly good in a skills challenge.
I’m not a massive fan of the MLS All-Stars game against Arsenal. It’s pre-season, so what does it really mean? It’s not like you are playing it in the middle of December.
But I liked the skills challenge because you can pick it up and do it any time of the year. I imagine some people couldn’t stand the razzmatazz of it and how American it all seemed, but I loved it.
Watching Jurrien Timber, Folarin Balogun and Jakub Kiwior do the shooting challenge and Havertz fail to find the net in 14 attempts, it was good to see them not hitting the top corner all the time and not getting everything in.
They actually looked a bit nervous and confidence looked like an issue.
It’s a leveller for fans to see these fantastic players hitting shots that you might when playing with your mates.
I did a challenge the other week in Timberlands and I was hitting the target more than Christian Benteke, who was part of the All-Stars team.
I loved watching it. That side of football is entertainment and it’s great seeing footballers do these things.
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If we are all being honest, missing sitters makes them more human. I really enjoyed it, and I want to see more of it.
I’m not sure it would travel to the UK as we have a different mentality and tend to look down on these types of things. With American sports, entertainment is part of the game.
In the Premier League, if you had Liverpool vs Manchester United at Anfield and you tried to do that before or even at half-time, it would go down like a lead balloon.
The rivalries, the passion, the competitiveness – it’s just all about the game. I don’t think you could bring those fun elements into English football. I do like to watch it, but I can’t imagine ever seeing something similar in the Premier League.
My All-Star Premier League team
It’s interesting how the MLS All-Stars team is selected.
Wayne Rooney, the manager this year against Arsenal, gets to select 14 of the 28-man squad while the MLS commissioner and fans get a say in the others.
It wouldn’t be easy selecting an All-Star XI in the Premier League, but I reckon Liverpool, United and City players would dominate.
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Alisson has been outstanding ever since he joined Liverpool and is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League at the moment, although I think Andre Onana will give him a run for his money this season.
At right-back, I’d put Trent Alexander-Arnold in there despite some of the criticism he has faced.
I know Kieran Trippier was better at Newcastle last season, but I’d still opt for Trent – he’s such an incredible talent. If Reece James could stay fit, he might have got the nod.
Left-back would be Luke Shaw 100 per cent, he’s the best left-back in the Premier League and has shut up his doubters in recent years.
Lisando Martinez would be at centre-back alongside City rival John Stones. I like that combination – grit and composure.
In midfield, I can’t move away from Casemiro as the holding midfielder. He’s world-class. Then I’d have a brilliant playmaker in Kevin De Bruyne alongside him.
Ilkay Gundogan was always my get out but with the German joining Barcelona I’d choose Bruno Guimaraes as my third central midfielder.
Mohamed Salah on the right, Marcus Rashford on the left and Haaland up front would complete the team.
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