Jottings

Really, really beat right now, because I got up uber-late two nights in a row to watch Champions League football. And I won't be getting much rest anytime soon either, because next week, I have three exams. Count them, three. One is just a lesson exam, which shouldn't be too bad if the last couple are any indication, but Wednesday and Thursday are the midterm exam, which I'm pretty sure will be intense. I really want to do well too, so I figure I need to start studying now in order to make sure I crack 90 overall.

I did do very well on my most recent exam, a 93.5 average, so that was awesome. I think my speaking has also kicked up a notch, after an initial downturn. My listening comprehension feels like it's still lagging a bit, but then that's always been the hardest part of languages for me, even in Spanish. I know it sounds weird, but I feel like I've always been able to catch on to speaking easier than listening.

There's another typhoon kicking around in the Pacific right now, and the current predictions have it moving across the Philippines, then hitting the mainland before swinging around and hitting us. Of course, no one has any idea what it's really going to do until it does it, but everyone's aware of it, probably because this last one was so destructive outside of Taipei. The weather here is definitely cooling off, and I don't think it's due solely to the typhoons. Before the last typhoon, it was really hot and humid, and now, today, it's cool and windy, on the verge of being chilly (by Taiwan standards, that is).

Football news: I watched Liverpool beat PSV 3-1 at Anfield last night/this morning. To be honest, there were a lot of things that worried me in the match, even though they won easily and could have easily had a couple more goals. There were a couple times that Liverpool seemed really disorganized at the back, with a lot of miscommunication or hesitation between the defense and the midfield. Steven Gerrard, up until his goal, wasn't actually having all that great of a game in my opinion. Some poor passes, some bad touches, and not really the presence that he was against Everton, although perhaps that's to be expected in a European game. I think the thing that frustrated me the most was the poor quality of Liverpool's first touch overall. I think one of Liverpool's biggest weaknesses is their first touch, and it was especially highlighted against a Dutch team, whose style is built around the idea of quick, one and two touch passing. Off the top of my head, I remember Keane and Torres both having some pretty abysmal first touches, and most of the others at one point or another as well.

On the upside, Xabi Alonso overall looked very good, although a few mistouches and poor passes as well. I liked that, even though he was getting a fair amount of pressure throughout the match, he was still able to play some good long passes in to the attacking third, and he even tried a shot from his own half which, considering it was raining, was a halfway decent opportunity. Jamie Carragher also played well, almost 100% passing and just very solid defensive play against forwards who were clearly quicker than all of the Reds defense. Alvaro Arbeloa also looked solid, Fabio Aurelio as well, and Martin Skrtel, minus one slip-up that nearly cost a goal, was a really good aerial presence and also looked very confident bringing the ball out of the back.

Next European match is Atletico Madrid. It will be a big night for Torres, facing his old team, not once, but twice, and once on the pitch where he used to wear the captain's armband. You could see he was getting frustrated last night because he kept losing his footing and not getting the shots he should have. I hope he'll have a better outing against Atleti.

And on Sunday, it's Liverpool v. Man City. Another big match in the Premier League. If the Reds play like they have been, they should walk away with three points.