FC Schalke vs Borussia Dortmund: 5 key players in Revierderby
By Josh Sippie
4. Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie has such a peculiar history with the Revierderby. On the one hand, you can tell he is always up for the challenge. He is revved up, ready to go, and determined to single-handedly wreck everyone and everything wearing any colors even remotely resembling black and yellow.
On the other hand, this sometimes leads to rash, reckless decisions that can put him and the club in a bind early. A yellow-carded Weston McKennie is a danger thing to Schalke because Weston McKennie has no dimmer. He has no volume control. He is at 11. If you ask him to turn it down, he turns it down to 11.
Again, this is the double-edged sword of the young American. Get him in his grove, get him in his element, and he will take control. But elbow him out of his sweet spot and you start playing with fire.
I don’t know what to expect out of McKennie in the Derby. I guess first he has to overcome the slight injury that kept him out against Hoffenheim, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, and Weston McKennie has nothing if he doesn’t have a will.
Whatever happens, Omar Mascarell will be there to help with his own sturdy, calming presence. But things could be made a lot easier if McKennie can get himself into the right mindset early on.
Another nervy one coming up at No. 3.