Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
For reals.DC has a team? interesting.I just crunched some numbers and I now know who actually won in this whole CBA/no strike thing. I did! Turns out I'm going to the DC United season opener tomorrow!
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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ramsay Hunt Experience
- Start date
shader
Footballguy
Well I guess I'm going to give the MLS a try. Seems weird to watch a league that is not one of the top 5 in the world, but if US money ever really gets behind it, the MLS will explode.
Anyway, any ideas for a young and exciting team in the MLS? I've thought of the Galaxy because Gerrard is going there, but I don't know how long his legs are going to hold up and I'm not anywhere near LA.
I guess Columbus is the closest team to Nashville, but I'm not going to be a big fan of a team from Ohio.
Orlando? I don't want to suffer through an expansion team.
I guess I'll just watch some games and wait to find a team that jumps out at me. The one big advantage to watching the MLS is that it's on at night, so I should be able to catch more games.
Anyway, any ideas for a young and exciting team in the MLS? I've thought of the Galaxy because Gerrard is going there, but I don't know how long his legs are going to hold up and I'm not anywhere near LA.
I guess Columbus is the closest team to Nashville, but I'm not going to be a big fan of a team from Ohio.
Orlando? I don't want to suffer through an expansion team.
I guess I'll just watch some games and wait to find a team that jumps out at me. The one big advantage to watching the MLS is that it's on at night, so I should be able to catch more games.
Sebowski
Footballguy
Do you ever go to games? I'm going to be in one of the supporter's sections 127. So not the best seats.For reals.DC has a team? interesting.I just crunched some numbers and I now know who actually won in this whole CBA/no strike thing. I did! Turns out I'm going to the DC United season opener tomorrow!
Txns8
Footballguy
Don't think expansion in MLS equates to 5+ years of NFL/MLB/NBA suffering. The Designated Player rule changes the landscape imo. Orlando may be a mid-pack team with a shot at the playoffs this year.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
I used to have season tickets -- from like 97-00, but haven't been to a game in a long time. Supporter's section is fun and those seats are fine, but I was always happy to be near and not in that scene. We sat behind those sections -- right on the first-row rail in 232.Do you ever go to games? I'm going to be in one of the supporter's sections 127. So not the best seats.For reals.DC has a team? interesting.I just crunched some numbers and I now know who actually won in this whole CBA/no strike thing. I did! Turns out I'm going to the DC United season opener tomorrow!
CGRdrJoe
Footballguy
CGRdrJoe
Footballguy
Choose the sap option and it comes in English. Ironically on directtv you have to choose Spanish I believe for the english version
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I really like how Orlando put their team together and from everything I read, Kaka has came in top shape and has played very well in the preseason.
They could be a very fun dark horse team to follow this year. Then again they could fall apart.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I love you for T&T, Paul. But as a color guy, you have me reaching to switch back to the Spanish feed.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Shader, there are many reasons to watch MLS, but world class soccer is not one of them
. Forget top 5, it might not even be a top 20 league.As for who to follow with no local team that is a tough call. Do you follow any international teams? I don't have any ties to Euro teams so I tend to follow teams with US players on them.
I would recommend watching some games on Sunday, the Orlando NYCFC game and the Seattle NE game.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
For someone who seems to have bought into the supporter's culture at Liverpool so much, Seattle seems like a decent fit for Shader.
But as always, my advice is always to watch and wait for a team to grab you.
But as always, my advice is always to watch and wait for a team to grab you.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
bentley
Footballguy
I followed the same path originally as a Liverpool fan but I can't get past that awful field. Currently unattached.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
It is amazing how much that field ruins the game. It is not just that it is a turf field, it is that it is such a crappy turf field. There are other turf fields in MLS that are no where near that bad.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Oh strange. It would not work on Unimas but it works fine on UDN.
I do wish I could understand Spanish more. I love the general flow of how they call a game.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Zardes is so raw but he is fun to watch. His energy level is so high.
Ted Lange as your Bartender
Footballguy
Same boat here. Have to choose between HD Spanish (Unimas) or SD English (UDN).
Been leaning Spanish in the 1st half
Ted Lange as your Bartender
Footballguy
Oh Gyasi...
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Here is Soccer America's initial power rankings. What a nice looking top team!!
=====================================================
Our first edition of the MLS Power Rankings is based somewhat on last seasons performance, with notable departures and arrivals weighted appropriately. Also factored in are players currently injured and those expected to arrive in midseason.
1. NEW ENGLAND. An agonizing loss to the Galaxy in the MLS Cup final will only increase the Revs ambition to win their first league title. An already potent attack has added Juan Agudelo, and Jermaine Jones and Lee Nguyen could be even better this year.
2. SEATTLE. There are no notable losses except for DeAndre Yedlin and any team with Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey up top should win a lot of games. The best team during the 2014 regular season last year looks tough again.
3. LOS ANGELES. The losses of Marcelo Sarvas and Landon Donovan tug the defending champion off the top spot. Once Steven Gerrard arrives and gets to know MVP Robbie Keane, look out.
4. FC DALLAS. The players quickly bought into the teachings of Oscar Pareja in his first season as head coach and theres a good mix of youth (Tesho Akindele, Kellyn Acosta, Mauro Diaz) and experience (Blas Perez, Michel, Dan Kennedy). Captain Matt Hedges, 24, and Fabian Castillo, 22, have both.
5. VANCOUVER. Newcomer of the Year Pedro Morales (10 goals, 12 assists) and uber-defender Kendall Waston are just two reasons Caps fans cant wait for the second season under head coach Carl Robinson to get underway. In preseason, Uruguayan striker Octavio Rivero showed his scoring mojo.
6. COLUMBUS. Forward Kei Kamara comes back to MLS at 30 with 52 league goals on his ledger and joins a solid core of Steve Clark, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Justin Meram, Michael Parkhurst, Tony Tchani and Wil Trapp. Like Robinson, head coach Gregg Berhalter is embarking on his second MLS season.
7. D.C. UNITED. Coach of the Year Ben Olsen has signed Finnish midfielder Markus Halsti to bolster the middle and ex-Crew SC forward Jairo Arrieta to add punch up front, and also drafted winger Miguel Aguilar. The defending Eastern Conference champion has to show that last years 43-point turnaround isnt a one-off.
8. REAL SALT LAKE. Coming back after a two-year absence is centerback Jamison Olave, and a shift from RSLs traditional diamond 4-4-2 formation will showcase the skills of newcomer Pecka. In its second season under head coach Jeff Cassar, RSL retains Javier Morales, Alvaro Saborio, Joao Plata, Kyle Beckerman, and iconic keeper Nick Rimando.
9. SPORTING KANSAS CITY. . Offseason rebuilding hit snags when James Marcelin and Jorge Claros were cut loose but the newbies include Canadian international Marcel De Jong, Chilean keeper Luis Marin, Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth and ex-Crew SC winger Bernardo Anor. The return of Roger Espinoza could be a vital midfield upgrade.
10. ORLANDO CITY. Brazilian attacker Kaka is one of the leagues top signings in recent years yet OCSC also features intriguing acquisitions such as converted left back Brek Shea, defender Aurelien Collin, midfielder Amobi Okugo and forward Bryan Rochez. MLS waited a long time to return to Florida and just may have nailed this one.
11. NEW YORK CITY FC. With the Frank Lampard soap opera on hiatus until July, NYCFC can generate a lot of goodwill by unleashing David Villa and Mix Diskerud effectively. The RSL core of head coach Jason Kreis, defender Chris Wingert and midfielder Ned Grabavoy will ensure the proper work ethic and while few of the MLS veterans on the roster are big names, Kreis track record is indisputable.
12. HOUSTON. . Forward Erick Cubo Torres is a big catch, of course, but if the Dynamo is laden with losses by the time he arrives, the season could slip away. Fortunately, head coach Owen Coyle -- sharp enough to snag Stuart Holden several years ago while coaching in the Premier League -- has technical director Matt Jordan to help him revamp the squad.
13. PORTLAND. The Timbers start the season with Will Johnson and Diego Valeri recovering from 2014 injuries, and Ben Zemanski sidelined by an ACL tear suffered two weeks ago. Ex-RSL defender Nat Borchers heads a fleet of significant signings that includes livewire attacker Dairon Asprilla.
14. TORONTO FC. TFC has rolled the dice again by swapping Jozy Altidore for Jermain Defoe and importing Italian orchestrator Sebastian Giovinco as well as French midfielder Benoit Cheyrou. Can TFC finally hit the right notes or will the song remain the same?
15. NEW YORK. The Red Bulls ushered head coach Mike Petke out the door, leaving Jesse Marsch without Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill, and Jamison Olave. He does have Sacha Kljestan and a talented player he coached in Montreal, Felipe Martins, as well as 27-goal bombardier Bradley Wright-Phillips and midfield fulcrum Dax McCarty.
16. MONTREAL. Yet another coach in his second season at the helm of his current team, Frank Klopas, is trying to recover from a six-win season and the losses of Marco Di Vaio and Matteo Ferrari. Belgian centerback Laurent Ciman played impressively against Pachuca in the Concacaf Champions League and in just six games last year Ignacio Piatti gave Impact fans plenty of hope by scoring four goals.
17. PHILADELPHIA. Homegrown head coach Jim Curtin sets off on his first full season with a few new pieces to work with: defender Steven Vitoria and forwards C.J. Sapong and Fernando Aristeguieta among them. But what the Union needs desperately are consistent displays from Maurice Edu and Sebastien Le Toux and other veterans who were hit-and-miss in 2014.
18. SAN JOSE. The brand-new Avaya Stadium and return of head coach Dominic Kinnear has boosted spirits in Silicon Valley after a season that included a 15-game winless streak and fell far short of the playoffs. Kinnear has culled league veterans from several teams to lessen dependence on Chris Wondolowski (14 goals last year) and playmaker Matias Perez Garcia (limited by injury to just six games).
19. COLORADO. Injuries decimated the Rapids last year as former U.S. international Pablo Mastroeni started his coaching career in the deep end. Ex-Galaxy midfielder Marcelo Sarvas is a nice pickup and a return to health of centerback Drew Moor can bring some badly needed stability. Yet much of the roster is the same as the one that barely qualified for the playoffs in 2013 under a different head coach.
20. CHICAGO. The Fire maxed out on DPs during the offseason by signing forwards David Accam and Kennedy Igboananike and midfielder Shaun Maloney. It is still waiting for Mike Magee to recover from hip surgery performed last September, and will rely heavily on Jeff Larentowicz, Quincy Amarikwa, Sean Johnson and another addition, Brazilian centerback Adailton.
=====================================================
Our first edition of the MLS Power Rankings is based somewhat on last seasons performance, with notable departures and arrivals weighted appropriately. Also factored in are players currently injured and those expected to arrive in midseason.
1. NEW ENGLAND. An agonizing loss to the Galaxy in the MLS Cup final will only increase the Revs ambition to win their first league title. An already potent attack has added Juan Agudelo, and Jermaine Jones and Lee Nguyen could be even better this year.
2. SEATTLE. There are no notable losses except for DeAndre Yedlin and any team with Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey up top should win a lot of games. The best team during the 2014 regular season last year looks tough again.
3. LOS ANGELES. The losses of Marcelo Sarvas and Landon Donovan tug the defending champion off the top spot. Once Steven Gerrard arrives and gets to know MVP Robbie Keane, look out.
4. FC DALLAS. The players quickly bought into the teachings of Oscar Pareja in his first season as head coach and theres a good mix of youth (Tesho Akindele, Kellyn Acosta, Mauro Diaz) and experience (Blas Perez, Michel, Dan Kennedy). Captain Matt Hedges, 24, and Fabian Castillo, 22, have both.
5. VANCOUVER. Newcomer of the Year Pedro Morales (10 goals, 12 assists) and uber-defender Kendall Waston are just two reasons Caps fans cant wait for the second season under head coach Carl Robinson to get underway. In preseason, Uruguayan striker Octavio Rivero showed his scoring mojo.
6. COLUMBUS. Forward Kei Kamara comes back to MLS at 30 with 52 league goals on his ledger and joins a solid core of Steve Clark, Ethan Finlay, Waylon Francis, Justin Meram, Michael Parkhurst, Tony Tchani and Wil Trapp. Like Robinson, head coach Gregg Berhalter is embarking on his second MLS season.
7. D.C. UNITED. Coach of the Year Ben Olsen has signed Finnish midfielder Markus Halsti to bolster the middle and ex-Crew SC forward Jairo Arrieta to add punch up front, and also drafted winger Miguel Aguilar. The defending Eastern Conference champion has to show that last years 43-point turnaround isnt a one-off.
8. REAL SALT LAKE. Coming back after a two-year absence is centerback Jamison Olave, and a shift from RSLs traditional diamond 4-4-2 formation will showcase the skills of newcomer Pecka. In its second season under head coach Jeff Cassar, RSL retains Javier Morales, Alvaro Saborio, Joao Plata, Kyle Beckerman, and iconic keeper Nick Rimando.
9. SPORTING KANSAS CITY. . Offseason rebuilding hit snags when James Marcelin and Jorge Claros were cut loose but the newbies include Canadian international Marcel De Jong, Chilean keeper Luis Marin, Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth and ex-Crew SC winger Bernardo Anor. The return of Roger Espinoza could be a vital midfield upgrade.
10. ORLANDO CITY. Brazilian attacker Kaka is one of the leagues top signings in recent years yet OCSC also features intriguing acquisitions such as converted left back Brek Shea, defender Aurelien Collin, midfielder Amobi Okugo and forward Bryan Rochez. MLS waited a long time to return to Florida and just may have nailed this one.
11. NEW YORK CITY FC. With the Frank Lampard soap opera on hiatus until July, NYCFC can generate a lot of goodwill by unleashing David Villa and Mix Diskerud effectively. The RSL core of head coach Jason Kreis, defender Chris Wingert and midfielder Ned Grabavoy will ensure the proper work ethic and while few of the MLS veterans on the roster are big names, Kreis track record is indisputable.
12. HOUSTON. . Forward Erick Cubo Torres is a big catch, of course, but if the Dynamo is laden with losses by the time he arrives, the season could slip away. Fortunately, head coach Owen Coyle -- sharp enough to snag Stuart Holden several years ago while coaching in the Premier League -- has technical director Matt Jordan to help him revamp the squad.
13. PORTLAND. The Timbers start the season with Will Johnson and Diego Valeri recovering from 2014 injuries, and Ben Zemanski sidelined by an ACL tear suffered two weeks ago. Ex-RSL defender Nat Borchers heads a fleet of significant signings that includes livewire attacker Dairon Asprilla.
14. TORONTO FC. TFC has rolled the dice again by swapping Jozy Altidore for Jermain Defoe and importing Italian orchestrator Sebastian Giovinco as well as French midfielder Benoit Cheyrou. Can TFC finally hit the right notes or will the song remain the same?
15. NEW YORK. The Red Bulls ushered head coach Mike Petke out the door, leaving Jesse Marsch without Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill, and Jamison Olave. He does have Sacha Kljestan and a talented player he coached in Montreal, Felipe Martins, as well as 27-goal bombardier Bradley Wright-Phillips and midfield fulcrum Dax McCarty.
16. MONTREAL. Yet another coach in his second season at the helm of his current team, Frank Klopas, is trying to recover from a six-win season and the losses of Marco Di Vaio and Matteo Ferrari. Belgian centerback Laurent Ciman played impressively against Pachuca in the Concacaf Champions League and in just six games last year Ignacio Piatti gave Impact fans plenty of hope by scoring four goals.
17. PHILADELPHIA. Homegrown head coach Jim Curtin sets off on his first full season with a few new pieces to work with: defender Steven Vitoria and forwards C.J. Sapong and Fernando Aristeguieta among them. But what the Union needs desperately are consistent displays from Maurice Edu and Sebastien Le Toux and other veterans who were hit-and-miss in 2014.
18. SAN JOSE. The brand-new Avaya Stadium and return of head coach Dominic Kinnear has boosted spirits in Silicon Valley after a season that included a 15-game winless streak and fell far short of the playoffs. Kinnear has culled league veterans from several teams to lessen dependence on Chris Wondolowski (14 goals last year) and playmaker Matias Perez Garcia (limited by injury to just six games).
19. COLORADO. Injuries decimated the Rapids last year as former U.S. international Pablo Mastroeni started his coaching career in the deep end. Ex-Galaxy midfielder Marcelo Sarvas is a nice pickup and a return to health of centerback Drew Moor can bring some badly needed stability. Yet much of the roster is the same as the one that barely qualified for the playoffs in 2013 under a different head coach.
20. CHICAGO. The Fire maxed out on DPs during the offseason by signing forwards David Accam and Kennedy Igboananike and midfielder Shaun Maloney. It is still waiting for Mike Magee to recover from hip surgery performed last September, and will rely heavily on Jeff Larentowicz, Quincy Amarikwa, Sean Johnson and another addition, Brazilian centerback Adailton.
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Ted Lange as your Bartender
Footballguy
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Boy LA looks sharp.
I don't know how Keane doesn't have an aneurism every game
I don't know how Keane doesn't have an aneurism every game
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Toronto has that extra train wreck appeal. Will this finally be the year the spend a ton of money and actually make the playoffs?
The 9 game road trip to start the season is not going to make things easier.
Good Posting Judge
Footballguy
I Googled this Seattle blog that says the MLS currently ranks 12th. Looks about right: http://www.sounderatheart.com/2014/6/5/5782894/mls-gains-ground-in-league-rankingsShader, there are many reasons to watch MLS, but world class soccer is not one of them
As for who to follow with no local team that is a tough call. Do you follow any international teams? I don't have any ties to Euro teams so I tend to follow teams with US players on them.
I would recommend watching some games on Sunday, the Orlando NYCFC game and the Seattle NE game.
Can only Egyptians play in Egypt's domestic league?
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
That blog, imo, is incomplete because it only considers the top divisions.I Googled this Seattle blog that says the MLS currently ranks 12th. Looks about right: http://www.sounderatheart.com/2014/6/5/5782894/mls-gains-ground-in-league-rankingsShader, there are many reasons to watch MLS, but world class soccer is not one of them
As for who to follow with no local team that is a tough call. Do you follow any international teams? I don't have any ties to Euro teams so I tend to follow teams with US players on them.
I would recommend watching some games on Sunday, the Orlando NYCFC game and the Seattle NE game.
Can only Egyptians play in Egypt's domestic league?
For example The English Championship and Bundesliga 2 are two very strong leagues, both of which are, at worst, on par with MLS imo.
Also, knowing how well Argentine players have played in MLS makes me really think the Argentine league is in reality well above MLS. I would think the same for Brazil which is starting to retain some talent and bring in some from abroad for the first time in a long time.
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CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Fear not grasshopper, in time you will learn to appreciate the class and elegance of football at its highest level.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Oddschecker has MLS winner odds up this year. And once you back out the incredible 46% vig (which I read as the odds makers m saying that there's a lot of randomness in MLS, but hey we'll take your bet), here's what's left:
Code:
LA Galaxy 17.2%Seattle Sounders 11.4%New England Revolution 9.8%DC United 7.6%New York Red Bulls 6.2%Real Salt Lake 6.2%Columbus Crew 6.2%Toronto FC 4.6%New York City 4.0%Sporting Kansas City 4.0%FC Dallas 3.6%Orlando City 3.3%Portland Timbers 3.3%Vancouver Whitecaps 2.0%Colorado Rapids 2.0%Philadelphia Union 2.0%Houston Dynamo 1.7%Montreal Impact 1.7%Chicago Fire 1.7%San Jose Earthquakes 1.3%
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Autumn Wind
Footballguy
Time to start the misery train that is another Philadelphia Union season! Got my ticket in hand and I'm reasonably optimistic of a win today.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Those seems pretty reasonable (relative to each other). Keane most certainly looks like his is ready for another great season. If Gerrard can find his feet in MLS (never easy for a summer transfer), they are going to be very tough to beat.
Red Bull looks a little high to me in comparison to some teams. I just can't get past the feeling that losing Henry is going to have such a big impact on that team.
Also interesting that one of the lowest teams, Montreal, is the only MLS team left in the Champions League.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I saw them plowing the field this week there. How do the conditions look for today?
Autumn Wind
Footballguy
Field should be just fine, and it will be close to 40 degrees at kickoff. Only question really is how much they cleared out the already tight parking lot.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I'm pretty sure I've seen U15 teams defend free kicks better than that.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
The other thing to keep in mind about those rankings is that MLS is a fair bit more "average" top to bottom than most leagues -- MLS's worst teams are somewhat better, and the best teams are somewhat worse, relative to the average.
So, even assuming those rankings are right, some of those league below MLS will still have better teams than anything MLS can field IMO.
So, even assuming those rankings are right, some of those league below MLS will still have better teams than anything MLS can field IMO.
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Steve Tasker
Footballguy
I like this comparison, actually. I have no problem watching MLS just like I have no problem watching MAC football or watching San Jose State against Idaho at 2 AM on a Sunday morning. It's a lower qualify of play but it's still the game I love.
