that would be an odd format. I had assumed that one of the reasons fifa would want to grow to 48 teams would be to increase tv and sponsorship revenue that would come from the added games more teams would give.This would be if they went to 48 teams and did 16 3 team groups. With only 2 group games, draws could work mischief.
I believe they are talking a round of 32 game in the knock-out round so you get 16 more.that would be an odd format. I had assumed that one of the reasons fifa would want to grow to 48 teams would be to increase tv and sponsorship revenue that would come from the added games more teams would give.
But I think a 16 group/3 team format leaves them with the identical amount of games they have now at 64.
There is very little perfect in soccer but the 32 team, 8 groups of 4 format is really nice.I believe they are talking a round of 32 game in the knock-out round so you get 16 more.
The entire concept is stupid as the worst team in the group will just play for ties, so it'll come down to goal scored. Nevermind the fact, what the hell do you do when everyone goes 1-1 even with PKs
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/12/09/report-us-national-team-gk-brad-guzan-join-atlanta-united-2017Taylor Twellman @TaylorTwellman 8h8 hours ago
Hearing @bguzan is signing with @ATLUTD for the 2017 @MLS season
This is a confusing, very MLS like, situation.http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/12/09/report-us-national-team-gk-brad-guzan-join-atlanta-united-2017
I like the signing a lot. He's 32 so has a lot of years left in him if he wants and he stays in form. I'm really getting excited about the team they are putting together.
NAILED ITwhat a save by the Sounders keeper!
eta: is this the right thread![]()
lol, now sources are saying Atlanta already has a trade for Johnson in place but can't announce it yet due to the roster freezes. But they are also actively negotiating with Guzan. If they sign Guzan, Atl is expected to trade Johnson to NYCFCThis is a confusing, very MLS like, situation.
Guzan is from Chicago and supposedly wants to play there.
Chicago and Atlanta have already been linked with a trade of Sean Johnson, which many have assumed was to clear space for Chicago to sign Guzan.
Now out of the blue Guzan is linked directly to Atlanta.
This has the distinct smell of the teams trying to get around some strange rights rules in MLS in terms of who can sign which player.
While anything is possible, do not be shocked if Atlanta signs Guzan for the specfic reason to trade him to Chicago for Johnson.
Either way, Atlanta is going to get a decent keeper.
My thoughts exactly. To catch it as cleanly as he did from that far out and hit it in on the fly - just awesome. I love this sport.whoa.
we've all seen the goals from their own half shots... but on a full volley like that from a clearance? amazing.
re: gall.. it was stoppage time, up a goal with the gk clearly far away from goal... so failure (short of a complete shank) just meant hoofing it downfield to help kill time- not a bad option.The gall required, along with the technique & skill....mindblown.
He's no Claudio Reyna :(whoa.
we've all seen the goals from their own half shots... but on a full volley like that from a clearance? amazing.
egads! Context truly is everything...re: gall.. it was stoppage time, up a goal with the gk clearly far away from goal... so failure (short of a complete shank) just meant hoofing it downfield to help kill time- not a bad option.
but yeah- the whole thing is pretty stunning- so cleanly struck. not just hoofed downfield, but shot on target.
They did. Everyone is just playing for funsies now.Wait, I thought Liverpool won the league in November?
sorry gb- really didn't mean to minimize that goal or your comments, which is how it came across.egads! Context truly is everything...
*plus, I meant to say Gaul, because it's pretty obvious that fellah is a descendant of Charlemagne, Mr. Smarty-pants.
Plus soooo much schadenfreude.Liverpool is the most consistently entertaining team for neutrals. For at least 3 seasons running now they've been so much fun to watch. Constant attack, crap at the back.
I'm pretty sure the goal is always in the same place.meh - the goal is overrated. Simply the right place, right time.
What are you responding to?See guys! The quote box thing is a feature, not a bug!
I took the Liverpool quote from the gameday thread and moved it here for further discussion. Feature!What are you responding to?
Should have moved it to the test forumI took the Liverpool quote from the gameday thread and moved it here for further discussion. Feature!
It's insane. Is it overselling it to say it's one of the most technically difficult goals I've ever seen or is there really too much luck involved in it? I seriously can't decide.whoa.
we've all seen the goals from their own half shots... but on a full volley like that from a clearance? amazing.
Nice.so Atlanta traded Sean Johnson traded to NYCFC which should open up the path to sign Guzan.
One thing I missed was that Atlanta's first two dp's are both using the "young dp" category which is going to give the team the cap room to squeeze in another vet or two.
Guzan supposedly will not take up a designated player slot.
I'm not entirely sure why NYCFC did this since I thought Johansen was perfectly fine at the end of the year, but at least he's relatively cheap. In any case, the expansion lists should be coming out later today.so Atlanta traded Sean Johnson traded to NYCFC which should open up the path to sign Guzan.
One thing I missed was that Atlanta's first two dp's are both using the "young dp" category which is going to give the team the cap room to squeeze in another vet or two.
Guzan supposedly will not take up a designated player slot.
I'm not entirely sure why NYCFC did this since I thought Johansen was perfectly fine at the end of the year, but at least he's relatively cheap. In any case, the expansion lists should be coming out later today.
tough to say, re: luck. all these guys have the skills to strike a ball cleanly... and he was clearly trying to do what he did- so not lucky in that regard. but the question is how many times out of 100 would he be able to do it as perfectly as that? 1? I could see hitting it on target 1-10 or more- but maybe not with the right venom.It's insane. Is it overselling it to say it's one of the most technically difficult goals I've ever seen or is there really too much luck involved in it? I seriously can't decide.
Saunders was pedestrian (maybe worse). Besides for the Toronto debacle (which I gave up on at some point, so I don't know how he contribute to any of the goals), I thought Johansen was perfectly fine as shot stopper. Dude is huge and generally seemed to know how to use his size.the games I watched, I thought they needed an upgrade at GK. first guy (busch?) was the paradigm of mls journey-man; not going to win you m/any games, won't #### up too many. they need somebody to step up and win some games for them at that position. or they need to use some of the Lamps money to get somebody in the back.
eta: didn't see Johansen do much more, tbh. and letting in 842 goals in the playoffs to TFC didn't help tint my glasses.
oof. mix.Saunders was pedestrian (maybe worse). Besides for the Toronto debacle (which I gave up on at some point, so I don't know how he contribute to any of the goals), I thought Johansen was perfectly fine as shot stopper. Dude is huge and generally seemed to know how to use his size.
But frankly, 250K for an American GK is perfectly fine as well. Net-net I don't really care since he seems like an upgrade and I really don't care if they can offload Mix somehow.
He's a max player without being a DP, so I think $450K or so against the 3.6 million dollar cap (with the 3 DPs and him you were looking at half the cap). The keepers last year we making less combine than Johnson's 250K, so my guess is they are expecting to offload Mix somehow.oof. mix.
finnish 4th division, must have some takers?
I really try not to take the time to understand MLS salary structures... but how does Mix affect NYC? I assume he's got a big salary- in what area does that count?
so his number could/should bring in quality in the back... if they can unload him.He's a max player without being a DP, so I think $450K or so against the 3.6 million dollar cap (with the 3 DPs and him you were looking at half the cap). The keepers last year we making less combine than Johnson's 250K, so my guess is they are expecting to offload Mix somehow.
They are also going to sell Mataritta at some point to Europe so they'll get 650K in general allocation money that way, though I'm not really sure what that's good for besides saying that some GAM went to Atlanta in the trade.
I think the more pressing concern is they need a good DM to pair with Pirlo especially if Mataritta is gone and they revert to something like a 4-2-3-1. Chanot/Brilliant don't figure to be going anywhere and need help especially with Pirlo in front of them.so his number could/should bring in quality in the back... if they can unload him.
btw- I saw something linking jermany to the Gals. would be a scary good fit, IMO.
Bayern doesn't make love. They ****, hard.@DDluvsSRT: ? Bayern and Arsenal - still a better #### story than Fifty Shades ?? #UCLdraw
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