MLS Thread: 2019 Edition

[Cassano]

Won’t light up the league even if he’s healthy.

Maybe, considering he hasn't really played for 2 years I can see that. But he has a nose for goal that may help him adapt quickly.

 

[Gecklund]

Maybe, considering he hasn't really played for 2 years I can see that. But he has a nose for goal that may help him adapt quickly.

He also will be the only offensive player on a very defensive team. RSL is the Burnley of MLS.

 

[Gecklund]

Another game, another goal from a guy that should have been sent off. f*** CONCACAF. I think this is the single most inconsistent ref I’ve ever seen. Absolute garbage.

 

[Gecklund]

There ya go. Seattle get Concacafed

 

[kingsboy11]

I don't think I'll ever understand this league. LAFC looks dead in the water in their first leg and turn it around. Seattle gets 2 away goals and then gets concacafed.

 

[Elvis P]

Clemson signee picks MLS over kicking for Dabo

 

[Pouchkine]

Amazing comeback by LAFC and Seattle the complete joke going out like this as MLS Champions to a team from Honduras...
Knockout Rounds are so much more interesting than group stages just like in CL-Europa.

 

[Gecklund]

Amazing comeback by LAFC and Seattle the complete joke going out like this as MLS Champions to a team from Honduras...
Knockout Rounds are so much more interesting than group stages just like in CL-Europa.

3 out of the 4 goals that Olimpia scored were from players that shouldn’t be on the field. Saying that it’s anything other than the ref is just ignorance.

 

[robertmac43]

3 out of the 4 goals that Olimpia scored were from players that shouldn’t be on the field. Saying that it’s anything other than the ref is just ignorance.

The quality between the two sides should be enough to overcome the bad reffing. I said it earlier but Forge beat Olimpia last year 1-0... Seattle should have had no problem with them.

 

[Gecklund]

The quality between the two sides should be enough to overcome the bad reffing. I said it earlier but Forge beat Olimpia last year 1-0... Seattle should have had no problem with them.

Again, Olimpia should have had two players sent off on easy red cards and multiple others on persistent infringement. Seattle has the smallest of touches on the players and it’s an immediate yellow.

 

[Terry Yake]

boy did lafc get lucky. they should've lost by 4 or 5 goals the first game

 

[kingsboy11]

 

[robertmac43]

Again, Olimpia should have had two players sent off on easy red cards and multiple others on persistent infringement. Seattle has the smallest of touches on the players and it’s an immediate yellow.

The reffing was shotty, I won't argue that. I just don't it should have ever been as close as it was to begin with.

 

[Gecklund]

The reffing was shotty, I won't argue that. I just don't it should have ever been as close as it was to begin with.

If the reffing was anywhere close to decent or even if VAR was in place, Sounders would have won at least 5-1 on aggregate.

The Sounders should be a great team this season though. They’re much deeper than people realize. As long as injuries aren’t horrible this season, they have a huge chance to win it all again. My only real concern is the Arreaga-Yeimar pairing. They looked good in the first league but it does look like there might be some growing pains from them. Hopefully having Svensson in will help with that.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Doesn't even look that bad. Don't care about the markings, what's most important are the divots you often get from football, and there doesn't look to be many.

 

[KingLB]

After angering MTL fans by picking them to do poorly last year, I am back to do it again!

West
Seattle (only cause they were nice enough to choke away CCL)
LAFC (cause they could go deep in CCL)
FCD (always root for youth movements)
Minny (how much can they fill in for the loss of Darwin?)
Portland (solid, thats about it for me)
Gals (will spend the money needed, Cheech/Pavon should get them enough goals)
RSL (somebody else has to make it?)

Hou (I never rate, maybe they finally make me look bad? Doubt it)
SKC (can they bounce back? Still don't see a backline)
SJ (like coach, rest of org is USL level)
Col (see above Minus coach)
Van (cause really they seem to have just given up after the first year in the league)
Nash (decided to go the Cincy/Minny route when joining, aka don't spend shit, hope MLS scraps can win you games? Enjoy getting crushed and firing your poor coach)

East
ATL (got the horses, unless they sell off during the summer)
NYC (like what they have up front, American youth in the back, I am a fan, minus the shit stadium)
TFC (decent well balanced team, could sneak up depending on how long top 2 stay in CCL)
Union (played decent last year, really next 3 spots are interchangeable to me)
DC (losing Arriola will hurt, hoping to see some of Nyeman this year, supposed to be top American of his year)
Miami (like that they have invested in their team, should be interesting, maybe a big summer signing to carry them at end of season?)
Crew (decent team)

NE (Bruce could put them above the Crew, I am 50/50, to bad org is shit and would rather spend on the Patriots)
NYRB (every year their roster looks brutal, they still get results? Sold 3/4ths their backline, still could sell best CB this summer)
MTL (mostly cause they aren't as sad as the other teams, Henry would be a good story)
Chi (finally back in Chicago...thats something I guess)
Orl (cause yea, I got nothing)
Cincy (one of the worst teams ever last year, made slight improvements? But just had to fire their coach week before season starts, recipe for success)

 

[Gecklund]

I got

Seattle
LAFC
Galaxy
Portland
Dallas
SJ

SKC
Houston
Minnesota
Nashville
Colorado
Vancouver


NYCFC
Philadelphia
Toronto
Columbus
Atlanta
Miami

NYRB
New England
Chicago
Montreal
Orlando
Cincy

 

[robertmac43]

MTL (mostly cause they aren't as sad as the other teams, Henry would be a good story)

They are going to seriously struggle to score this year imo.

 

[Gecklund]

They are going to seriously struggle to score this year imo.

I don’t think they really plan on how to build their team. I think they basically just say hey I like this player let’s buy him even though we are 4 deep at that position.

 

[robertmac43]

I don’t think they really plan on how to build their team. I think they basically just say hey I like this player let’s buy him even though we are 4 deep at that position.

Agreed and its been consistent with whom ever is at the helm in terms of manager. No vision in the upper-offices it seems.

 

[kingsboy11]

I'll my thoughts on the 2 LA teams and how they'll do.

LAFC:
Will have another strong season. I'm not sure they will run away with the league like they did last year. They made a couple of additions, but nothing that I would say takes them to the next level. They lost Tyler Miller and Walker Zimmerman and replaced them with Kenneth Veermer and replaced Zimmerman from within with Triston Blackmon. Personally I think that was a big mistake. I understand wit Zimmerman I think Nashville made them an offer they couldn't refuse, but he was a rock on defense and I think their depth will tested. Veermer maybe an upgrade over Miller, but you never know with goalkeepers. They added BWP which should be decent up depth up front behind Diomande, but most of the goals come from the wings.

Overall the team is still strong, but we'll see how they do with the added games with CCL and maybe more teams starting to figure them out.

LA Galaxy:
No one can ever replace Zlatan, but Chicharito is a pretty good one though. You can't replace the leadership, the presence, the arrogance and physicality of Zlatan. Chicharito will not score 30 goals and I'd be happy with 15-20, but with Zlatan leaving we'll be able to see how GBS wants the team to play. With Zlatan you always had to play direct because he demanded it. We'll see a different attacking Galaxy team this year. And I'm not exaggerating when I say this, I think Christian Pavon could rival Vela in being the best player in the league.

Moving onto the defense, which has been an issue for several years now, doesn't look a whole lot different. With Skjelvik gone its actually addition by subtraction. My blind, deaf dog could play left back better than he could. Emiliano Insua is a massive upgrade. The Galaxy are linked with Independiente defender Alan Franco which hopefully gets done soon.

Overall I won't say the team is better without Zlatan, but I think we'll see better team play. It might take a bit for the team to take shape with how GBS wants them to play, but I'm optimistic about the season.

 

[Gecklund]

For Seattle, they should be pretty good. Yes they lost some very important players in Brad Smith, Victor Rodriguez, Kim Kee-Hee, and Roman Torres. Nouhou should be a good replacement for Brad Smith. He’s just such an engine that he will get up and down continually. I think there will be growing pains for him this season though. There are definitely times where it seems like his mind is a step behind him. Seattle will combat the loss of VRod and Brad Smith by playing a more possession style. With the addition of Joao Paulo and moving Roldan to the wing, Seattle should be a lot better at holding the ball. There are two huge issues that will happen this season for Seattle. The first is Lodeiro’s health. This team lives and dies by Lodeiro. I would argue he is the MVP of the entire league when you look at the importance to the team. With the addition of Joao Paulo and hopefully a better Joevin Jones, the dependence is definitely less than last year but it’s still definitely there. The other big issue is the backline. It is definitely solid and one of the best in the league on skill alone, but the depth behind the starting group is basically non-existent. You got O’Neill (solid), Jones (good attacker, defensively meh), Rodgers (young guy with skill but very unproven), and Alex Roldan (first year playing RB). I think there’s a strong possibility that the Arreaga-Yeimar pairing will be one of the best in the league, but there’s also a possibility (small in my mind) that this pairing is a disaster. They both play very physical and as seen with Arreaga last season, I think both could be a walking suspension/red card. At some point in the season, I’d expect them to drop Svensson back in Arreaga’s spot, move Roldan to DM, and bringing in Jones, especially against teams where we will have more possession and/or the striker isn’t a big strong guy (example of ideal would be Josef Martinez, Lucas Cavillini, etc, example of wouldn’t work against would be Dio).

 

[Pouchkine]

Agreed and its been consistent with whom ever is at the helm in terms of manager. No vision in the upper-offices it seems.

You are right that's exactly the view fans and media have in Montreal.

 

[Gecklund]

I'll my thoughts on the 2 LA teams and how they'll do.

LAFC:
Will have another strong season. I'm not sure they will run away with the league like they did last year. They made a couple of additions, but nothing that I would say takes them to the next level. They lost Tyler Miller and Walker Zimmerman and replaced them with Kenneth Veermer and replaced Zimmerman from within with Triston Blackmon. Personally I think that was a big mistake. I understand wit Zimmerman I think Nashville made them an offer they couldn't refuse, but he was a rock on defense and I think their depth will tested. Veermer maybe an upgrade over Miller, but you never know with goalkeepers. They added BWP which should be decent up depth up front behind Diomande, but most of the goals come from the wings.

Overall the team is still strong, but we'll see how they do with the added games with CCL and maybe more teams starting to figure them out.

LA Galaxy:
No one can ever replace Zlatan, but Chicharito is a pretty good one though. You can't replace the leadership, the presence, the arrogance and physicality of Zlatan. Chicharito will not score 30 goals and I'd be happy with 15-20, but with Zlatan leaving we'll be able to see how GBS wants the team to play. With Zlatan you always had to play direct because he demanded it. We'll see a different attacking Galaxy team this year. And I'm not exaggerating when I say this, I think Christian Pavon could rival Vela in being the best player in the league.

Moving onto the defense, which has been an issue for several years now, doesn't look a whole lot different. With Skjelvik gone its actually addition by subtraction. My blind, deaf dog could play left back better than he could. Emiliano Insua is a massive upgrade. The Galaxy are linked with Independiente defender Alan Franco which hopefully gets done soon.

Overall I won't say the team is better without Zlatan, but I think we'll see better team play. It might take a bit for the team to take shape with how GBS wants them to play, but I'm optimistic about the season.

This game today will be a good test for Galaxy. They probably should be winning by 2-3 goals today against Houston but Houston also has the pieces to take advantage of that defense.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Minor League Soccer.