MLS Thread: Enter Zlatan

[Pouchkine]

Why the **** does the best team in league history have to play a home leg on a weeknight? That game last night should've been tomorrow. In addition, playing the second leg at home is not an advantage.

Since the start of home-away playoffs in mls the results are 50/50 so the home field advantage is gone with this format.

 

[sabremike]

Mexico was the only place that came up with a sane 2 leg league playoff (so of course they got rid of it): if the score was level on aggregate the higher seed was given the tiebreaker and would advance.

 

[Pouchkine]

One game at home for the higher seed it's too simple and coherent for the league it seems.

 

[c9777666]

The best team in the league history??? How many championships lately?

SKC did win the MLS Cup a few years back

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Mexico was the only place that came up with a sane 2 leg league playoff (so of course they got rid of it): if the score was level on aggregate the higher seed was given the tiebreaker and would advance.

THIS is how it should be done.

 

[Pouchkine]

This is stupid. Just make it one game. A real home field advantage and $ advantage for the team that finished higher, thus the regular season (34 games) means something as well.

Finishing December 8th is way too late, should finish mid november before the international break.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

MLS really need to ask themselves how they can rejuvenate older teams and make them close to what Atlanta United is.

 

[Basement Cat]

MLS really need to ask themselves how they can rejuvenate older teams and make them close to what Atlanta United is.

If every team spent $40MM plus on transfers in 2 seasons, the league would be in amazing shape. I don't think it's feasible.

 

[Pouchkine]

Atlanta didn't win last year and will be missing their coach and probably at least 1 of their top player next year.
How about Portland in the final again?

 

[Basement Cat]

Atlanta didn't win last year and will be missing their coach and probably at least 1 of their top player next year.
How about Portland in the final again?

And if they replace Tata with GBS (as rumored, or another good manager) and Almiron with Pity then they won't miss a beat.

 

[Pouchkine]

What about Toronto FC? People thought they would be a dynasty...What about LAFC and the Galaxy this year?

What will happen in the coming years is a couple of very bad teams who can't compete, but I don't see a real dominant team or only a few teams dominating in the near future like we see in some top European leagues.

Portland winning saturday wouldn't surprise me that much.

 

[Viqsi]

Meanwhile, candidates for Berhalter's replacement over here include Caleb Porter and Josh Wolff:
Crew SC interview Caleb Porter, Josh Wolff for new head coach, look for general manager

 

[Pouchkine]

To be very honest I'm a little worried about the refereeing for saturday, sure we are use to bizarre stuff in this league, but I really feel 70k+ and really the league wanting Atlanta to win so much might result in some unfair refereeing. We know who is the ref?

 

[robertmac43]

We know who is the ref?

I believe I read somewhere that it was Alan Kelly who did the 2016 finals in Toronto.

 

[Pouchkine]

It could have been worse, this one likes to talk a lot and slow the play down but doesn't punish the tough fouls and professional fouls often enough, might be good for Portland...

 

[Vamos Rafa]

2018 NYRB would've been the best MLS team ever but they just lost. For now, that title still belongs to the 2011 LAG

 

[Gecklund]

Meanwhile, candidates for Berhalter's replacement over here include Caleb Porter and Josh Wolff:
Crew SC interview Caleb Porter, Josh Wolff for new head coach, look for general manager

Just read that Arena is another candidate.

 

[Viqsi]

Just read that Arena is another candidate.

He's a candidate for the GM position, not the coaching position. They're being split.

And in other Arena news...
Plans announced for a new Crew SC stadium

The location is pretty much where everyone always expected it would go; that open area right near Huntington Park and Nationwide Arena.

 

[Gecklund]

He's a candidate for the GM position, not the coaching position. They're being split.

Ah thought it was the other way around with him being coach not GM

 

[hatterson]

2018 NYRB would've been the best MLS team ever but they just lost. For now, that title still belongs to the 2011 LAG

I'd lean towards the team that had more points, more wins, nearly double the goal difference, and won the same hardware compared to 2011 LAG.

 

[Pouchkine]

2018 NYRB would've been the best MLS team ever but they just lost. For now, that title still belongs to the 2011 LAG

Regular season means nothing at the end of the day if you don't win in the playoffs, that's the same in NBA NHL NFL MLB...

 

[Pouchkine]

Is there good coverage in the media for the MLS CUP Final where you are? Here in Montreal TVASPORTS the network that has the rights to the Impact games and MLS has surprisingly decent coverage but almost nothing elsewhere in the papers and other tv networks.

 

[Pilky01]

Hyped for tomorrow night. Rooting for Portland. Can't have Atlanta tying Toronto's record 2017 season (though technically they can't anyway, no treble, )

edit: Whoops, hyped for Saturday night. Smash hype has me all discombobulated.

 

[Gecklund]

Is there good coverage in the media for the MLS CUP Final where you are? Here in Montreal TVASPORTS the network that has the rights to the Impact games and MLS has surprisingly decent coverage but almost nothing elsewhere in the papers and other tv networks.

In Sacramento, there’s very little at all. That’s pretty typical though. Even when it was looking like they were getting an MLS team there was nothing.

 

[Viqsi]

Is there good coverage in the media for the MLS CUP Final where you are? Here in Montreal TVASPORTS the network that has the rights to the Impact games and MLS has surprisingly decent coverage but almost nothing elsewhere in the papers and other tv networks.

Not as much, mostly because around here the impending Crew SC sale and arena planning and related stuff, the hiring away of Berhalter, and the transfer of Steffen have been bigger stories.