2013 MLS Thread, now with 99% less Beckham talk

Surely a state full of Mexicans, Cubans, and Brazilians should have a decent soccer team?

 

Cubans play baseball, Mexicans aren't a notable Florida demographic, and Brazilians aren't either. What Florida has a lot of are old New Yorkers who winter there and rednecks who would sell a child of their own to get a quarterback capable winning the College Football title game for the Gators.

I'll be really surprised if any of the teams really succeed there, but most especially Miami. Unlike Orlando, there ain't no there there in Miami. OCSC at least has a team and a fan base. Miami has Beckham, his wallet, and his kooky handlers.

 

But a sweet name. Come on Miami Vice

 

Season in less then a week, thoughts on your teams? I see a playoff-birth, and a wild card win, anything more would be wonderful.

 

Galaxy made some interesting low key moves that I like. Good salary cap type moves.

Interested to see if Montreal can make a dent or if it's just too soon for them to get their pieces in place.

 

Well, Houston made a hell of a start. 3 goals up within the opening 20 minutes, the first coming with 1:02 on the clock. I like the look of this team, it's pretty young, with a few key experienced heads. Giles Barnes is going to have a big season, he's used to the heat and he's just a bit of class that can make a massive difference at this level. David Horst is a nice addition at the back. I think they've got a great chance of going all the way after making some key improvements but keeping Ricardo Clark fit will be the vital thing.

 

Awesome result for the Dynamo!

For us...Typical Galaxy: dominate the game, fail to get a penalty past Nick Rimando.

 

Draw in Portland, Ill take that every time, even though the late goal was a bit of gut punch.

 

Champions League underway!
Cruz Azul loses to KC.
Tijuana loses to LA.

What else?

 

Rough game down in Mexcio Fitz. Sadly, I think that was the best MLS chance to advance in the CCL

 

Yeah...Bruce Arena has a serious problem with his selection of defenders.

Leonardo is a problem and has been since Bruce first saw him 3 years ago. We've been thankful for his series of season ending injuries, but we just haven't gotten that far yet, and have had to play him in the biggest game of the season already.

And then...there is James Riley. He seems like he'd be helpful, y'know? A veteran...experienced defender, and Bruce loves him so old vets...

Riley and Leonardo were victimized repeatedly in the first half hour in what looks to be a microcosm of the rest of the season.

Tune in tomorrow to find out if Arena learned any lessons in the first two losses...

 

down 2-0 at half, no amount of cheap beer is making this game any better

 

:tumbleweed:

 

Watching Houston in San Jose right now, and found myself laughing at the bald-headed CB for San Jose constantly hitting aimless chip passes down the line in a Jordan Stewart-esq manner. I didn't realize it was actually him, reborn into a central defensive role.

That's one thing I love about MLS, the opportunity to find yourself constantly surprised at who you'll find lining up for the opposition. So often I'll watch a game and come across some random who I previously loved on Football Manager 10 years ago. Stefan Ishizaki is one such fellow who I always signed on CM 01/02, and didn't think he actually existed until I saw him playing for LA a few weeks ago.

 

Ishizaki has been quite serviceable so far!
Donovan sparked up his anger machine and is now the leading MLS goal scorer of all time. He scored a second time to make it 136 total career goals.

He probably should not have waited until after the final 23 USA players were selected to get those two goals...
On a related note, Philadelphia is really terrible.

 

You knew Donovan would score today. He'll probably be awesome for about 4 weeks, make his point, then go back to being fat.

Dynamo have dominated from the opening minute, but are down 2-0 to a goal from an indirect FK in the box that deflected in, and a penalty kick. They've been having some bad luck lately with injuries and general head-scratching moments of incompetence.

Make that 3-0. Hall came out of his box and lost the aerial challenge, leaving Harris with an open net. Sums up the season in one play that goal.

 

We suck.

 

Same score as when I went to Philly last summer: 4-1

Just before that game, Jack Mc was on fire but seemed to have cooled off slightly. In retrospect, he never regained his form from that point on and Philly have sucked balls ever since. What's going on there?

 

Great question, no idea. We signed the players to compete, and Hack is just not playing them. They need to dump him and start fresh. All about the Open cup this year!

 

How about NYCFC? Villa and possibly Lamps, too? They will be in for a rude surprise in how grueling MLS is, but still... The question is who do they get for the other 9 players? It's going to be interesting to see them absolutely blast Red Bull in the face with attendance.

 

4 will be man city loan players, NYCFC could be challenging for the title year 1

 

Don't call it a come back!

 

That was nice!
It's no 5-1, but still nice.

 

U.S Open Cup, the most important trophy in the history of forever

 

That's only if Seattle wins it...

 

San Jose is crap... that is all

 

And that's the way we like it, we like it, we like it.

By the way Ben, I'm heading to Tokyo and will not only be catching Sumo, and a J-league game, but am trying to get to a Japanese baseball game, too.

 

Only two teams sport 4 stars over their crests in MLS. They met last night pitting Eastern conference DC United against 2nd in the West LA.

4-1 to LA.

Boom!

 

No where else to put this and don't want to start a new thread, but the new USMNT roster is looking young and sexy

 

Me ow!

 

How is Toronto FC so poorly run year after year? It baffles, and amazes me.

 

They have a chance in a year or two, if Leiweke stays.

Hey how about those baby USA's?
Kept Rosicky, Vydra and Pudil off the scoresheet.

 

I wish we could play TFC every week. And yes baby Nats looked good. Some great hair cuts out there as well.

 

Now MLS crests are linked to team colors.
http://www.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/09/17/new-mls-logo-crest-shield-major-league-soccer

 

I went to the Dynamo game last Saturday. The only thing of real note was that the referee gave 2 penalties, and then changed his mind on both once he'd spoken to the linesman. Neither incident looked anything like being worthy of a penalty kick, so it seems justice prevailed. I wasn't sure whether to applaud him for accepting he made a mistake, or abuse him endlessly for being so incompetent that he could wrongly give 2 penalties. MLS refs suck.