MLS Discussion Thread

[Turbojugend]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

That was some atrocious refereeing in that game lmao, surprisingly NOT in favor of Galaxy.

That goal from Zlatan they called back at the end because the LAFC guy ran into the other dude’s back, fouled him, and then threw his arms in the air as he goes down was high comedy.

Yeah, but we still lost fair and square. Even if you take back the offside goal, it was still 4-3 and could have been more. Sure we missed our share of chances too (Alessandrini WTF?), but defending was mostly atrocious and the better team won.

Even though I find him entertaining as hell, it's time to move beyond Zlatan and the whole "let's buy a Euro megastar and win it all" philosophy of the LA Galaxy. It didn't work with Gerrard or Cole, it didn't work with Rooney in DC, and Beckham had a couple of dudes named Donovan and Keane on his side (not to mention a competent defense).

[ImTellinTim]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I completely forgot Gerrard was on Galaxy for a while there, wow.

[aholbert32]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

TFC vs Atlanta it is.

What a difference. Going from a horrible setup in a soccer game on baseball field to now being in Atlanta at one of my fave MLS venues.Adding onto the scheduling, the finals is a Sunday AFTERNOON.

So they're going up against the end of the 1pm NFL games and the beginning of the 4pm games.

Don't know why they couldn't do it Saturday afternoon or evening.

TV scheduling. ESPN and FS1 arent about to skip a big 5 college football game for an MLS match even if its the Cup.

ESPN doesnt have football on Sunday afternoons so its not an conflict issue.

Their guess is that MLS fans are going to watch the Cup even if its on the same time as regular season NFL. Also, ESPN's ratings for that time period will be up simply because they usually dont run any serious programming against NFL games.

[aholbert32]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

After the first two rounds of games, I am fully on board with single elimination and hope they never go back. Embrace the chaos.

I love it. I was sitting in the stands worried the entire match and I dont think I wouldve felt the same way if I knew there was another leg a few days later.

[Majingir]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

After the first two rounds of games, I am fully on board with single elimination and hope they never go back. Embrace the chaos.

I don't even get the point of 2 game playoffs.

Imagine if the NFL did that. The aggregate stuff would be a mess.

Seeing how we only have 1 game a week, having single elimination playoffs makes most sense. Only hockey,basketball and baseball should have actual series.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I don't even get the point of 2 game playoffs.

Imagine if the NFL did that. The aggregate stuff would be a mess.

Seeing how we only have 1 game a week, having single elimination playoffs makes most sense. Only hockey,basketball and baseball should have actual series.

It comes from the proven fact that home field advantage is very significant in the sport of soccer, and the most fair way to determine a winner is to play one match at each home stadium. That is how most leagues are set up. You play every team home and away and there are no playoffs. There are even some Cup competitions in the world that have, or used to have, 2-leg finals.

MLS is its own thing, and I think that one game playoffs work for the league. If you're going to insist on having playoffs, you have to make the regular season mean something somehow. So having the home field advantage factor is a good way of doing that.

[Turbojugend]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I'd much prefer the Supporter's Shield be the league title, in which case, yes, LAFC would have been crowned champions a month ago. The Euro leagues have it correct, if you've proven you're the best side over the course of a 9-month season, that should be enough. Unfortunately, I don't think our nation's sports culture can cope without some sort of playoff system and that "WIN OR GO HOME™" finale.

And while I understand the arguments against pro/rel in the States, it would be awesome to have at least one team from each league deal with it. FC Cincinnati vs. Phoenix Rising FC with an MLS spot on the line, there's your "WIN OR GO HOME™" match right there.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

The problem is that the schedule is unbalanced. I don't like crowning a champion using only the regular season if not everyone is playing the same schedule.

Pro/rel is an interesting debate. For me, I just don't think you'd get the same kind of ownership buy in if you had it. Not yet anyway. However, you can't have the debate here because the pro/rel zealots are like the anti-vaxxers of sports. You go into any Internet discussion about US Soccer and they pop up. I was in a thread about the Canada-US match and people were like "You know pro/rel would fix the USMNT" *facepalm*

[Turbojugend]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

The problem is that the schedule is unbalanced. I don't like crowning a champion using only the regular season if not everyone is playing the same schedule.

That's a good point, and one I hadn't considered. I would think there would be a way to even things out so that everyone plays the same schedule, but I'm no expert.

Pro/rel is an interesting debate. For me, I just don't think you'd get the same kind of ownership buy in if you had it.

Exactly. And investors aside, can you imagine the hype around Cincinnati, Nashville, St. Louis, Sacramento, Austin and Miami if the supporters knew they'd probably be back in the USL within a season? It just wouldn't work, not now anyway.

[bhurst99]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

I'd much prefer the Supporter's Shield be the league title, in which case, yes, LAFC would have been crowned champions a month ago. The Euro leagues have it correct, if you've proven you're the best side over the course of a 9-month season, that should be enough. Unfortunately, I don't think our nation's sports culture can cope without some sort of playoff system and that "WIN OR GO HOME™" finale.

And while I understand the arguments against pro/rel in the States, it would be awesome to have at least one team from each league deal with it. FC Cincinnati vs. Phoenix Rising FC with an MLS spot on the line, there's your "WIN OR GO HOME™" match right there.

I think if you didn't have playoffs many fans would tune out much earlier in the season. Why keep watching MLS if the champion has already clinched the league title in August? The "love of the game" isn't going to work because there are so many sports options in North America

In Europe it's much different if there's a runaway leader because the top teams and mid-table teams are still fighting for European spots and the bottom teams are fighting for relegation. Even if you changed the entrance to the CONCACAF Champions League to give spots solely based on final MLS standings, I don't think people would care so much simply because there's not that much interest in that tournament here in North America.

Relegation/Promotion is simply not in the cards as long as the league is still expanding. No one is making the kind of investment needed for a MLS team (and stadium) just to be relegated and have the value of that investment take a substantial hit.

After the first two rounds of games, I am fully on board with single elimination and hope they never go back. Embrace the chaos.

It has been exciting but the league has been lucky that there haven't been multiple games decided by penalties. That was always my fear. I forgot how awful MLS defenses can be so we're not getting 0-0 draws decided by penalties. LOL. I prefer the old format (Montreal/Toronto two-game Eastern Final a few years was still crazier than anything we've seen so far) but I can live with it. It does put more value on the regular season.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Toronto vs Seattle, part III

[Majingir]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

2016: Seattle wins MLS Cup over TFC
2017: TFC wins MLS Cup over Seattle
2018: Atlanta wins MLS Cup
2019: TFC (who beat Atlanta in ECF) vs Seattle for MLS Cup


The trilogy is set!

[bhurst99]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Toronto vs Seattle, part III

Unreal goal by Nick DeLeon that was completely against the run of play.

<div class='fluid-width-video-wrapper'><iframe width='50%' height='auto' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen src='https://www.mlssoccer.com/iframe-video?brightcove_id=6099263540001&brightcove_playe r_id=default&brightcove_account_id=5530036774001'> </iframe></div>

Both home teams scored first in the Conference Finals and lost.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

Imagine being run out of the playoffs by a Nick DeLeon screamer

[bhurst99]

Re: MLS Discussion Thread

So Altidore is fit enough to make the bench. I imagine he plays the last 15-20 minutes if the game is close.

The Athletic reported Michael Bradley has an option for $6.5 million that automatically kicks in if TFC wins. Part of me wants to see it go to penalties just to see Bradley try one with that much money on the line. I think the last time he tried one (CONCACAF Final) he skied one into the 25th row. TFC winning in penalties, given their terrible penalty history and how they lost the first MLS final in penalties would be a fitting end to this trilogy. Slight bias by me. LOL.

It wouldn't surprise me if Seattle runs us right out of the building and leads like 3-0 at halftime.

No matter what happens Pozuelo has earned a rest. Dude has played about 80 games since the end of July 2018. Went right from Belgium at the end of their regular season right into MLS.