2012 Thread #2 for Discussion on other MLS Teams [R]

Not sure if this fits here or not but here goes:

Zero Revs are on the MLS Allstar team. I think that sums up our roster

I think I read somewhere only 8 teams actually have players on the all star roster. That could be wrong though I'm not 100% sure.

Snubbed teams: Revs, Columbus, Montreal, Houston, Portland, FC Dallas, Colorado, Chicago, TFC.

Overall though, I only have a few qualms about the selection. Cooper and Sene IMO deserved it more than Eddie Johnson, who hit a good run of play at the right time. Also, I'm sick to death of Kyle freakin' Beckerman. He's solid but I've always personally felt he's one of the most overrated players in the league; he relies a lot on cheap physical play. One plus is I really like the inclusion of Pontius, I think it'll be a good showcase for him, a really overlooked talent.

Once he got up to full fitness, EJ has been consistently better than Sene. And yeah, Cooper is the victim of peaking too early. As for Beckerman, he is one of the two best defensive midfielders in the league (Alonso being the other of course). He's also the best in terms of ball retention, and absolutely deserves his spot.

Whitecaps get their 3rd DP:
Whitecaps FC add Designated Player Kenny Miller

That would have been a very nice pick up for us.

I was wondering the same. Chivas - Portland at 1pm PST as well.

I remember the Metro-Mutts did this several years ago. It was inconjunction with a whole bunch of soccer camps in the area that brought all the kids to the game. Even with the best turnout, most of the regular STs couldn't come on a weekday afternoon. I thik they played KC one year and it was in a heat wave and it was 100 degrees + on the artificial turf.

Horrible in every way. Especially for the kids at the camp who were supposed to be playing, not taking the whole day to watch the local team. Could have brunged all the kiddies to a Wednesday night game.

That was when they had Jim Lahey as the Marketing guy, who was about as clueless as a mainstream sports guy could get.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-07-18-ny-v-chi/stats
NY 1:0 CHI
71' Thierry Henry (Sebastien Le Toux)

It seems like our recent improvement has plateaued. The coaches need to figure out how to get the team better at taking advantage of dead-ball situations and creating better opportunities against packed in defenses. There are other things, but to me, those seem like the two most pressing issues right now.

Sign better players?

Playing Fagundez over BB would be a nice start

Actually, the most pressing need I see is the defensive left side of the field. It's atrocious, and recently Simms and Soares have been pushing farther out wide to cover and it's been opening up the middle of the field. Nguyen is great, but you can't have a sieve at left back like Tierney. I would be willing to bet the rest of my years salary that a majority of the goals against this team have come because of mistakes Tierney has made. Either directly, or indirectly. He is one of the worst players this team has ever had and it is astonishing that he is constantly run out there each and every week.

I do agree that they need to be better on set pieces, on both ends of the field. It's clearly the worst overall part of their game. I don't have a problem with that being the worst part, for now, though. there are roughly two schools of thought when it comes to implementing tactics. One is to focus specific moment situations like set pieces and such, where you hope to win games and then slowly implement tactical style. The other is to develop tactical style and then focus on set pieces once the tactics are established. I'll always take the latter.

They don't have the players to break down teams who pack it in with a lead. Benny and Nguyen aren't enough, and Sene isn't the type of striker who can create on his own in traffic, or win physical battles in the 18. They are too limited by personal now and until they get better attacking players, or until guys like Rowe, Cardenas, Bengston, Moreno (lmao) can come through, this is who they are.

I suppose, but he isn't close to the answer. The checkbook has the real answer.

HASLI to Toronto Football Club..!!

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/07/20/toronto-fc-acquire-forward-eric-hassli-vancouver

On paper, which in MLS LAND means absolutely NOTHING..TFC was way ahead of us at the beginning of the season. Plus, they have a dedicated ownership group that build an SSS from the get go...
and most importantly, a large, knowledgeable non-pink hat fan base, that, even though is a bit unnerved at the lack of on-field success, will immediately "show up" given a good stretch!!

interesting how TFC loses their big forward and immediately replaced him with a very good talent. Twellman went down and it took them almost 3 years to sign some semblance of a forward

This!

Big difference between and ownership that THINKS it's committed to MLS & team..and one that KNOWS it is.. =)