I hope this isn’t bad etiquette here but I’ve kinda started writing as a hobby lately and thought y’all might find this interesting. I’m sure you’ll tell me if you don’t. Interest Rankings
Maybe I phrased it poorly. I’m just trying to rank how interesting each MLS team is to watch if you are JUST a usmnt fan. Not a fan of any particular MLS team.
DCU with Hamid, Birnbaum, Canouse, and Arriola. Crew with Steffen, Trapp, and Zardes. ATL to check out the youngsters plus Nagbe and Guzan.
Seattle is perennially near the top because there's always relevant USNT-eligible players circulating on one of the best performing and most entertaining teams in the league. Their home games have among the best atmospheres. Orlando is quite interesting for me because of Mueller. He's one of the most proven, actual creative midfielders we have right now. Sad but true. Dwyer and Acosta are bonuses. NYCFC has potential, but you gotta check their lineups ahead of time. Their management isn't trustworthy to give domestics their due. RSL is mid-tier at least. Not only Baird, but Saucedo had a good preseason, and Lennon is a very offensive fullback. You mentioned Rennicks. That carrot pulls New England out of the bottom tier alone for me. Similar reasoning as Orlando. He should get off the bench.
Top tier: NYRB (wish every club followed their developmental lead), DAL (the academy keeps them here), SKC (style of play + prospects), LAG (efrain and lletget is enough for me) Should be more interesting but really arent: ATL, NYCFC, LAFC, NE Revs, ORL, Phi, SEA (have a good argument for top tier but i hate turf and their USMNT players havent been good on USMNT for a while now, imo), RSL, TFC (really want to put them in bottom tier but just can't) Bottom tier AKA ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzZzzzzz: Cinn, Minn, Chi, MTL, Col, Columbus (none of their players should be on USMNT), Hou, SJ, VAn
I think it's a very good point for people of a certain perspective. I became a soccer fan in the summer of '94 when Earnie stuck the knife in Colombia and Wynalda scored that golazo free kick. The team that I follow is the USMNT. I have never been able to develop a real affection for any specific club team. I don't love club football. I enjoy watching good football so I will watch club soccer because it's the only option when NTs aren't playing. I live in Atlanta, but haven't been to a game here for a myriad of reasons, but overall I just don't enjoy MLS games. I follow the USMNT. I follow the players that have played and could play for the USMNT. I want to see those guys play and how they are doing. I'll go out of my way to watch (or DVR) Newcastle, Schalke 04, BVB, RB Leipzig, Derby County, etc. but only if one of our guys is starting or once they sub into the game. The only MLS games I remember watching were those in which USMNT players were playing a big role. I'm going out of my way this weekend to see how Jordan Morris is playing after scoring a brace last weekend. The only reason I'd spend my time watching an MLS game would be because of my perspective as a USMNT fan. Just my two cents and please don't flame me for my anti-MLS comments. It's just how I feel. So to sum up, this thread would be very useful to a fan like me.
I find myself watching MLS more if there is a USMNT angle to it. Either a potential prospect for the USMNT down the road or a current player.
I was surprised to hear Keaton only rating a cup of coffee at the end of their opener. I thought he'd be pretty dialed in to their XI from the outset.
That's not far from my story also, but if I'm going to move across the midwest I'd want to develop a firmer foundation for our friendship first.
This weekend's tilts and if they're of interest to USNT fans: Saturday, March 9 Chicago Fire vs. Orlando City, 1pm, YES New England Revolution vs. Columbus Crew, 2pm, NO FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy, 3:30pm, YES (Univision) Houston Dynamo vs. Montreal Impact, 5pm, NO Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 6pm, NO San Jose vs. Minnesota, 8pm, NO Seattle vs. Colorado, 10pm, YES Sunday, March 10 NYCFC vs. D.C. United, 3pm, YES Sporting KC vs. Philadelphia Union, 3pm, MAYBE Atlanta United vs. FC Cincinnati, 5pm, MAYBE (ESPN) LAFC vs. Portland, 7:30pm, MAYBE (FS1)
I never watch MLS. With Gregg B as the new MNT coach and a new cycle starting for CONCACAF I have kept an open mind and actually gave MLS a chance last weekend. I was interested in watch Philly and Dallas due to the high number of young prospects. I also wanted to see Chicago due to Djordje. Philly's starting lineup was a joke as the new coach seems to like old German players. I watched the first half. MB for Toronto was getting dispossessed deep in his own half and was committing many unforced errors. Then he goes unmarked into the box and gets a great pass and scores. Announcers go wild stating how great MB is...had to turn it off. Dallas starting lineup another unintersting lineup, turned it off after about 30 mins BEST TEAM: For me, at this time, is DC United. Arriola ruled that game. I believe that Real Salt Lake actually played 5 or 6 US players. Will keep on eye on them. So, 1) DC United 2) Chicago
Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. I wasn’t planning on stopping. It’s just that other stuff I write seems to interest people more/get more engagement. I was thinking about focusing on that more and doing the rankings thing less frequently.
Tier one: FCD: Pomykal SKC: Busio Chicago: Mihailovic ATL: Carleton (if he starts getting consistent minutes) DC: (if Durkin begins getting time....which I think might not happen without an injury) NYRB: Fernandez (he's new to me and looked intriguing in the video you posted) (Off the top of my head and in no particular order)