PBP: MLS 2019 Season Week 20 Game Thread (R)

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by jaykoz3, Jul 14, 2019.

  1. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Week 19 brought us a curb stomping of the Galaxy in their own building courtesy of the NorCal rivals the quakes, FCC getting a rare road win, Orlando getting a rare win, a controversial and hotly contested Hudson River Rivalry, Philly getting thrashed by RSL at the RiOT, The Revs unbeaten run and Arena bounce continues, & LAFC dominating on the road in H-Town. Week 20 is nearly here, and brings us some more mid week action! Highlights include the first El Traffico of the 2019 season, a Cascadia Rivalry clash between the Timbers and Sounders, a tasty game in Sandy, Utah between RSL and the Loons, FOUR games on ESPN, & SIX total national tv games!

    As always all game times are Eastern. National TV games are noted. All other games can be seen on ESPN+. This is the MLS N&A play by play thread, keep it NEUTRAL. All rivalry-esque ish (name calling, "cute" renames of players/refs/team names) belong in the team specific threads.

    Wednesday, July 17

    ATL vs HOU 7:00PM
    NER vs VAN 7:00PM
    TFC vs NYR 8:00PM
    CHI vs CBS 8:00PM

    Thursday, July 18

    FCC vs DCU 8:00PM ESPN
    POR vs ORL 10:00PM ESPN

    Friday, July 19

    LAG vs LAX 10:00PM

    Saturday, July 20

    CBS vs MTL 7:30PM
    PHL vs CHI 7:30PM
    TFC vs HOU 7:30PM
    SKC vs FCD 8:30PM
    COL vs NYC 9:00PM
    RSL vs MNU 10:00PM
    VAN vs SJE 10:00PM

    Sunday, July 21

    ATL vs DCU 4:00PM ESPN
    FCC vs NER 6:00PM
    ORL vs NYR 7:30PM FS1
    SEA vs POR 9:30PM FS1
     
  2. sitruc

    sitruc Member+

    Jul 25, 2006
    Virginia
    Twice the disappointment.
     
  3. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    This game is on ESPN.
     
  4. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LAG are 12 points behind LAX. Rather than thinking about catching LAX, LAG should think of stopping LAX from having the best regular season ever. LAX is on pace for 78 points, which is 7 more than the NYRB's record last year. LAX is on pace for +61, which is over double the NYRB's +29 last year. The goal differential record is +41 by LAG in 1998, and the record in a year without shootouts is +37 by TFC in 2017. In 2016, the sum of the five best goal differentials was +61. MLS is known for parity compared to Europe, but in the 2018-2019 Bundesliga the goal differentials ranged from Bayern Munich's +56 to Nurnberg's -42. With FCC on pace for -43, MLS is on pace to be more extreme in both directions. I compared MLS to the Bundesliga because both play 34 games.

    Imagine if both Conference Finals are derbys. It's unlikely, but you can't rule out NYRB vs. NYCFC and LAX vs. LAG.
     
  5. Justin O

    Justin O Member+

    Seattle Sounders
    United States
    Nov 30, 1998
    on the run from the covid
    Club:
    Seattle
    Only 2 cities involved in the quarter finals? I hope not.
     
  6. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    At this point, Galaxy may want to stop worrying about catching LAFC and start worrying whether or not they can keep a home playoff game...or even any playoff game.

    Houston is only 7 points back...and they're in 8th.
     
    TheJoeGreene repped this.
  7. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    FYI, if you have a way to get Altitude, the Arsenal-Rapids (well Switchbacks) friendly is on in just under 2 hours.

    (Rapids recalled all 3 players they loaned to the Switchbacks, plus are loaning in 6 Switchbacks, for tonight's game)
     
  8. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Straight scrubs for both teams starters pretty much. Kellyn Acosta (suspended last week/suspended next week) the only Rapids starter in the XI with part-time starter Cole Bassett next to him, Rosenberry and Abubakar the only starters on the bench. Bunch of names in the Arsenal starting XI I don't recognize, and Arsenal fans here are saying they don't recognize them either.
     
  9. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I've never heard of Thompson, Burton, or Olayinka.
     
    JasonMa repped this.
  10. Gamecock14

    Gamecock14 Member+

    May 27, 2010
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    The only outcome I want out of this is a Rapids fan to go on Arsenal Fan TV and talk about the Rapids the way they talk about Arsenal.
     
  11. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is really stoking my enthusiasm for Minnesota - Aston Villa tomorrow night... :rolleyes:
     
    TOAzer and JasonMa repped this.
  12. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Expect a better line-up from Aston Villa tomorrow. They are trying to shape a first team for the EPL [which is only a couple of weeks away], and need to put out candidates for that first team to get some real information and develop cohesion. And I hope Minnesota also puts out at least a mixed team.

    "The Game of Scrubs" plays out in the Kroenkian Badlands. ;)
     
    TheJoeGreene repped this.
  13. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Our first teamers need the break. They looked tired against Dallas Saturday...of course, given that it was our 5th game in 15 days, yeah, they were tired. I expect it'll be Forward Madison vs. Aston Villa tomorrow.
     
  14. Ismitje

    Ismitje Super Moderator

    Dec 30, 2000
    The Palouse
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My totally unbiased suggestion: start the whole first team against Aston Villa, and then rest them against RSL this weekend (altitude and all being what it is).
     
    Dead Fingers, ElNaranja, sitruc and 5 others repped this.
  15. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    :p :p :p
     
  16. JayRockers!

    JayRockers! Member+

    Aug 4, 2001
    No shit! Saw about 10 commercials for it yesterday. Zero for the Thursday games.

    Thx,

    Jay!
     
  17. SetPeace

    SetPeace Member+

    Jun 22, 2004
    SC Illinois
    Club:
    Torquay United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When your Thursday double-header features FC Cincinnati in the first game and Orlando City in the second, well...I guess it was a no-brainer for ESPN's marketing department.
     
  18. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I watched maybe two minutes of Fiorentina - Chivas last night between innings of the Twins game...

    A lot more empty seats in Bridgeview that I would have expected with Chivas involved.

    There's a lesson in there for the ICC organizers, but I'm not quite sure what it is.
     
  19. PhillyMLS

    PhillyMLS Member+

    Oct 24, 2000
    SE PA
    6 minutes in and Dynamo down a man. Elis gets a yellow for a foul and then gets in the face and bumps Penso for a second.
     
  20. Justin O

    Justin O Member+

    Seattle Sounders
    United States
    Nov 30, 1998
    on the run from the covid
    Club:
    Seattle
    I think the red was technically a straight red. Looked that way to me anyway.

    It was about as light a bump as you can have, to the extent that I am not sure "bump" is the right word. But if you're that close to the ref it's the risk you take.
     
  21. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He wants a transfer to Europe, so has acted out more and more often. Houston has a problem.
     
  22. ElNaranja

    ElNaranja Member+

    Houston Dynamo
    United States
    Jul 16, 2017
    They've been reading too many of my comments across the web about how this will be a 5-0 blow out loss...wanted to make it a reality I suppose.
     
    Ismitje repped this.
  23. ElNaranja

    ElNaranja Member+

    Houston Dynamo
    United States
    Jul 16, 2017
    We have many problems with Elis being about #30 on the list of problems.
     
  24. ManiacalClown

    ManiacalClown Member+

    Jun 27, 2003
    South Jersey
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Straight red for violent conduct or abusive language.

    lolol
     
  25. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given the very tight state of affairs in the Western Conference playoff race, that could be a season-altering moment for Houston.
     

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