2017 USL Schedule Week 2 Wednesday, March 29 Swope Park Rangers v. Portland Timbers 2 7:30 pm Thursday, March 30 Orlando City B v. Louisville City 6:30 pm Saturday, April 1 Bethlehem Steel v. Rochester Rhinos 3:00 pm NY Red Bulls II v. Richmond Kickers 3:00 pm Pittsburgh Riverhounds v. FC Cincinnati 4:00 pm Real Monarchs SLC v. Phoenix Rising 5:00 pm Charlotte Independence v. Charleston Battery 6:00 pm Tampa Bay Rowdies v. Toronto FC II 6:30 pm Co. Springs Switchbacks v. OKC Energy 7:00 pm Tulsa Roughnecks v. Rio Grande Valley 7:00 pm Saint Louis FC v. Ottawa Fury 7:30 pm San Antonio FC v. LA Galaxy II 7:30 pm Reno 1868 v. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 9:00 pm Sacramento Republic v. Orange County SC 9:30 pm Sunday, April 2 Seattle Sounders 2 v. Portland Timbers 2 4:00 pm BYES: Harrisburg City (Portland plays twice).
I watched about 25 minutes and it was random just because I came upon the thread and Mrs. JC was out. Fairly technical team with a poor defense. It felt as with some recent Dynamo teams -- not this year -- that they'd neglected players with unusual attributes. Average speed, fairly small on offense. Emphasizing passing but not actually that much more technical than the opposition. What about speed? Height? Great technique? Part of the reason I found Casner sitting irksome is he is an energy guy who creates things. This was all very average -- though perhaps that is just the minor leagues -- and it was like how are we going to create when we could barely separate. They did look a little discombobulated and maybe they looked more smooth after half when I stopped watching. But my response was what use are most of them to us because they aren't gonna win aerial battles run past people juke out the whole other team, etc. They may get more drilled in a system as it goes along but a system player without many attributes isn't all that useful to the first team. I'd rather be sandpapering the rough edges off of Arboleda or someone with an impact attribute than playing a bunch of average all around next men up whose mere professionalism seems their value. I am curious if they have any people who can play target forward and win headers in the last seconds of a game off a deadball or cross. Luna is 6'. Is that even his "thing?" Anyone else? Looked generally like a small team.
I think that Casner and Lucatero should be playing more, but I don't know what it is that's keeping them from starting? Maturity? Professionalism?
I don't watch them much so I don't really know. I know Casner was a productive player for them last season, played a lot, and they didn't really churn his position, so I was surprised by that. Lucatero didn't play much last season and that apparently hasn't changed this year so far. Based on the absence of HGP signings this year as well as the fact Lucatero stayed down and Memo can't dress here, I wonder what we deep down think about our academy and its products. I'd be curious if we are making these decisions or RGV's coach is. I am sure we select the roster and I am sure the coach makes the subs. But do we force lineup decisions? In minor league baseball if the prospect is X and the no-hoper lifetime minors guy is Y, they don't care if Y is hitting .290 with 20 homers if the big league team wants to see X, even if X has growing pains for a few days during his first period at that level. The investment and hope is in Y. The question being, are players like Bird out there in fact viewed as better first team prospects or are we dense enough we start (or allowed to be started, depending) the no future guys ahead of the prospects. In the minors if the emphasis is too much on winning you're going about it all wrong. You want the prospects and the people with unusual qualities playing. Someone who is AAA level and no better, you might keep around to mentor or something, but the focus of the team should be on creating players who have a future. So who do we see as having that. I am curious because the messaging doesn't match up with the lineups. We talk up Lucatero and then look what we do when the games start.
2017 USL Schedule Week 2 Results: Wednesday, March 29 Swope Park Rangers 1-0 Portland Timbers 2 Thursday, March 30 Orlando City B 1-3 Louisville City Saturday, April 1 Bethlehem Steel 2-3 Rochester Rhinos NY Red Bulls II 1-0 Richmond Kickers Pittsburgh Riverhounds 0-1 FC Cincinnati Real Monarchs SLC 2-0 Phoenix Rising Charlotte Independence 0-2 Charleston Battery Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-0 Toronto FC II Co. Springs Switchbacks 1-1 OKC Energy Tulsa Roughnecks 1-0 Rio Grande Valley Saint Louis FC 3-2 Ottawa Fury San Antonio FC 3-0 LA Galaxy II Reno 1868 1-1 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 Sacramento Republic 4-0 Orange County SC Sunday, April 2 Seattle Sounders 2 2-1 Portland Timbers 2 STANDINGS EAST 1. Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 g.p. 6 pts +5 2. Charleston Battery 2 g.p. 6 pts +3 g.d. 3. Louisville City 2 g.p. 4 pts +2 g.d. 4. NY Red Bulls II 2 g.p. 4 pts +1 g.d. 5. Saint Louis FC 2 g.p. 4 pts +1 g.d. 6. Rochester Rhinos 1 g.p. 3 pts +1 g.d. 7. FC Cincinnati 2 g.p. 3 pts +0 g.d. 8. Richmond Kickers 2 g.p. 3 pts +0 g.d. -------------------------- 9. Toronto FC II 2 g.p. 3 pts -3 g.d. 10. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 g.p. 1 pts -1 g.d. 11. Bethlehem Steel 1 g.p. 0 pts -1 g.d. 12. Ottawa Fury 1 g.p. 0 pts -1 g.d. 13. Harrisburg City Islanders 1 g.p. 0 pts -1 g.d. 14. Charlotte Independence 1 g.p. 0 pts -2 g.d. 15. Orlando City B 2 g.p. 0 pts -3 g.d. WEST 1. Sacramento Republic 2 g.p. 6 pts +5 g.d. 2. Tulsa Roughnecks 2 g.p. 6 pts +4 g.d. 3. San Antonio FC 2 g.p. 6 pts +4 g.d. 4. Real Monarchs SLC 2 g.p. 6 pts +3 g.d. 5. Swope Park Rangers 2 g.p. 6 pts +3 g.d. 6. Seattle Sounders 2 2 g.p. 3 pts +0 g.d. 7. LA Galaxy II 2 g.p. 3 pts -1 g.d. 8. Orange County 2 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. ---------------------------------- 9. OKC Energy 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 10. Reno 1868 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 11. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 12. Co. Springs Switchbacks 2 g.p. 1 pts -3 g.d. 13. Rio Grande Valley 2 g.p. 0 pts -2 g.d. 14. Portland Timbers 2 3 g.p. 0 pts -3 g.d. 15. Phoenix Rising 2 g.p. 0 pts -3 g.d.
2017 USL Schedule Week 3: Tuesday, April 4 Orlando City B v. Toronto FC II 6:30 pm Wednesday, April 5 NY Red Bulls II v. Harrisburg City Islanders 6:00 pm Thursday, April 6 Real Monarchs SLC v. Reno 1868 8:00 pm Friday, April 7 Toronto FC II v. Rochester Rhinos 6:30 pm San Antonio FC v. Co. Springs Switchbacks 8:00 pm Saturday, April 8 Richmond Kickers v. Louisville City 4:00 pm Vancouver Whitecaps 2 v. Seattle Sounders 2 5:00 pm Charleston Battery v. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 6:00 pm Orlando City B v. Charlotte Independence 6:30 pm Tampa Bay Rowdies v. Ottawa Fury 6:30 pm OKC Energy v. Rio Grande Valley 7:00 pm Tulsa Roughnecks v. Sacramento Republic 7:00 pm Saint Louis FC v. NY Red Bulls II 7:30 pm Portland Timbers 2 v. Orange County 9:00 pm Phoenix Rising v. LA Galaxy II 9:30 pm Sunday, April 9 Bethlehem Steel v. FC Cincinnati 3:00 pm BYES: Swope Park. NYRBII and TFCII play twice.
https://www.socceramerica.com/article/72900/usl-rewind-roughnecks-forfeit-game-because-of-ine.html Updated Standings: WEST 1. Sacramento Republic 2 g.p. 6 pts +5 g.d. 2. San Antonio FC 2 g.p. 6 pts +4 g.d. 3. Real Monarchs SLC 2 g.p. 6 pts +3 g.d. 4. Swope Park Rangers 2 g.p. 6 pts +3 g.d. 5. Co. Springs Switchbacks 2 g.p. 4 pts +3 g.d. 6. Seattle Sounders 2 2 g.p. 3 pts +0 g.d. 7. LA Galaxy II 2 g.p. 3 pts -1 g.d. 8. Orange County 2 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. ---------------------------------- 9. Tulsa Roughnecks 1 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. 10. OKC Energy 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 11. Reno 1868 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 12. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 13. Rio Grande Valley 2 g.p. 0 pts -2 g.d. 14. Portland Timbers 2 3 g.p. 0 pts -3 g.d. 15. Phoenix Rising 2 g.p. 0 pts -3 g.d.
a little concerning to drop two in a row on teams that you've outshot and out posessed. twice RGV gave up first half goals I plan on going back and watching these games in youtube and making observations about players and tactics to report back.
The stats you quote can mean different things, outplayed them and created danger but were wasteful; or vaguely outpossessed on the periphery and took a bunch of 20-30 yard low percentage bombs but didn't really create that much in-box danger, and lost to a team that finished at least one dangerous opportunity. Of all teams we should understand the difference between possession and danger. Just based on the one game I watched, the first team is much more direct and athletic and tries to create danger in the box. It also more effectively presses up high. RGV is like we were the last couple years, they don't have attacking athletes who can create separation, they just pass and pass and pass around the perimeter, there is not that direct final ball. They also don't press as high and then to me the 433 exposes you a bit defensively. And I don't think much of any of this organization's backs beyond the first 4 on the first team. It's like we pick them for composure on the ball as opposed to defensive ability/IQ. I come from a physical, ball-winning defensive background. I have trouble watching our organization's defenses as we move down the depth chart.
2017 USL Schedule Week 3 results: Tuesday, April 4 Orlando City B 3-1 Toronto FC II Wednesday, April 5 NY Red Bulls II 0-1 Harrisburg City Islanders Thursday, April 6 Real Monarchs SLC 5-3 Reno 1868 Friday, April 7 Toronto FC II 0-0 Rochester Rhinos San Antonio FC 1-1 Co. Springs Switchbacks Saturday, April 8 Richmond Kickers 0-1 Louisville City Vancouver Whitecaps2 3-0 Seattle Sounders2 Charleston Battery 1-2 Pittsburgh Riverhounds Orlando City B 1-1 Charlotte Independence Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-0 Ottawa Fury OKC Energy 0-1 Rio Grande Valley Tulsa Roughnecks 1-2 Sacramento Republic Saint Louis FC 3-2 NY Red Bulls II Portland Timbers2 1-2 Orange County Phoenix Rising 2-1 LA Galaxy II Sunday, April 9 Bethlehem Steel 2-0 FC Cincinnati STANDINGS EAST 1. Tampa Bay Rowdies 3 g.p. 9 pts +6 2. Louisville City 3 g.p. 7 pts +3 g.d. 3. Saint Louis FC 3 g.p. 7 pts +2 g.d. 4. Charleston Battery 3 g.p. 6 pts +2 g.d. 5. Rochester Rhinos 2 g.p. 4 pts +1 g.d. 6. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3 g.p. 4 pts +0 g.d. 7. NY Red Bulls II 4 g.p. 4 pts -1 g.d. 8. Orlando City B 4 g.p. 4 pts -1 g.d. -------------------------- 9. Toronto FC II 4 g.p. 4 pts -5 g.d. 10. Bethlehem Steel 2 g.p. 3 pts +1 g.d. 11. Harrisburg City Islanders 2 g.p. 3 pts +0 g.d. 12. Richmond Kickers 3 g.p. 3 pts -1 g.d. 13. FC Cincinnati 3 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. 14. Charlotte Independence 2 g.p. 1 pts -2 g.d. 15. Ottawa Fury 2 g.p. 0 pts -2 g.d. WEST 1. Sacramento Republic 3 g.p. 9 pts +6 g.d. 2. Real Monarchs SLC 3 g.p. 9 pts +5 g.d. 3. San Antonio FC 3 g.p. 7 pts +4 g.d. 4. Swope Park Rangers 2 g.p. 6 pts +3 g.d. 5. Orange County 3 g.p. 6 pts -1 g.d. 6. Co. Springs Switchbacks 3 g.p. 5 pts +3 g.d. 7. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 3 g.p. 4 pts +1 g.d. 8. Rio Grande Valley 3 g.p. 3 pts -1 g.d. ---------------------------------- 9. LA Galaxy II 3 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. 10. Phoenix Rising 3 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. 11. Seattle Sounders 2 3 g.p. 3 pts -3 g.d. 12. Tulsa Roughnecks 3 g.p. 3 pts -3 g.d. 13. OKC Energy 3 g.p. 1 pts -3 g.d. 14. Reno 1868 3 g.p. 1 pts -4 g.d. 15. Portland Timbers 2 4 g.p. 0 pts -4 g.d.
2017 USL Schedule Week 4: Tuesday, April 11 OKC Energy v. Sacramento Republic 7:30 pm Wednesday, April 12 Pittsburgh Riverhounds v. Saint Louis FC 6:00 pm Rio Grande Valley v. Co. Springs Switchbacks 7:00 pm Friday, April 14 NY Red Bulls II v. Orlando City B 6:00 pm Saturday, April 15 Richmond Kickers v. Ottawa Fury 4:00 pm Charleston Battery v. Rochester Rhinos 6:00 pm FC Cincinnati v. Saint Louis 6:00 pm Harrisburg City Islanders v. Bethlehem Steel 6:00 pm Louisville City v. Tampa Bay Rowdies 6:30 pm Co. Springs Switchbacks v. Real Monarchs 7:00 pm Swope Park Rangers v. Sacramento Republic 7:00 pm San Antonio FC v. Reno 1868 7:30 pm LA Galaxy II v. Seattle Sounders 2 9:30 pm Sunday, April 16 Portland Timbers 2 v. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 4:00 pm BYES: Toronto II, Orange County, Phoenix, Tulsa Playing twice: St. Louis, Sacramento, Colorado Springs
Phoenix Rising have now signed Shaun Wright-Phillips Omar Bravo and today Didier Drogba all pretty old but interesting
RGVFC has Memo and Escalante playing today. Memo has already scored in the 18'..@40_jrod gets sneaky with it & scores 1st ever goal for @RGVFC at @HEBPark!#Toros up 1-0 vs @SwitchbacksFC. #RGVvCOS pic.twitter.com/JDpahljlNK— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) April 13, 2017 I haven't watched the last couple of games but the announcers keep touting Camilo Monroy who is a winger/midfielder for them. He was announced player of the game last time and is an 18 year old from Colombia. Apparently a prospect to watch for. Edit: Memo has scored again to make it 2-0 in the 44' GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLL!@40_jrod gives @RGVFC a 2-0 lead!#RGVvCOS#WeAreToros #SomosToros pic.twitter.com/Nb5GMyGanY— Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (@RGVFC) April 13, 2017
http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/780938?referrer_id=2333971 That was Colorado Springs' first loss of the admittedly young season. The win puts the Toros into 5th place in the West at the moment.
2017 USL Schedule Week 4 results: Tuesday, April 11 OKC Energy 1-0 Sacramento Republic Wednesday, April 12 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1-2 Saint Louis FC Rio Grande Valley 3-1 Co. Springs Switchbacks 7:00 pm Friday, April 14 NY Red Bulls II 3-1 Orlando City B Saturday, April 15 Richmond Kickers 0-1 Ottawa Fury Charleston Battery 5-0 Rochester Rhinos FC Cincinnati 4-0 Saint Louis Harrisburg City Islanders 3-2 Bethlehem Steel Louisville City 2-1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Charlotte Independence 1-1 Pittsburgh Co. Springs Switchbacks 2-1 Real Monarchs Swope Park Rangers 1-0 Sacramento Republic San Antonio FC 4-0 Reno 1868 LA Galaxy II 1-2 Seattle Sounders 2 Sunday, April 16 Portland Timbers2 0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps2 STANDINGS EAST 1. Louisville City 4 g.p. 10 pts +4 g.d. 2. Saint Louis FC 5 g.p. 10 pts -1 g.d. 3. Charleston Battery 4 g.p. 9 pts +7 g.d. 4. Tampa Bay Rowdies 4 g.p. 9 pts +5 5. NY Red Bulls II 5 g.p. 7 pts +1 g.d. 6. FC Cincinnati 4 g.p. 6 pts +2 g.d. 7. Harrisburg City Islanders 3 g.p. 6 pts +1 g.d. 8. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 5 g.p. 5 pts -1 g.d. -------------------------- 9. Orlando City B 5 g.p. 4 pts -3 g.d. 10. Rochester Rhinos 3 g.p. 4 pts -4 g.d. 11. Toronto FC II 4 g.p. 4 pts -5 g.d. 12. Bethlehem Steel 3 g.p. 3 pts +0 g.d. 13. Ottawa Fury 3 g.p. 3 pts -1 g.d. 14. Richmond Kickers 4 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. 15. Charlotte Independence 3 g.p. 2 pts -2 g.d. WEST 1. San Antonio FC 4 g.p. 10 pts +8 g.d. 2. Real Monarchs SLC 4 g.p. 9 pts +4 g.d. 3. Sacramento Republic 5 g.p. 9 pts +4 g.d. 4. Swope Park Rangers 3 g.p. 9 pts +4 g.d. 5. Co. Springs Switchbacks 5 g.p. 8 pts +2 g.d. 6. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 4 g.p. 7 pts +2 g.d. 7. Rio Grande Valley 4 g.p. 6 pts +1 g.d. 8. Orange County 3 g.p. 6 pts -1 g.d. ---------------------------------- 9. Seattle Sounders 2 4 g.p. 6 pts -2 g.d. 10. OKC Energy 4 g.p. 4 pts -2 g.d. 11. Phoenix Rising 3 g.p. 3 pts -2 g.d. 12. LA Galaxy II 4 g.p. 3 pts -3 g.d. 13. Tulsa Roughnecks 3 g.p. 3 pts -3 g.d. 14. Reno 1868 4 g.p. 1 pts -8 g.d. 15. Portland Timbers 2 5 g.p. 0 pts -5 g.d.
2017 USL Schedule Week 5: Tuesday, April 18 Harrisburg City Islanders v. Orlando City B 5:30 pm Wednesday, April 19 FC Cincinnati v. Tampa Bay Rowdies 6:00 pm Saturday, April 22 Ottawa Fury v. Toronto FC II 1:00 pm Richmond Kickers v. Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4:00 pm Vancouver Whitecaps 2 v. San Antonio FC 5:00 pm Rochester Rhinos v. NY Red Bulls II 5:00 pm FC Cincinnati v. Louisville City 6:00 pm Tampa Bay Rowdies v. Charleston Battery 6:30 pm Rio Grande Valley v. Tulsa Roughnecks 7:30 pm Saint Louis FC v. Charlotte Independence 7:30 pm Reno 1868 v. Co. Springs Switchbacks 9:00 pm Seattle Sounders 2 v. Real Monarchs SLC 9:00 pm LA Galaxy II v. Orange County 9:30 pm Sacramento Republic v. Portland Timbers 2 9:30 pm Sunday, April 16 Bethlehem Steel v. Orlando City B 3:00 pm Phoenix Rising v. Swope Park Rangers 9:00 pm BYE: Oklahoma City 2 games: Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Orlando
From the people who do watch, what do you think of Monroy? Does Memo look better for them than he did here? Anyone else of note so far?
Stinkbomb post, but I think it's necessary: did RGV privately pay for their stadium? Did they borrow money? Did we chip in? It's a nice place in appearance but one wonders relative to crowd size if it's too nice and whether they're covering debt service. By outsourcing the business end to RGV you're relying on them to stay in bid-ness.
I believe that HEB Park was privately funded by the RGV Vipers which means Alonzo Cantu and his other investors. I don't find any information on public funding. They probably borrowed money. They were simultaneously building an arena for their basketball arena. The basketball arena was a combination of private investment and public TIRZ/Economic Development funding. That arena is officially owned by the City of Edinburg but the Vipers did spend $38 million for their share of the costs. There has been no word of public ownership of the soccer stadium so it seems to have been all or almost private money. The building permit lists a budget of $16.8 million for the soccer stadium. I've never seen any report that the Dynamo contributed to the stadium costs. Mr. Cantu has operated the NBA-D League team for quite a while and seems to have a pretty good handle on the costs and issues with running a minor league sports team. Everything has risks attached but he apparently thinks the investment in the soccer stadium will pay off.
I have looked at the three games the Toros have played so far - all of game 1, part of game 2, most all of game 3. My impressions for the first game: SAFC game out and smacked them in the mouth and wouldn't let them play possession based soccer like the Toros did all last year. SAFC upgraded their roster and have physicality and speed at more positions. Toros don't have Manotas, Memo or Cabrera etc. The first goal Taylor Hunter (I don't think it was Garcia) got muscled off a ball at the top of the penalty area. Once SAFC got the lead they sat back more and countered. Calle Brown kept the Toros in the game. Escalante had moments but he doesn't want to pass the ball in the proper situation. Casner came in and helped. By the middle of the second half SAFC was tired from so much of the earlier pressing that Toros controlled most all of the possession but couldn't score. Worst ratings - Hunter, Ward, Luna, Coach Junior Best ratings - Brown, Byrd, Escalante, Green I will post more about the other games when I get time -