PBP: MLS 2019 Season Playoffs Conference Championship Round Game Thread [R]

Another complete nightmare. You can bet wst is watching and is ready to pounce on any blip in the ratings!

 

BB still talking mad shtz..

 

Coincidentally, if it turns out to be Seattle - Atlanta in the final, it will have the top 2 teams in attendance and the 2 teams that play in NFL stadia with turf fields.

 

Schmetzer with a smirk walking away from Bob complaining about something...

 

I will say that the game looked like it was an away game being played in CONCACAF

edit. Just talking about physical challenges not being called. But in my opinion it was called evenly.

 

LAFC midfield needs to play some defense if they expect to win playoff matchups. the lack of defensive pressure on the ball looks a lot like the way they played last year against RSL (and lost that matchup too)

 

Exactly....the Sounders played what is probably the best defensive game I have seen them play in 10+ years, and certainly the best defensive game anybody has played against LAFC this year.

LAFC's only decent scoring chance from open play was the low cross that went behind Diomande just after he came on, and Stefan Frei didn't have to make a single serious save.

 

No....it was called using common sense. Both times it was ball to arm from close distance, with the defender having no reaction time. Clearly there was no intent to handle in either instance.

Much better than the nonsense being called in the rest of the world where intent is irrelevant and anytime the ball touches a defenders arm/hand in the box is a PK.

 

He’s also a sneaky troll. I found it rather amusing how when he was asked how he was feeling, his response started off with, “Better than Bob.”

 

Well I've canceled my LAX flight. And dammit if I didn't land the damn non-stop flights, too.

And holy crap are flights to Seattle expensive (always have been). I'm really rooting for Atlanta now.

 

CASCADIA

5 years in a row.

 

And a rematch of last weekend's Seattle @ Atlanta game.

Hopefully a similar result.

 

It's all so ... disappointing.

 

This honestly did not surprise me. LAFC had not picked up a clean sheet in over 2 months, and had shown ample signs of vulnerability. When you start leaking goals, no matter how good you are, it is a sign of trouble on the horizon.

 

I was watching him all game based on his absence. He looked overawed by the moment, scared, tentative, and took the easy pass every time. Never seen him play like that, and it's no surprise LA didn't win without him.

 

The US is going to have it's strongest ever CCL lineup (regular season record W D L)

SS - LAFC (21-9-4)
OC - Atlanta (18-4-12)
EC - NYC FC (probably hosting in someone's backyard) (18-10-6)
MLS Cup - Seattle (16-8-10)

Unfortunately for Canada they'll just have Montreal.

Mexico will have:

América currently 3rd (7-7-2)
UANL 6th (6-6-2)
Cruz Azul 12th (3-8-4)
León 5th (7-5-2)

 

Yeah, half the teams in the top European leagues play in pretty basic municipal stadiums that weren't designed solely for soccer. Many still have fences or netting behind the goals that partially obstruct views.

I remember fences at Derby County and Doncaster Rovers in particular that you could barely see through.

We're pretty spoiled in the US. But I wish MLS or USSF had a rule that said stadiums have to be at least partially covered.

 

Could have kept the LAX flights and made the connection to either Seattle or Atlanta. You know, make a day out of it.

 

No, I couldn't. At least not without foregoing a bunch of revenue. This will be my tenth MLS Cup working directly for MLS, and spending a day or even half a day in LA is just limiting income, and making less valuable to the league. If I was going as "a fan" or self-media, then your idea would make some sense.

I'm on the clock as soon as I arrive in-market. In fact, I think they'd prefer I show up on the 6th, but I'm staying here as I am shooting opening night NCAA D1 basketball, then taking the early direct cross country (as needed). That said, I'm likely able to start after lunch at the earliest. I think my LAX flight had me landing around 9:40, and my Sea-Tac arrival is 10:30ish, but I've got to get a checked bag, then get to whereever I'm going.

If it's Atlanta, I'm planning on driving, and my starting time might actually be later depending on traffic - and I'll be a lot more tired unless I talk someone else into driving me down.

This will be MLS Cup 22, 21 on the trot, for me. I missed 96 and 98.

 

You would be driving to Atlanta, no? Sure would be sweet for you.

Edit: You posted with a response to my question literally seconds before I asked. Crazy.

 

Don't forget the winner of the CPL, which is one game into the finals. The Forge are currently with an aggregate score of 1-0.

 

The CPL winner qualifies for the 2020 CONCACAF League, not directly for the 2020 Champions League.