Pachuca... When Monterrey teams play pachuca in finals pachuca always wins. You could say that it's our second home.
In the most recent year of games for the USA in the FIFA Rankings, USA has played 18 games. There were 6 each of friendlies, Copa America games, and WCQs. Friendlies are weighted 1.0, WCQs are weighted 2.5, and continental tournaments are weighted 3.0 (assuming USA got that weighting for CONMEBOL's Copa America). Therefore record in each type of game and all other things being equal (which they're not, for example the strength of opponent was harder in the Copa America), USA's points from the most recent year would come from: 1.0/(1.0 + 2.5 + 3.0) = 2/13 = 15.4% from friendlies 2.5/(1.0 + 2.5 + 3.0) = 5/13 = 38.5% from WCQs 3.0/(1.0 + 2.5 + 3.0) = 6/13 = 46.2% from Copa America It adds up to 100.1% due to rounding.
Mexico is clearly the best NT of CONCACAF right now. Slow down there, let's see some proof that your league makes more money. And your league can't just decide to outspend, they have to have the ability to so, and they probably never will. Now this is bullshit, Mexicans would rather play for Mexico, they only play for the usnt as a last resort. So Mexico getting more u.s. citizens (which is great) is because Mexico was their #1 choice.
As a Mexican, sad again that the final is made of 2 LMX teams. The mor exciting CCL in the last few years that I can remember was the MTY-RSL. Yes, in order to take this tournament to the next level we need better teams from MLS and CR. Honestly, I do nos expect anything from GUA, HON or any other country actually... Maybe a surprise from Panama once in a while. The new format is going to help to encourage smaller leagues and show them they can shine and win international trophies. I expect round one to be always either a CR or an HON champion. And that's good. Tehn we need to expect from CR and especially MLS to improve and actually start wining trophies. Just one, just one trophy, and things can start to change and being more competitive. Its a shame that RSL couldn't do it.
I'd mentioned it earlier in the thread, but I just don't think Costa Rica's top three clubs have the resources to catch up. LMX is still improving, while they aren't. MLS is the only hope left for a competitive CCL now. If LMX was stagnant over the last decade, I think MLS would have caught up by now, but to Mexico's credit, the league there is better than ever.
Longest consecutive winning streak in each confederation's premier club competition: CONCACAF: 12 – Mexico (ongoing) OFC: 7 – New Zealand (ongoing) UEFA: 6 – England (end of streak 1982) CONMEBOL: 4 – Argentina (end of streak 1970 and 1975); Brazil (end of streak 2013) AFC: 3 – South Korea (end of streak 1998) CAF: 3 – Cameroon (end of streak 1980) Includes as of yet unfinished all-Mexican, all-Kiwi 2017 finals. From an association membership perspective CONCACAF and the OFC are competing for "most predictable confederation ever" with CONCACAF having a five title lead.
MLS clubs closer to CONCACAF Champions League win - Garber While I agree with Garber that MLS will eventually win one a bit too much satisfaction is assigned to the Pachuca-Dallas series. This is not a Pachuca side in good form. In six consecutive games against fellow Liga MX clubs Pachuca have only scored one goal - a redirected Vargas own goal: Contrast that with four goals against Dallas in the CCL.
Yeah i was thinking the same thing after Tuesday night but i didn't want to be negative so soon after the game. But yes, you do have to be a little concerned if you're Pachuca when you just participated in a championship first leg where the other team did all the scoring ( 1 own goal against, 1 goal in favor). On the other hand it could be argued that the attacking Pachuca player was playing well because he put on the pressure which resulted in the own goal. Anyway going 1-1 into the final leg we'll see what happens!
He's pumping sunshine. But then again, he has to. In Bolivia I would see a whole city bitter and arguing about how to improve after a bad loss. In the US, it's meh I guess we're not that good at soccer let's just watch something we're really good at. Things have improved a lot and there is serious core of fans but we've not "arrived" yet.
Get the ******** out of here with this sort of shit complaint. It's tired and boring and creates this fake aura of non-Americans being better fans than Americans. It's not at all reflective of reality.
I would be concerned if there were hardly any chances created in those games but In most of those games we outshot the competition.
"You have to get there piece by piece, and from failure comes success," Garber said. "We will learn from not getting through to the final again this year. We'll figure out how we might go about managing that so we have more success next year." Um, it's simple. Change the salary structure and allow more depth/balance of higher quality. Some owners are already willing to self fund 10-15M+ out of their own pockets. Allow them to buy a bunch of 1M talents rather than spending 6M/Y on Michael Bradley and you have your solution, never mind an increased ability to flip the talent for a ROI. Markets like LA, Sea, Tor and ATL, NY probably as well already have the resources to seriously compete as CCL challengers every year. Garber just won't allow them to do it. Instead of LAG going out and buying a bunch of 1M South Americans they'll likely pay 10-15M for Ibra with a blown out knee. Liga MX clubs would do the former. That's part of the problem. That money can get you a helluva lot more if the salary structure was changed.
You'd also need to change the international rules (which are technically set by USSF I believe). Of course the benefit for MLS with your solution is minimal while the cost is high. But then BigSoccer has never been shy about spending other people's money.
Who's spending other people's money? It's money already spent. Am I spending TFC's ~18M on DP's or is it their ownership? Could that money not be spent in a far more efficient manner? Course it could.
The money the owners of Salt Lake, Crew, Sporting, etc. are going to have to spend to keep up with LA, TFC, NY, etc.
They're already failing to keep up in terms of expenditure. Columbus's payroll last season was less than 1/3 of LA's, and was less than 1/4 of NYC and Toronto.
There is a pretty significant difference when the 2/3-3/4 difference is solely the result of the pay of 3 players vs. a general salary budget difference of the same. As an example, I don't think there is a significant difference between the amount Toronto FC's pays on players and the amount that the top teams in Liga MX pay. However, because 3/4 of TFCs budget is tied up in 3 players, the Liga MX clubs and their more equitably distributed salaries are quite a bit better.
A general point that it is misleading related to the current discussion. Jond's argument is that Toronto should be allowed to spend the $18 million they spend on Giovinco, Altidore, and Bradley on their entire roster. Jasonma's argument is that allowing TFC to do that would require the rest of the teams to do the same if they want to remain competitive.