Monday 22 Oct 2018

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by Stuart95, Oct 22, 2018.

  1. Stuart95

    Stuart95 Member+

    Mar 11, 2012
    NoVA
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Armchair Analyst: A run through all of Sunday's Week 34 MLS action
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...st-run-through-all-sundays-week-34-mls-action

    MLS Review: D.C. United earns playoff spot, Supporters' Shield still up for grabs
    https://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/dc-...shield-still-up-for/wa33v6wttc3a17pjgizxzrpnu

    Portland Timbers 3, Real Salt Lake 0 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/10/21/portland-timbers-3-real-salt-lake-0-2018-mls-match-recap

    Portland Timbers clinch playoff berth with 3-0 win over Real Salt Lake
    https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/po...ayoff-berth-with-3-0-win-over-real-salt-lake/

    Houston Dynamo 2, Seattle Sounders FC 3 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...-2-seattle-sounders-fc-3-2018-mls-match-recap

    Houston Dynamo’s last home game of season follows season trend
    https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/ho...rom-the-dynamos-last-home-game-of-the-season/

    DC United 3, New York City FC 1 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/10/21/dc-united-3-new-york-city-fc-1-2018-mls-match-recap

    Wayne Rooney has dragged DC United into the playoffs: will Europe call?
    https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/oct/22/wayne-rooney-dc-united-playoffs

    FC Dallas 0, Sporting Kansas City 3 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/10/21/fc-dallas-0-sporting-kansas-city-3-2018-mls-match-recap

    Sporting Kansas City gains control of West with 3-0 victory over FC Dallas
    https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/fc...trol-of-west-with-3-0-victory-over-fc-dallas/

    Montreal Impact 2, Toronto FC 0 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/10/21/montreal-impact-2-toronto-fc-0-2018-mls-match-recap

    Montreal Impact stays alive by shutting out struggling Toronto FC
    https://torontosun.com/sports/socce...s-alive-by-shutting-out-struggling-toronto-fc


    San Jose Earthquakes 0, Colorado Rapids 0 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...akes-0-colorado-rapids-0-2018-mls-match-recap

    Chris Wondolowski will be back with Quakes in 2019
    https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/21/chris-wondolowski-will-be-back-with-quakes-in-2019/

    Minnesota United FC 1, LA Galaxy 3 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/10/21/minnesota-united-fc-1-la-galaxy-3-2018-mls-match-r

    LAFC ties Vancouver in regular season finale at home
    https://www.ocregister.com/2018/10/21/lafc-ties-vancouver-in-regular-season-finale-at-home/

    Orlando City SC 2, Columbus Crew SC 1 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/10/21/orlando-city-sc-2-columbus-crew-sc-1-2018-mls-match-recap

    Orlando City SC 2, Crew SC 1: Playoff spot up for grabs
    https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20181021/mls--orlando-city-sc-2-crew-sc-1-playoff-spot-up-in-air

    Atlanta United 2, Chicago Fire 1 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-10-21-atlanta-united-fc-vs-chicago-fire/recap

    Atlanta United scores 2 first-half goals, beats Chicago 2-1
    https://www.dailyamerican.com/sport...cle_68d2df14-5801-5662-9ede-7d56cae0cfa3.html

    Philadelphia Union 0, New York Red Bulls 1 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/m...hiladelphia-union-vs-new-york-red-bulls/recap

    Kaku penalty pushes New York Red Bulls past Philadelphia Union
    https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/kaku-penalty-pushes-new-york-red-bulls-past-philadelphia-union/

    LAFC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 | 2018 MLS Match Recap
    https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/m...football-club-vs-vancouver-whitecaps-fc/recap

    LAFC 2, Whitecaps 2: Spirited comeback on the road not enough to save Whitecaps' season
    https://theprovince.com/sports/socc...-the-road-not-enough-to-save-whitecaps-season

    Columbus Crew winger Justin Meram didn’t play against Orlando City due to ‘gentlemen’s agreement’
    https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/orlando-city-sc/orlando-city-columbus-crew-justin-meram/

    MLS commissioner Don Garber reflects on legacy, future at National Soccer Hall of Fame induction
    https://www.prosoccerusa.com/us-soc...re-at-national-soccer-hall-of-fame-induction/

     
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  2. Tony in Quakeland

    Jan 27, 2003
    Pleasant Hill, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I went to the LAFC - Whitecaps game yesterday and thought I’d share a few thoughts.

    - incredible stadium, best I’ve been to in MLS (including Red Bull Arena, Avaya and the Stubb Hubb). The food hall made me sorry I ate before I got there.

    - atmosphere was great. Fans were rocking and having a great time. Everybody was friendly and upbeat. Supporters section... they rival the Timbers Army)

    - when I’ve watched the Whitecaps (which is infrequent) I never understood why they aren’t in playoff contention. Having watched them first hand ... I REALLY don’t understand. They have flaws, but they are better than some teams that are over the playoff-relegation line

    Observations on getting to see some players first hand:

    - Alphonso Davis... holy crap I wish he was a Yank! Effortless on the ball, glides past defenders like they’re not there, at least three super clever back heels setting up guys in the attack, a brilliant long switching ball that looked random leaving his foot but was absolutely perfect. Incredible vision. I knew he was good, but he is so much better than a few highlights suggest. The title for Best North American player is going to be real interesting over the next few years.

    - Obviously knew Vella was good. Watching his close control and passing in tight spaces live was a pleasure. To me he resembles Donovan in his prime. Vella is better technically (although the difference is not a chasm) and LD was much faster and more explosive.

    - Diomamde is a hot mess. Yes, it was only one game but he did so much stuff that seems unfixable at his age. I had a great vantage for watching him in the attack in the first half and I saw a guy who never looked up, passed up passing options several times to take on crowds of defenders, hit passes and crosses blindly without any seeming awareness of who was in the box. It is supremely ironic he got an assist. I need to see the replay to tell if he actually picked out a guy.

    - the game changes when Feilhaber came out. The midfield lost all shape and there was no longer intelligent transition from defense to the attack. One one of the goals he came back as the defense moves the ball latterally against a bit of a press. He found a picked of space, receive the ball and immediately started the attack. He was outstanding.
     
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  3. hot potato

    hot potato Member+

    Feb 21, 2014
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    very intuitive writing- if the whitecaps fired coach, carl robinson, had have spent the MLS moneys better, we would have been in the playoffs- - he wasted millions on non-effective players outside of MLS- each year for 5 years, his turn-over of players was close to 50% - such a large list of poor non-MLS signings

    your analysis of alphonso davies was spot-on- the best writing about the Kid i have read- every Cap fan- and hopefully other MLS fans- will miss seeing his dazzling runs that shreds fearful defences like no other player in MLS- the sky is limitless for his talent- he could go world class IMO- my heart cries to see him go as he made a difficult year worthwhile- such an explosive player and bayern munich will mold him into even a better player - he will be the next robben and gareth bale - and he is so humble and appreciative of canada- we are truly lucky having him join us and his presence is causing other talented young players to join canada also- HE IS A SPECIAL PLAYER and is only 17- apparently, many bayern fans in germany were watching the LA game to get an eye of davies- i am sure they now understand why the Club paid millions to acquire him
     
  4. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Can't believe DCU's turnaround. I think of all the superstars signed midseason since MLS started importing them after the DP rule was discovered, other than maybe Drogba's run when he initially came, Rooney's signing has to be the best. Here is another view of the Acosta run that led to the Rooney goal.


     
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  5. GunnerJacket

    GunnerJacket Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 18, 2003
    Gainesville, GA
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Agreed. I had no faith Rooney would play this well and have this type of impact. So for his first season he's proved me wrong.
     
  6. Honore de Ballsac

    Oct 28, 2005
    France.
    Ditto.

    Though the new stadium has to get a lot of credit. And the scheduling of course. And Hamid. These things are the keys, but the reason they're winning is the whole squad has been inspired and raised their game. Certainly Acosta deserves more of this Rooney spotlight.

    My question is does DC think this is enough? Or do they follow through on their declarations that it starts with Rooney... their promise to open up the checkbook and get more quality players in the roster?

    Atlanta's lining up Pity Martinez already. DC should ride this excitement, ride what's working, ride this run as far as it will take them this season. But I hope they're already preparing video of their targets to review with Senor Wayne. They need to take this rebirth and make it something permanent, take United to the next level.
     
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  7. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Might have even made the playoffs with a league-average goalkeeper. Rowe and Marinovic are two of the worst starters in the league this year. 5th and 4th-worst in terms of goals allowed vs. expected goals, and for Rowe to be that far down while only playing 979 minutes is horrifyingly impressive.
     
  8. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Rooney has been a great addition, but let's not overstate things - other DP signings have inspired bigger turnarounds in a season (consider Lodeiro in 2016), even this year if you consider Ruidiaz in Seattle.

    For example, compare DC and Seattle this year from July 1 (and yes, I know neither Ruidiaz or Rooney started right at July 1, but it's roughly midseason during the World Cup, so it's a handy dividing line), Seattle has had a much bigger turnaround than DC, despite having a more balanced home/road schedule.

    Since July 1:
    DC United 12-4-4, 2.00ppg (15 home games, 5 road games) - prior to July 1 = 2-4-7, 0.77ppg (2 home games, 11 road games)
    Seattle 14-2-2, 2.44ppg (8 home games, 10 road games) - prior to July 1 = 3-3-9, 0.80ppg (8 home games, 7 road games)
     
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  9. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Was Seattle at the time in last place in both conference and league when like DCU was?

    May 6, 2018


    [​IMG]







    Sep 13, 2018

    [​IMG]



    DC United made the playoffs! You better believe it!:thumbsup:

    [​IMG]
     
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  10. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    #10 Sounders78, Oct 22, 2018
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2018
    Seattle was in last place this season, most recently May 14 and 11th out of 12 at the start of July. Today Seattle is 4th, compared to DC in 5th. Seattle has moved up 7 places, DC 6 places in the same amount of time, despite DC playing the vast majority of their games at home whereas Seattle has played a more balanced schedule. Seattle has had the bigger turnaround.

    Why are you using May 6, at which time BOTH DC and Seattle were in last place (DC in 11th and Seattle in 12th - since then DC has moved up 6 places while Seattle have moved up 8 places)? I presented actual data that Seattle has out-performed DC United from July 1 after a comparable start to the season (even though DC had the vast majority of their games on the road, while Seattle played a more balanced schedule).
     
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  11. Honore de Ballsac

    Oct 28, 2005
    France.
    Caveats there too, correct? Other players came back. And I hate to be a dick but couldn't Dempsey's retirement have helped? He's a legend but it usually seemed like Lodeiro was greater/more effective when Dempsey was unavailable, correct?
     
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  12. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    There's always caveats. I was out of the country from the end of June to early September and didn't get to watch any games, so I can't really comment with real knowledge. But I have a feeling if we look at shots, shots on goal, goals per game, etc, we'll see a dramatic difference when Ruidiaz is playing compared to when he isn't.
     
  13. hot potato

    hot potato Member+

    Feb 21, 2014
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    agree- but to me the biggest lose on defence was tim parker who now plays CB for RBNY which just happens to have the best defence in MLS- and that all lays at the feet of carl robinson who wanted the $500 000 TAM they got from RB and used it to pay down the contracts of a ridiculous signing in MF juarez and an average player in DMF aly ghazal
     
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  14. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
  15. Tony in Quakeland

    Jan 27, 2003
    Pleasant Hill, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, thank you. My son, who was a very good player himself, had the same reaction. Midway through the first half we looked at each other and said,"Okay, Bayern Munich. Yup. We get that now." Obviously a tough lineup to crack, but give him two or three years and I can see it happening.
     
  16. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    As long as you keep moving the goalposts until you find a data point that's favorable, I guess that's all that matters. Keep in mind of DC's games after August 31, 7 of 8 have been at home.
     
  17. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    I didn’t move nothing. You brought up Seattle, I didbt. I stated initially DCU has turned this thing around since Rooney got there and I posted the standings. Nothing has changed to make me sway from that initial statement and I stand by it. I also stated DC had games to make up but they still had to win those games which they did. They were at the bottom of the league for the majority of the year and at the end of August and that’s a fact.
     
  18. Sounders78

    Sounders78 Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Olympia
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Right.

    I presented data indicating Seattle's turnaround was bigger, at least based on ppg and going from 12th to 4th as opposed to 11th to 5th, and that's not having the vast majority of games in the second half played at home, unlike DC.

    And I pointed out Seattle was also in last place on May 6, 2018

    That is called "moving the goalposts".

    If Seattle beats San Jose they will have the greatest half-season ppg in the history of MLS, at least according to Matt Doyle, and that corresponds to signing Ruidiaz to a new DP contract. Seattle had the worst goals per game in the league before he came - they were struggling to keep up with the Golden Boot winner for crying out loud - and are now 14th or so in the league with a somewhat respectable 1.52 gpg.

    DC has done a great job making the playoffs.

    And I'm done.
     
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  19. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    #19 falvo, Oct 22, 2018
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2018
    Who cares about Seattle? I never mentioned , posted or thought about them. I don’t care about the club and they never entered my mind so there is no need to start an argument.


    I’m talking about DC United’s incredible run since Rooney got there.

    This is from August 14th on the mls website....

     
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  20. scoachd1

    scoachd1 Member+

    Jun 2, 2004
    Southern California
    Been to several venues Colorado, Dallas, KC (very good), Stub hub, Rose Bowl and agree it is very good. Doesn't see like a bad seat in the house - good atmosphere. Watched a replay of this one though.

    Your description was spot on. Davies was electric. Anytime he got the ball LA seemed to send 3 guys his way and even then sometimes it didn't work. I'm interested to see what he can do because he's got potential to be the whole package. He's as explosive as Yedlin (which alone can open doors at the highest level), but is already several levels ahead in terms of vision, technical skill and awareness.

    Same here. Knew Vella was good, but watching him really made me appreciate just how good. I also think he's faster than you think. He's so smooth that you don't think he's running that fast until you realize guys he's dribbling away from guys that are sprinting all out to catch him,.

    When he first joined I was very impressed with his timing and movement off the ball. he was excellent. But I began to realize the reason he couldn't keep a spot on an elite team is because his decision making on the ball wasn't very good. The rest of the league seems to have begun to figure out that if you can keep in front of you and force him to make decisions you can deal with him.

    LA's midfield is very dynamic are rotates their positions/roles a lot. I didn't notice the loss of shape but agree that Benny's been very good.
     
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  21. scoachd1

    scoachd1 Member+

    Jun 2, 2004
    Southern California
    Hard to tell - given that DC played only away and neutral games, DC would have improved quite a bit simply be inserting a replacement players. Then when you consider the Canouse and Hamid at and near the same time, it is really hard to say what Rooney's impact is (although clearly very positive - much more so than I would have guessed). If you go by whoscored ratings Rooney's several tenths of a point below a couple other Mid-season DP signings: Piatti and Lodeiro. Piatti helped push the Impact the Champions league final while Lodeiro led the Sounders to an MLS cup title. Sr. Rooney has a bit of work to do to be considered with them. Now if you want to add in the impact to the league from all his followers, then you have a better argument. But based on what he's done on the field, not yet.
     
  22. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    #22 falvo, Oct 23, 2018
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2018
    I'm not taking away Lodeiro or Piatti's impact or what their signing meant for their clubs but neither player was a superstar as I posted initially.

    Cuauhtémoc Blanco came at the start of the season but he wasn't known outside of Mexico or Liga MX fans. I remember Piatti playing for Lecce and but neither player had a name or a resume like Rooney or Drogba. DCU also still had to win all of those games and no one believed in August they would be in a playoff position with one game to spare. Beckham ,Julian de Guzman, Frings , Pirlo or Lampard couldn’t do this. I don’t know how anyone can deny this has been an incredible run and it started when Rooney arrived and that is a fact.​
     
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  23. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    The current midfield of Asad, Moreno, Canouse, and Arriola is pretty underrated, and I don't see the team keen to replace any of those guys. It's possible they look for another winger and ask Arriola to play RB on the regular, but I think that's kind of pushing it as far as the chemistry goes. The team is a legit championship favorite with one add--a Best XI type CB.

    Most of the rest is depth stuff. (For instance, not so sure Mattocks, who by the way scored 10 goals in the first half of this year, is really a fit for our current style of play; Steiber is leaving, so one more midfield player who offers something forward would be good; maybe an RB if you're not happy with the Arriola/DeLeon/Fisher options; maybe a backup for LB Mora, who has been quietly steady at LB, though he doesn't offer a ton going forward.)

    Bottom line, a lot hinges on whether Rooney is the player next year that he was this year. If so, this team has the other parts to play exciting, winning soccer. If not, not. There's arguably more chemistry risk than reward in going out and getting another name, potentially displacing a very solid and not very old core. (Also bear in mind, the most ambitious signing the club had ever made before this one, Marcelo Gallardo, wound up being part of what plunged the team into the darkness in the first place.)
     
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  24. Tony in Quakeland

    Jan 27, 2003
    Pleasant Hill, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nice post. We clearly saw the same things.

    One minor note: I didn’t mean to imply the Vella is slow, if that’s how you took it, just that Donovan was faster. I was thinking about their similar skill sets and how they are pitched just a bit differently for each. I could have thrown in one more, vision, which is nearly a dead heat but advantage LD. In part I’m trying to give younger fans who did not see Donovan at his peak an idea of what he was like and Vella is a good comparison in my opinion. Goes without saying he’s a fabulous player
     
  25. NashSC

    NashSC Member+

    Nashville SC
    United States
    Jan 3, 2018
    You do realize he is 32. This goes against everything you stand for.
    You aren't wrong about Rooney's impact however.
     

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