Three MLS players combined to make it!!!! Amazing result for CONCACAF, and a rude awakening for those people that think qualifying through our region is a cakewalk: Grant Wahl @GrantWahl Yes, Honduras pulling some CONCACAF-style gamesmanship, but sort of fun to see a team like Spain having to deal with it.
I'm lagging on this news, but I think the Cahill signing is big for NY. If he stays healthy, they are going to win a trophy with him, I predict.
Nope, they are winning a trophy because they just figured out the "Ditch Medhi Boullouchy and win MLS Cup Axiom" and are thus now the favorites to win MLS Cup...
Yeah, I forgot the most important component of that acquisition - who they were trading in to get him! Can we safely say upgrade?
After watching the highlights of Sean Johnson versus the Earthquakes, I feel terrible for him. Deserved a shut out (and that was an awful amount of time added that game for SJ). By the time the Earthquakes are through the season is there going to be anyone left that doesn't hate their guts? Us - nope RSL - nope Chicago - nope Chivas - nope And the list goes on. God I hope we face them in the Western Conference Final and shut them down.
Definitely. Let's get to third and we get to play the "Barca" of MLS and then hopefully the smurfs. If everything continues to go well this is shaping up to be a great playoff. I just hope that if we do come out of the west we have more points than the eastern team so that we can host the final. It's really unlikely but I will continue to hope we rack up the points. This might be the last year for a while that we have a so cal superstar on our team and I would love to let him go into the sunset properly.
I don't believe it's who ever has more points host the final. I believe the SS winner hosts the Cup no matter if they're in the final or not.
MLS CUP PLAYOFFS: FORMAT WHO QUALIFIES: Ten teams, the top five in points from each conference at the end of the regular season, qualify for the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs. The fourth and fifth place teams in each conference will play a single knockout game, the winner of which will advance to the Conference Semifinals and face the first place team in the conference. The four Conference Semifinals will be decided by two-game aggregate series, with the lower seed hosting the first leg and the higher seed hosting the second leg. If the aggregate score is tied after 180 minutes of play, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary. The two Conference Championships will be decided by a two-game aggregate series, with the lower seed hosting the first leg and the higher seed hosting the second leg. If the aggregate score is tied after 180 minutes of play, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary. MLS Cup will be a single championship match hosted by the higher seed. If the score is tied after 90 minutes of play, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary.
MLS is so great this year. I mean, it was great last year, but the quality has again - amazingly - improved, and the players have improved. There are some quality DPs around now, and the teams are playing very very little long ball. Makes for drama and a GREAT final third of the season. Seriously, I don't know what I did with myself before I became a fan of this league. Oh, and if you are, do yourself a favor and read this: http://www.noshortcorners.com/2012/07/the-mls-grinder-beautiful-league.html It's beautiful.
Yep, read that yesterday. It really is crazy how much MLS has continued to evolve year in and year out. I like it more and more every year because I can see the evolution happening before my eyes. Just watching American soccer in general changing by the day has piqued my interest and I can't wait to see where this league is in 5-10 years. All I know is that I love that I got on one of the lower levels and I can watch as the league, and the perception of it worldwide, continues to change for the better.
Funny how the Goats are still the MLS dumping ground. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2012/08/revs-set-to-deal-joseph-to-chivas-usa.html It will be weird seeing Joseph in a Chivas uniform.
This is not a particularly good thing for us. Maybe Joseph doesn't have a lot left, but I wouldn't count on it. I do think this makes Chivas a stronger side, and they did not weaken their team in any immediate respect to accomplish it.
I agree somewhat with what you said. It does technically make them a better team but they haven't had a problem on defense most of this year. It was alluded to in the n&a thread but they have 26 points for while only scoring 14 goals. That's just crazy. They need an attacking mid. However, I guess with the insertion of Joseph they are hoping that LaBrocca can get back to his play last year. I guess we will find out.
Unless we are playing them, I am not losing much sleep over whether Joseph is a good fit for the goats.
I don't know if you guys remember, but not long ago New England was hurting for forwards and flush in the midfield. Nicholes put Joseph at striker and he went on a tear. He's a very competent attacking player. It would be interesting to see how Robin Frazier decides to use him.
Agreed - and I think this is a very telling move for them - they are trying to be competitive. We all know that won't work, but they are trying!
Through Brian Straus's twitter he mentioned that Beckham has confirmed that he'll be a part of the Closing Ceremonies on 8/12 - missing the Chivas game. Landon also has the potential to be gone that game as well on National Duty. So it'll be the Keane show once again. I have less of an issue with that after seeing in action. That game is still doable if we play like we did in Dallas.
That's fine. We basically expected him to miss most of the games during the olympics and that friendly at azteca is definitely one where ld has to be there. We are at home though so I expect us to still win.
Buddle's shooting to play the reserve match against Chivas on 8/7. I would expect that if that goes well we could have him in the 18 for the 8/12 match. http://www.lagalaxy.com/blog/post/2...-targets-reserve-league-return-against-chivas
Exactly. We thought David was going to be missing for several games. Ends up missing only two due to contractual obligations? Works for me. And I fully expect him to fly right back to play the 8/15 game - cause it's you know, David. But seeing us play without Landon and David - still should be a "W" for us. Marcelo Sarvas got called out by ESPN this past week as being a key component in that. Looks like not just us noticed.
Word on the street is that Houston just got Ricardo Clark back. Somehow, no matter how down they look at the beginning of the season, they bounce back into contention and hit their stride at the right time. The East is looking pretty interesting this year, big dogfight between SKC, Houston, and NYRB.
I may be wrong about this, but I don't think NYRB is going to get that much better with Cahill. Their weakness has always been on the defensive side, and I think they're going to be vulnerable to a disciplined defensive team (like we were last year, and like Houston or Columbus can be).