USL Pro hosting MLS Reserve teams

Very disappointing VSI did not win. They were up 4-1 at the half (and scored on their first shot of the contest). However, all the rain dumped on the stadium prior to the contest (that was delayed from starting by almost an hour) as well as the rain that continued to fall during the contest made for some really terrible footing for both sides.

 

and interesting side note is that this is also the time frame that most MLS clubs have a bye (or in couple teams case, two byes)

I imagine we will see MLS reserve teams with quite a few first team players as well for most these matches.

 

MLS Reserve team First XIs recently:

Portland at VSI Tampa Bay 6/1 (*Academy player)
GK Jake Gleeson, D Ryan Miller, D Rauwshan McKenzie, D Futty Danso, D Dylan Tucker-Gangnes, M Steven Evans, M Mobi Fehr, M Michael Nanchoff (Christian Desir*, 77), F Sal Zizzo (Anthony Macchionne*, 89), F Jose Valencia, F Sebastián Rincón
Substitutes Not Used: GK Joe Wheelwright*, M Nico De Vera*

Toronto at Pittsburgh 6/7 (*Academy player)
Quillan Roberts; Darel Russell (Logan Emory 65’), Gale Agbossoumonde, Doneil Henry, Ashtone Morgan; *Chris Mannella, *Manuel Aparicio, Kyle Bekker, Emery Welshman; Andrew Wiedeman, Justin Braun (*Dylan Sacramento)
Substitutes not used: *Karl Gouabe; *Elias Roubos

Montreal at Rochester 6/7 (*Academy player)
GK- Maxime Crépeau; D-Karl W. Ouimette, Wandrille Lefèvre, Calum Mallace, Amine Meftouh*; M-Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé (Dominique Morin* 73’), Zakaria Messoudi, Blake Smith, Maximiliamo Rodriguez (Frédéric Lajoie-Gravelle* 81’), Sinisa Ubiparipovic; F-Victor Ndiaye*

Rapids, Dynamo and Crew send their reserves out tonight. We'll see what their lineups look like.

 

Houston's first eleven at Charleston tonight featured seven guys with zero MLS minutes this season. Warren Creavalle had 310 MLS minutes this season, tops among the 11 starters.

Toronto's first eleven had five guys with fewer than 90 minutes in MLS play this season. Montreal's first eleven had one - ONE - guy with more than 75 minutes in MLS play.

Apparently MLS teams are giving their first-teamers the weekend off rather than using them in these games.

 

Six of Colorado's first eleven had <28 MLS minutes. Four had none. One had one. Danny Mwanga had 444.

 

Not only does Columbus not mention its reserves' match at Dayton tonight, they don't even acknowledge that the games against Dayton also count in the MLS Reserve League standings.

1,621 ("a record," the Dayton Daily News said) saw it.

 

A twist like in the Crying Game? Which team?

 

Sacramento "All-Stars" hosting San Jose Earthquakes Reserves Thursday, July 18.

Not quite the USL team yet, but it's expected that some of the guys playing Thursday will make it on the USL Pro squad starting next year.

 

With five games left in the competition, USL Pro teams lead 8-5-8. MLS is guaranteed a win over Antigua, so that's 8-6-8. Orlando is the only USL team with a home game left, and it could be the one that clinches it if Rochester, Richmond or Pittsburgh can nick a point on the road.

 

Richmond's 2-1 win in Vancouver last night clinches at least a tie with three matches left. USL Pro leads 9-6-8.

 

With one game left (8/11, Seattle at Orlando), USL Pro teams have clinched the season series, leading now 10-6-9.

Charlotte, Charleston and Wilmington won both of their matches. Antigua (naturally) was the only team not to get at least a point.

 

I know there has been affiliate agreement put in place but is there any plan for MLS sides to get their own MLS B teams in USL and make it a much more regional league?

Something like this:

USL East

Harrisburg City
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Rochester Rhinos
New York Red Bull B
Philadelphia Union B
New England B
Toronto FC B
Montreal B
DC United B

USL South

Richmond Kickers
VSI Tampa Bay
Orlando City
Charlotte Eagles
Charleston Battery
Wilmington Hammerheads
FC Dallas B
Houston Dynamo B

USL Mid-west

Oklahoma City B
Dayton Dutch Lions
Chicago Fire B
Columbus Crew B
Sporting KC B

USL West

LA Blues
Sacramento Republic FC
Phoenix FC
La Galaxy B
Chivas B
San Jose B
Colorado Rapids B
Real Salt Lake B
Portland Timbers B
Vancouver Whitecaps B


The goal could be to get at least 16 clubs in each division. Clubs only play league games in their own to division to cut down on travel expenses. I just included MLS name + B but it would probably be better if the MLS owned USL team had their own identity.

 

Yes, there is.

 

There has been some talk of some clubs starting USLPRO teams right now. at least a in an exploratory stage right and have made acknowledgement that they are looking into it are Real Salt Lake, Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders.

Toronto FC has officially supported Toronto Lyxx move to Hamilton ON and move into USLPRO.

I would be surprised to see any of them with team next season. 2015 maybe

 

Merritt Poulson just tweeted about a potential announcement of a USL team from the Timbers.

 

To be fair, he said "affiliation," which could be the rumored link with Sacramento, not a new team.

 

I know, right?

Apparently that's the rumor, though. Take it for what it's worth.

 

As a 'Quakes STH living in the Sac area, I would love to see a Sac/'Quakes affiliation. However, in many ways, Portland would seem to be the much more mature, player development-focused organization, so a Portland affiliation might be a pretty good thing.

 

Now that this format has run its course after two years (supposedly every MLS team will either have an affiliate or a standalone team in USL Pro next year), let's look at the numbers:

USL Pro went 25-15-14 in two years against MLS reserve sides (11-6-9 last year, 14-9-5 this year).
At home vs. MLS reserve sides, USL Pro teams were 12-4-10, while on the road they were 13-11-4.

Collectively, the MLS reserve sides would have finished tied for 10th in USL Pro this year (with Pittsburgh and OKC) with 32 points. Last year they would have finished 12th, ahead of Phoenix and Antigua.

 

Looking at that, you would be hard to argue that the MLS Reserves brought the league "down" as far as from a competition/competitive standpoint ... they weren't good. And then you look at Galaxy II as well as some of the "affliated/loaned" players that have competed in USL Pro the last 2 years and see that it has possibly brought the talent level up.

Taking the MLS Reserve teams (not the same as LAGII or future MLS II teams) is a good thing. It will be interesting to see more MLS II teams and how they do (presumably they won't be all AS good as LA II ... but likely not as bad as MLS Reserve teams as a "whole" either). Lot of moving parts ... and I know I may be a bit biased, but I'd say it's been a good thing for both MLS and USL Pro so far.

 

I would have to look at lineups (which we don't always get in those crossover games) to see what MLS teams were running out there, but my guess would be that their first elevens and benches would not exactly be made up of fully-formed professional players at all times.

 

It has been a good thing and having MLS II teams is a direction that could also evolve into a bit more than just a reserve team and towards a true minor league team. Affiliated clubs will evolve more towards the reserve type team with the parent club running the on field operations and the off field marketing with the local city and ownership investors.
Vancouver I think has the type model that will evolve into a standard type. With the parent Caps running the on field operations in sync with the major league club. With the city of New Westminster and local investors doing the marketing and promoting as a USL PRO D3 club.
Players with MLS contracts being assigned to the USL Pro side as well as players signing USL Pro contracts in which the parent club can bring to the big club if needed for injury with contracts that are written as such. AAA baseball and the AHL current structures. NBA Dleague also moving in that direction with some teams contoling their own team and others sharing affiliates