I think some small changes in APPROACH not necessarily PLAYER QUALITY could improve the game greatly for the spectator. The three main things I think detract from the current game in MLS are: (1) Overuse of the goal kick (2) Trying to do too much with a throw in (3) Using the header too much in the middle part of the field (4) Conservatively kicking the ball out of play Things that I think MLS could do to improve the game are: (1) Stress to the goalie to make the short pass to the nearby defender or midfielder instead of kicking the ball way down field (2) Make the short throw into a nearby player instead of throwing it into the box and hoping you get a fortuitous bounce (3) Stress to the players that they can chest the ball or allow the ball to bounce in the midfield instead of heading a hard and direct goalie kick out of bounds or right back to the other team Fans want to see a game with quick passing, good moves and exciting moments. They don't want to see a ping pong match of headers over the midfield line back and forth. Fans want to see Morales, Joseph or Juninho go dribbling down the middle part of the pitch and link the defense to the forwards. They don't want to see the goalie kick the ball over the midfield with the slight chance a forward might latch onto the ball and poke it in. Fans want to see the ball in bounds being passed between the feet of the players. They don't want to see a game where a large portion of the match is being spent retrieving the ball out of bounds because a defender kicked the ball out of bounds when he didnt need to. Maybe it is the temperature of the summer. Maybe the heat will always cause a more direct style of play. But I definately think MLS through its coaches and refs could stress these approaches.
You're so right, players should have it first on their minds to entertain the fans. They shouldn't be so bogged down in strategizing how to win the game and silly stuff like that.
(5) Teams should only be allowed to play 1 defender. Fans want passing, not guys disrupting the play.
I totally agreed with the Over Used of Goalie Kicks. A lot of MLS games are painful to watch because the goalies just kick the ********ing ball as hard as they can, and sometimes they ball go to the goalie or get kicked out of bounce. The goalies in MLS seriously gotta learn when is intelligent to kick it up high and when not to. Why kick it so far up and lose the possession of the ball just for the sake of kicking it so far up?
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Reverse the offsides rule. Defenders cannot be behind and offensive player, if they are free kick from the spot of the foul. But of course it has to be a beautiful free kick to entertain the fans..which is why the reverse offsides rule is great, defenders can't set a wall.