2018 CONCACAF Champions League Thread

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by EvanJ, Feb 10, 2018.

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  1. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    The Union have made the playoffs twice in 8 years. The Earthquakes have made it 3 times in 10 years. Those teams are both straight garbage.
     
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  2. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    So kind of like Guadalajara?
     
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  3. SixKick

    SixKick Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 13, 2000
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    If the tournament stays as is, MLS teams should disproportionately outperform expectation based off the roster. Bracket only style means fewer games to test depth. Being early in the MLS season also means fewer injuries to account for (I realize Seattle is the exception this year). And MLS is willing to manipulate the schedule to allow teams to rest their starters whereas Liga MX is not.

    That last point is highlighted by the LMX teams this weekend. Chivas was close to being in a playoff spot but decided to rest most of their line-up and ended up losing to a team facing relegation. If Chivas miss the playoffs yet again, as is likely, Almeyda is going to face more heat. That's why many coaches wouldn't take the risk.

    Herrera has taken the complete opposite approach with America. He has played the A line-up last week against Cruz Azul, midweek against Toronto, last night against Necaxa, and likely again against Toronto on Tuesday. Even though America has depth, it's not being used. Not only are the players likely to be tired, but one of America's top playmakers (Cecilio Dominguez) is doubtful to play because he picked up a non-contact muscle injury which seems caused by fatigue.

    That's not to make an excuse if America fails to advance since it is entirely self-inflicted. A playoff spot is practically guaranteed at this point so I wanted to rest the starters against Necaxa. But MLS takes those decisions out of the self-interested coach's hands which should improve results.
     
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  4. DGreat

    DGreat Moderator
    Staff Member

    CD Guadalajara
    Mexico
    Oct 5, 2007
    El Ombligo
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Chivas is all in for the CCL, it's do or die for Almeyda. If he wins the CCL the season could be overlooked, failing in both and I can unfortunately see him being gone.
     
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  5. EvilTree

    EvilTree Member+

    Canadian S.C
    Canada
    Nov 20, 2007
    Frozen Swampland, Soviet Canuckistan
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    El Piojo's arrogance is hilarious to watch. Match preparation? What's that?

    TFC has spent a lot of preseason in Mexico, partly to know what playing in altitude feels like. TFC has also been training in Pachuca since Thurs to reacclimatize to altitude. And TFC knows that they can compete against Liga MX first teams.

    Respect Azteca and Club America. But not intimidated.
     
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  6. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It certainly won't hurt TFC that Altidore and Bradley have played many times in Azteca.
     
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  7. Len

    Len Member+

    Club: Dallas Tornado
    Jan 18, 1999
    Everywhere and Nowhere.....I'm the wind, baby.
    I respect you for not embarrassing them by pointing out their error. Instead, you just went along with it and endured the awkward situation.

    Props to you, sir.
     
  8. scoachd1

    scoachd1 Member+

    Jun 2, 2004
    Southern California
    Based on things like tranfermarket numbers there is a gap, which is undeniably rapidly been closing. But based on watching the games, the margin for error has been bigger than the gap.

    Money matters - One big difference between the two leagues is that players are willing to play at a discount in MLS whereas in Mexico they most likely want a premium. Zlatan's not going to come to LigaMx $1.5MM per year. The supposed $97 million discount vs China is clearly extreme, but quality of life, relatively respectful fans/press, green cards etc are very attractive to many players.

    North American based players are also paid at a significant discount due to the fact that teams aren't paying to value they create, but instead what the league is able to negotiate. While this model is starting to become unproductive in more situations, it still reduces the impact of budget differences.

    Take fivethirtyeight.com analysis based on the last 5 years. According to them the difference is as follows:
    Country Confederation Interleague competition Market value Overall strength
    Mexico CONCACAF 1.12 0.93 1.09
    USA CONCACAF 0.54 0.66 0.56

    As a result the highest ranked team, Toronto is supposedly closer to the average LigaMx team than their best.
    League Average Best Worst
    Liga MX 252.9 132 401
    Major League Soccer 366.0 208 441
    Red Bull was at 311 when and Tijuana 235 when they won series 5-1 aggregate. This is the problem when you try to apply historical data to current situations, when the current conditions are vastly different than the historical conditions that drive the model.
     
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  9. scoachd1

    scoachd1 Member+

    Jun 2, 2004
    Southern California
    No matter what the results are going forward, MLS teams have significantly outperformed expectations of most. Fair point about MLS as a league making some adjustments as the is clearly beneficial. But playing in pre-season is like your entire roster coming off injuries as opposed to a fraction of the players. Also since most injuries are short term, I'm not sure there is a significant difference week to week throughout the season. Galaxy in their game against LAFC had half their starting line-up out due to injuries.
     
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  10. scheck

    scheck Member

    Mar 13, 2007
    Denver
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can't wait to watch futbol picante when MLS wins a CCL
     
  11. ukraine76

    ukraine76 Member

    Feb 8, 2001
    New York
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It will be muy picante indeed! :)
     
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  12. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #3587 tigersoccer2005, Apr 9, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2018
    PROGRAMMING NOTE

    Just a friendly to all fans of the CCL that the return legs of the semis this week ARE NOT spread out over 2 days , but rather will both wrap up tomorrow. UDN will have the tv coverage and Go90 will be streaming.

    All Times Eastern:
    Univision Deportes Network will have live coverage

    NY Red Bulls vs Chivas Guadalajara @ 8 pm Red Bull Arena (Chivas leads 1-0 on agg)
    Club America vs Toronto FC @ 10 pm Estadio Azteca (TFC leads 3-1 on agg)
     
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  13. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    So if there's 30 minutes overtime in the first game, it will overlap.
     
  14. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No there wont be 30 mins OT--just straight to PK's
     
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  15. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
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  16. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
     
  17. DGreat

    DGreat Moderator
    Staff Member

    CD Guadalajara
    Mexico
    Oct 5, 2007
    El Ombligo
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    hands down worst show to watch
     
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  18. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    La Última Palabra is up there in atrociousness.
     
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  19. DGreat

    DGreat Moderator
    Staff Member

    CD Guadalajara
    Mexico
    Oct 5, 2007
    El Ombligo
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    same crap different network. unfortunate
     
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  20. Neymadres

    Neymadres Member+

    Jan 29, 2013
    So CaL
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    I expect a 2-0 win by Club Deportivo Guadalajara tomorrow.
     
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  21. jayd8888

    jayd8888 Member+

    Aug 22, 2006
    Denver CO
    It's game day yall!
     
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  22. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Of course you do...why would you not?
     
  23. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Jorge Ramos tho!
     
  24. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    To our guests that don't regularly visit MLS N&A -

    Just remember this is a neutral forum.

    If you can't handle reasoned criticism of your team you're in the wrong place.

    If you think this is a rivalry forum, you're wrong.

    If you can't handle a joke at your expense - or better yet make one yourself - you're in the wrong place.

    This is forum of misery and woe. Of regret and recrimination. If you only want to support your team or tear the others down, this isn't the place.

    This is a place for nuance and shades of gray. (Or "grey" depending on where you live).

    That said, there are memes, and to the uninitiated there are plenty of what appear to be personal attacks - but they rarely are. Like any long term online community, MLS N&A has its own language and forms - which must be obeyed.

    When in doubt, just put people on your ignore list. It's easier that way.

    #MLS4CA
     
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  25. SixKick

    SixKick Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 13, 2000
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico


    Working the refs early. Phil Jackson would be proud.
     
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