MLS Flavors of the Week: 2021 edition

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Eleven Bravo, Jan 19, 2021.

  1. FlipsLikeAPancake

    Jul 6, 2010
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Eh, injuries or regular illnesses is not the same as the pandemic sweeping through your team in my mind. I'm not saying we should do anything different mind you. Once the league and players decided to return to play, the risk has always been there. Just sucks to happen at this stage.
     
  2. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    All teams face the threat of pandemic.
     
  3. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Portland defeated RSL. Looks like Portland vs NYC in Portland for MLS Cup. Maybe a combined total of 2 American field players will start.
     
  4. ifsteve

    ifsteve Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Jul 7, 2013
    MS and ID
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And what's your point?
     
  5. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was definitely cheering for RSL. They have a strong Yank presence but Herrara didn't have a good night along others. Ochoa probably could have saved one or both of those.
     
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  6. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    All teams could have a bus crash too, it doesn't make it not ruinous to the competition on the field.
     
  7. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    A bummer, but nothing can be done.
    Do people expect the league to delay the match two weeks until the players are out of quarantine? Delay MLS Cup? Not going to happen.
    Philly still has enough talent to win this game. Great chance for some good young Americans (other than Sullivan). Brandon Craig and Anton Sorenson, two more homegrowns, have been brought in. Ranjitsingh is an MLS Pool goalkeeper.
     
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  8. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Not really. I would consider match-fixing or peds to be ruinous to competition. Carelessness or acts of god, not so much.
     
    Mahtzo1 repped this.
  9. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's a careless analysis out of the typical contrarianism. A random chance event leading to your team's personnel being dramatically different at the most crucial time in the season does not determine the best team. It is what it is.
     
  10. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Who da buck criticized MLS for this? You have to always be ready to go into defense mode for leadership though, even when nobody's questioning them.
     
  11. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    great atmosphere for this Phili-NYCFC game. A bit calmer without the back and forth breakneck speed of the New England game. Still , a well organized game by both teams.
     
  12. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As a Knick fan, it is clear he refused to coach the team BECAUSE they did not have the best talent in the league. So to me, it is all the same. The guy could have had the Knick job back in 1999, but they weren't good enough -- but on the strength of Michael Jordan and those results, he was offered the Lakers job just as their talent was coming to the fore. Then he left the Lakers when he saw they were losing talent. And then campaigned for the job again as soon as they got talent back. Then left again when they started to deteriorate. And then begged to return (and was denied) when they picked up a few more talented players that put them at the high end of the talent pool again. Not sure how I can call him an outright fraud with 11 titles, but he is as overrated as they come. Wasn't Pep at least part of the coaching staff who built up the youth at Barcelona that ended up dominating? I may be wrong about that, but let's talk about it.
     
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  13. Editor In Chimp

    Editor In Chimp Member+

    Sep 7, 2008
    As far as I can recall, he coached Barca B for one year and got promoted to the first team as manager immediately after. He promoted Busquets and Pedro to the first team from Barca B but the core of that side was already there- Puyol, Messi, Iniesta, Valdez, Abidal, Toure and Xavi were all established first team players. Pique came back from United that year. He did clear out Eto’o and a couple others but it’s hard for me to see how he gets credit for building a team that was basically built when he took over. Pedro was a role player and I’m sure he could have found someone else to tactically foul in the midfield like Busquets.

    As near as I can see, at Barca, Bayern and City he took over the most talented teams in the league who all had significant financial advantages over everyone else in their league. Only at Barca did he consistently beat peer-level opposition and that happened to coincide with Iniesta and Messi reaching their peaks.
     
  14. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    and just like that, 1-1. Freese should have punched that wide
     
  15. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    what a finish, Portland, NYCFC final/ thatll be a good one
     
  16. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Morales has looked handy in these play offs. He could be a depth option at single-pivot dmid.
     
  17. YNWA Rob

    YNWA Rob Member+

    Liverpool FC
    United States
    Nov 12, 2020
    Indiana
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hate to be that Philly right back just now. Totally gifted the winner.
     
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  18. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sands, Morales and Gray started for NYC tonight.
     
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  19. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    I suppose Phil Jackson is overrated, just in the sense every really successful coach is somewhat overrated in that they get attributed a ton of credit.

    Jackson is a really great coach for talented teams. He is a good motivator and understands how to long term motivate guys, especially top talent. He gets the pace and ebb and flow of a season, and a lot of coaches don't get that. He was never a great Xs and Os guy, but he recognized something in Tex Winter's triangle and convinced players to fully commit; including Michael Jordan, a player who you might have expected to balk. Or Kobe. Or Shaq. or Rodman.

    And it's not just the stars. He consistently got good performances out of role players and less talented guys.

    Would Jackson be a great coach for a less talented team? Someone that needed moment to moment instruction and a bog-you down defense? Someone like Thibs or Larry Brown fit that mold better -- but they come with negatives. They burn players out. There's a short lifespan. And none have had success with better teams.

    Honestly, I think Guardiola is a great coach. I don't think most coaches would have had the success he's had with his talent. Unlike Jackson, I think he's got the tactical chops for the high level players -- unless he has his own Tex Winter. But I also think that he probably isn't a particularly good coach for a less talented team. Does anyone think Guardiola can adjust? Soccer allows for more extreme gameplanning based on talent, and the coaches all seem very dependent on being able to implement their style.

    Take that where you will with the USMNT.
     
  20. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think when you have certain expectations of players it's probably difficult to adjust to a lower standard. You see that in MLS with older DPs like Rooney and Higuain.
     
  21. Ray Shoesmith

    Ray Shoesmith Member+

    Valencia
    United States
    Nov 14, 2021
    That MLS teams only exist to play young Americans, at all times, for the glory of the National team.

    Yo see, in Europe teams plays young local teenagers all of the time no matter what, at all times.

    Stupid Mericans.


    BTW. 3 Yanks started for NYC today. Why should that matter?
     
  22. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Saucy Sands was a steady hand in spite of being diminished by injury these playoffs (said it was bothering him even more last match):



    Could use some of this fire/urgency on the NT. That applies to Hoppe when he gets back from his injury too.
     
  23. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And Sean Johnson.
     
  24. 50/50 Ball

    50/50 Ball Member+

    Sep 6, 2006
    USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A word for Phil. He won at the CBA level too. I think Phil could have coached up lesser talented team but didn’t feel compelled to do so after hitting the heights.

    Pep’s never had to do it. I’d like to see him try. One of the positives of US sports outside of baseball is that you can’t just buy an all star team. There’s always going to be some coaching involved. Even the best teams have “just a guys.”

    Pep never has to coach the equivalent of a Tyronn Lue.
     
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  25. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When he said field players I think he meant outfield players.
     

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