This is just odd. Honestly, I don't care that much. It doesn't affect anything until you win two games, and once you're in the semis, whomever you're playing is in good form. I just don't see any particular end game in doing it. What's gained? What happened? Was there some kind of misprint on the original one? Why isn't anyone clarifying it? Every time we get closer to wanting to applaud MLS for getting something right, they do something that make it look like amateur hour.
A lot of carts before the horse, but here is why you should care a little. Our first two games are unchanged by the switch but our semifinal opponent change is more likely to be tougher. Using the small sample size of the current Supporter Shield rankings, our initial potential semifinal opponents are ranked 2/10/15/17. Under the new bracket, our potential semifinal opponents are ranked 5/7/8/11...
Chris Wondoloski now says he could be open to playing in 2021, per ESPN. He previously said 2020 would be his last year.
Makes sense. His body is not taking the usual beating this year and they have had an extended time off. He probably is feeling like there is one good year left in the tank.
Right? Every time someone mentioned that this was going to be his last year, I thought to myself "when was the last time someone asked him?" If I didn't have body parts falling off, I wouldn't want this shitshow of a year to be my last as a pro.
So... if you set up your coffee pot and then stood there and watched it brew... you probably had more fun than you would have watching the first day of knockout games. This has not been good so far...
Three knockout games and Group C went 0 for 3 to knock all 4 teams from the group out. NYFC needed a last minute, bonehead PK by Houston to get in, then wipes the floor with the Canadian representatives to that dumb Trillium Cup.
There is a fascinating "only in MLS" story in that which I dont entirely understand but maybe some roster geek like @TrueCrew can unravel it but basically the league still has two "pool" keepers. Who knew? One of them was working out with Nashville and when they got quarantined out they were dow. to one. The other was rostered though did not play in one game for SKC (IIRC) but when Vancouver was down to one they discovered that he couldn't suit up because to do so would require an international transfer certificate for some reason and you can only get one during a transfer window. So the Whitecaps started the game knowing that if their keeper went down they were going to have to Eddie Gaven it. I love MLS
It may well have something to do with the with the "international" part. I wonder if this is also true for Monaco in the French league.
With multiple Canadian teams now, wonder if they splurge for a third pool keeper that is somehow just kept on the Canada side of things.
I was watching the PK shootout today and noticed one thing. On both PK's saved by the KC keeper, he jumped off the line before the kick. I thought this was a point of emphasis these days and should have forced re-kicks on each of these. Instead, Vancouver went home.
I am not seeing what you're seeing. You can shuffle along the line and I believe the current rule is that 1 foot must be on the line when the ball is kicked. I mean, if this isn't legal, you may just as well put a practice dummy on a train track along the goal line and let it move back and forth instead of using keepers.
The rule just changed. You have to have one heel on the line at the time of the kick instead of two. “When the ball is kicked, the defending goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching, or in line with, the goal line”
Yes, it looks good but I checked and paused the replay at the moment the kick was taken and in both cases both feet were inches off the line. The shuffle, specifically on his first save, was really obvious off the line early. On the second one, the one to his right, it was closer but he was still off.