Is Level of Play in MLS where it should be 7 Year's since it started??

No. I've been really disappointed this year. Not sure if I'll re-up next year at this point. The last few matches I've attended have been lackluster at best.

 

In the first 7 years of existance no other league in the world has increased its level of play as much as the MLS has.

 

No doubt there has been improvements in the level of play . But I think you are overstating the case . It hasn't improved that dramatically .

 

Only as much as night and day.

 

Those that don't think there hasn't been an amazing change in the level of play simply weren't there at the beginning. Andrew Shue, bless his heart, Rob Johnson... shall I go on? Do you remember Donadoni staring in disbelief when his pin point perfect pass led to... a goal kick?

This league is NOT the Premiership or Serie A, it is a league maturing rapidly. Just watching where the US players got to at the World Cup this year showed the talent that has gone through MLS.


I would happily put the best of the MLS against any quality second (or first if you are English) squad. In '96 they would have had serious trouble with Rutgers.

 

That's funny, because I would put the best of the A-League against any MLS team. MLS ain't very good. It's a lot better than 1996, but it ain't very good. You MLS city fans need to get over your delusions.

 

This is just the same thing as assuming that, on the basis of a couple friendlies, MLS teams could run with the top English teams. How far did your 'best of the A-league' get, anyway?

I like the A-League. I watch the A-League. I go out to lower division soccer here when I can. But you're stating that Rochester or Seattle or Minnesota as constituted now is going to be up in the top half of MLS over the course of a full season? That's crazy talk.

 

Right, because A-League defender of the year Craig Demmin became one of the worst defenders in MLS before crawling back to Rochester.

Right, because the A-League "powerhouses" Minnesota, Charleston, and Rochester start such MLS has-beens and never-wores as Don Gramenz, Amos Magee, Johnny Torres, Kevin Anderson, Dusty Hudock, Andrew Lewis, Mark Watson, Steve Klein, Kalin Bankov, Yuri Lavrienko, Greg Simmonds, Hamisi Amani-Dove, Kirk Wilson, Dan Stebbins, the aforementioned Craig Demmin, etc, etc, etc.

Right, because once in a while MLS teams lose exhibition games they could care less about, while going 8-1 vs A-League teams in Open Cup games.

Right, because Edmundo Rodriguez played in the A-League for 6 seasons after being laughed out of MLS.

Right.

Who's delusional now?

 

Yes.

Especially when you consider that even after 7 years, player salaries are the same, which isn't exactly going to encourage players to play professional soccer when they can make the same salary ($35K) working an office job.

However, the major concern should be that the quality of the games stopped improving last year. Each year, we saw major improvements in play as it seems MLS peaked last season. With contraction, I was expecting a significant improvement in play for year #7, instead a case could be made that the quality of the games might have actually gotten worse than last season.

 

Like I said the MLS has improved since it first started . But I think many fans overstate the improvement . I agree with your statement 100% . I fear for this league if it doesn't show improvement next season .

 

The improvement has been rapid, but I don't think it is reasonable to expect it to continue improving at that rate. I think the league will probably plateau (if it already hasn't) until you see a majority of it's teams with stadiums and real developmental teams. The stadiums are key because of revenue. When the league makes money, salaries can increase. Then skill will again improve.

Re: the A League. I hadn't watched in quite some time but recently got FSW on my cable system. Please point me to the teams that you consider better than the MLS. I apparently haven't seen them play yet. What I have seen is chippy, dangerous soccer with flashes from individual players that show promise.

 

I've been a season ticket holder since '96. The improvement in the last two seasons has been dramatic, in my opinion. The biggest improvements have been in the overall level of skill and thought. We may have reached a plateau; it make take another few years to see another leap foreward.

I have always found MLS entertaining, in large part because I care about my team and the league in general. That helps gloss over the dull patches of uinspired play, and the infuriating stretches of bad form.

I saw a fair share of both on display during last night's EPL highlights on FSW. At that level, crap happens at a faster pace in front of more people for a lot more money. So does the good stuff. It's a funny. old game.

 

a plateau??? being at the last two games and seeing the passing, looks like they may have fell of the edge of the plateau...

Dan R., Don't forget in your A-league has-beens list
Diaz-Arce and Digital Takawara...my, how the mighty have fallen....

 

in 96 teams had a difficult time keepin the ball on the field (throw ins, followed by goal kicks, followed by throw ins, etc)....

the play has improved significantly since then...not so evident by watching metro play recently, but watch la, dallas or san jose....great soccer....metros have a glimpse here and there, but not as consistenly....


the teams seem to be richer talent wise, but some teams [cough]metrostars[/cough], albeit richer in talent, are poorer with determination and drive then last year....

why? maybe because you have some 28 year olds flying everywhere and making 40K....the magic may have worn off....but i believe the younger guys coming up have more skill as a group...and as they get older, so will mls, and hopefully the league will be able to give them more money....

 

I think reserve squads are crucial for the continued development of MLS.

 

I think it's hard to deny that it has improved. I have to say though that as recently as the River-Rangers match, there is still a kind of "wow!" in terms of the difference in level. And on non-Metro MLS matches on TV..I don't watch all that many and often drift away to FSW or a baseball game. (I know sad of me).

One thing that has always stayed in my mind is this chat that Bruce Arena did on the USA Today site in 2000.

It's so easy to knock the, "aging foreign stars" but I'm a fan of Arena's and he has always felt these players were good for the MLS. I'll take his word. I think in the context of this thread, it's something to think about: should the league still go after these players? Is the international duty of the MLS-based players enough to raise the quality-or can it just grow organically by simply letting our guys play in MLS?

I'm in the minority I suppose, but I thought Lothar despite his antics, was an important reason why we went as far as we did in 2000. He made an impression down the stretch, and I have to think Petke & Co. learned something with him back there.

It's not a popular position, but perhaps we need another generation of these "old guys" to mix in with the Brad Davis' of the world to bring the league to another level.

 

The league has improved alot since the beginning. The quality of play is much better, the games are less sloppy, but of course there is still room for much improvement. I think one thing that really hurts the league is all these in season player changes. It has gotten to the point that some changes are made just to make a change when it really doesn't benefit a team. One thing that would help would be if each team actually controlled their own players contracts and not the league. This leads to alot of these changes. I think the league has done well with some of the senior internationals it has brought in but others simply came for an American vacation before riding off into the sunset. We must remember that comparing the MLS to the leading leagues worldwide at this point simply does not make sense due to the fact that these leagues are established leagues in soccer friendly countries and the MLS does not want to spend the money the teams in these leagues spend. I think we have gotten to the point however, were a the league needs to raise the salary cap and spend a little more in attracting some of the higher caliber players and makin sure we can at least keep most of the American stars home. Also get rid of the playoff system we have now, make it the top 2 teams fom the east and west play in a semifinal home and away, aggregate score and then the final, one game.

 

Earth to Dan:

The MLS sucks and is boring as hell. Deal with it.

 

Earth to Rick:

Get bent. Deal with it.