On the surface, it doesnt sound much different than EPB at SKC. Why do they NEED to return to the US? There are plenty if places around the world they can earn a living.
I think there was a coaching change and Boyd has found his way into the team under the change in management.
I don't know but I heard on review shows the speculation about who would play 9 for Miami since Robinson was injured. Here's the game report: Robinson had to exit the contest just before the halftime whistle after D.C. defender Steven Birnbaum fell on the back of his leg. The rookie forward got up under his own power and briefly tried to re-enter the contest, but was subbed off for Juan Agudelo.
Some players rebound... Others don’t. I wouldn’t make him a DP or even TAM, but I’d wager he’d be a good risk for the right price.
Picault has been a solid MLS pro, IMO. Still on the outside of the US picture, but I’d take a Picault-equivalent replacement for Josef Martinez at Atlanta. Boyd just never recovered from his knee injury. Can’t tell about Green.
My impression of how the MLS has improved was shaken last night. First, NYCFC looked like they were on their way to a decent 0-0 result away at Tigres before completely shutting off defensively in stoppage time. Matters were made a lot worse when Atlanta FC got absolutely trounced by America in the 1st half. Atlanta FC showed some fight in the 2nd half but the quality in the final 3rd was found wanting to say the least... good opportunities but terrible strikes on goal. The first 3 MLS Teams are down going into their final legs. Atlanta is done and dusted.... Montreal gave up two away goals... so it doesn't look good there either. NYCFC still has a chance. Really do not like to root for LAFC, but I am making an exception in this tournament.
MLS Flavors. None for a while. https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-l...d-for-30-days-usmnt-uswnt-friendlies-canceled
Now I will seriously have nothing to watch on TV. Just waiting for it to happen everywhere. No soccer? Ugh.
The tournament is over, for now, I think. LAFC match is suspended, and I suppose they could play the away legs but I suspect with MLS suspended, this is a matter of time. MLS has improved. The very, very top of Liga MX still has payrolls 4x or 5x, so while MLS can win, they shouldn't be favorites, especially v Tigres and CA. Honestly, Tigres and CA should roll Liga MX every year, but between the small sample size of the Apertura/Clausura model and just general malaise, they don't. If I was a fan of either, it'd be frustrating as hell. Losing Josef was devastating for Atlanta. They've been pretty good against Liga MX by basically holding everyone back and playing three forward and letting Josef work his magic. Without Josef ... they couldn't do that.
You're gonna hang on to that Picault stock alllllll the way down, aren't you? Atlanta could have Picault for peanuts, I'm sure.
Don't be overly taken in by the coverage of Atlanta in the media. Product support has a lot to do with it. If you take a cold look at the facts, they lost their most productive assist guy in Gressel, their most consistent scorer in Joseph, pretty much the whole championship season back line, etc. etc. You'll see Atlanta tops in the pre season "power rankings" but it's a Potemkin village. NYCFC is a solid club but much of their actual ranking has to do with tailoring their style to fit the pitch and putt playing field where they play their home games. Montreal has a new manager, beginning of season, etc. They already look pretty good in pieces and will likely need a little time to put it together. There is a higher standard of deviation in clubs between seasons in MLS than in Europe, say. That's good. You just have to adjust your thinking a little and look (this season) at clubs like Philly (almost there) Toronto (if they can get out of their own way here an there) Columbus (if Porter can add a little finesse to his goon squad). Then there's Miami which is a well constructed and interesting first year team. You don't often see "first year teams in Europe" (promoted teams) do as well as your Atlantas, Miamis, LAFC's. Leicester City was a rare duck. With MLS, it's like the trip - getting there is half the fun so enjoy it or go watch same ol', same ol' Perm League.
Atlanta's roster was somewhat gutted through injuries and transfers. No Josef. No Martinez. No Gressel. No Robinson. No Nagbe. No Villalba. No Escobar. TFC would've made for a much better Canadian opponent than Montreal has. Seattle basically botched their series.
Picault has been an excellent MLS-winger, but a mediocre forward. That's why the Union, following the formation switch to a diamond-442, transferred him.
I meant someone of his caliber, not necessarily take him, because I know he doesn’t play that CF position.
Yeah, 2020 isn’t going to be Atlanta’s year. I think we gutted our roster too much, didn’t bring in talent where we should have, and have had way too many devastating injuries. think about it this was Atlanta’s first choice XI last year... ——Barco——Josef——Pity————— Meram—Nagbe—Remedi/Jeff—Gressel ——LGP———Miles——--Franco—— ———————Guzan———————- Josef’s injured. Robinson’s injured. Franco’s injured. Meram’s gone. Gressel’s gone. LGP’s gone. Nagbe’s gone. All that was left was Pity, Barco, Remedi, and Guzan. And Remedi is one of our worst players - who should have been gone. So, essentially, it’s Guzan and two DP’s and a bunch of scrub replacements. Hell, Atlanta might as well be an expansion side this year.
Think ATL will be fine: the firepower and organization should see them to a good season. But they had been looking like a super-club those first couple of years. Given the financial resources provided by the fanbase, Atl's offseason moves have been disappointing. Did they bring someone in to help Remedi in central midfield? In some matches, they're going to need more bite than Hyndman can provide.
In terms of domestic players, Toye and Ebobisse would be solid options. I suspect Atl will nab someone from overseas.
I don't know if this article about Cannon has been posted anywhere else, but I thought it was interesting that he was so candid about his intent to go to Europe over the summer: ""Being transparent, I want to be present in my situation and give Dallas my 100 percent for however long I’m here. But the goal was to be transferred in the summer, and obviously teams are in a scramble right now because it’s a tough time for transfers at the moment. Now the most important thing is safety and health." It makes it seem like he had some pretty concrete interest, and Dallas seemed willing to make a deal.
Reggie and FCD seem to have had an understanding about this...………………….. But the whole thing has been shot to hell. Its likely that he won't be in the shop window this spring in MLS, and the U23 CONCACAF Championships and Olympics (if we'd have qualified) are also likely not to happen. Its also likely that until all of the uncertainty lifts, Euro clubs aren't going to be shopping for transfers. And a lot of Euro clubs are losing a ton of spending money if they're losing much of the spring season. In the rest of the article, Reggie shows that he has the right attitude about this. All you can do is keep grinding. There are things out of his control. Because for those players I mentioned, MLS is probably the highest level they'd get interest from. None of those players are going to get to go to a league with foreign player or work permit restrictions. McKinze Gaines, from Austin, is a bench player in the German 3rd division. Moving to MLS would be a step back up the ladder in terms of his career. Hence I suggested the new Austin franchise as a great move for him. Mukwelle Akale has never played a professional first team game. He's not a 16 year old prospect. He's 23! He's been in the Villarreal reserves since 2014! Is Serie A calling? MLS is likely the highest level he'd get interest from. I think of Akale, like I did about Sebastian Lletget. A kid who can come to MLS, maybe to his home state of Minnesota, and get his career back on some semblence of a track.
Didn't realize this player was American. Mauricio Pineda(age-22)[Dmid_4141]_2/2 drb_7 tackles_Chicago 1-1 New England
How he joined the Club: Signed as a Homegrown Player on Jan. 17, 2020. Pineda, 22, joins the Fire after spending the past four years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Pineda, who was a team captain for the Tar Heels, appeared in every match during his four years with UNC. Seems he played for our u18 u19 teams. I'm watching him at the mom and seems he has good, quick feet. He plays the lone 6 in a 4141. opta has him at 5 tackles won, 2 lost. 4 of the tackles won were between 70-80' when the game had been tied up 1-1 in the 70th minute. He had 3 recoveries and an interception in the attacking half, 7 recoveries and 3 clearances in the defending end He was 29/39 passing but his passing chart showed careful distribution out of the back. He's one to watch because players coming from 4 years of college usually need a year of play in MLS to add athleticism, plus he is 22 and a rangy 6'1" 171lbs.. https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/m...ngland-revolution-vs-chicago-fire-fc/boxscore
Edit to the above: Pineda's 4 tackles won after 70' came when he had switched to 3rd cb from dmid in a defensive 3 man back line to preserve the point away.