I’m watching ATL - NYCFC game (on an hour delay so I’m posting from the past) and its a great game so far - very high tempo and a lot of skill being shown all over the field. The improvement rate of the top MLS teams has accelerated over the last couple seasons imo. The best teams are no longer 3 or 4 special players plus fill-ins. We will have to keep the roster improvement going just to keep up. And need to sign a really special forward or two next season to reach flagship status again.
Did Drew Carey bail or is he hanging on? I could look it up, but I'm lazy and not willing to spend much energy sorting out Flounders situation
This off-season GBS/DTK have a lot of scouting/recruiting work to do. Our 2020 roster needs several upgrades if we want to regain the league mantle. From theathletic.com: Runaway league leaders LAFC made one of the more expensive deals in league history shortly before the window closed on Wednesday night, dipping back into the Peñarol pool — they bought Diego Rossi from the Uruguayan club ahead of the start of the 2018 season — to sign 19-year-old attacker Brian Rodriguez for an $8 million transfer fee. Rodriguez fits the mold for LAFC, who, apart from Carlos Vela, have gone young with their designated player signings. He’s inexperienced — he only played 18 league matches for Peñarol — but is a serious talent, with several technical staffers who scouted him for other MLS clubs describing him as slightly better and more versatile than Rossi. Capable of playing as a striker or on the wing, he’ll give LAFC’s potent attack another dangerous option. Thanks to their stellar form, he should have plenty of time to integrate, too. If he so chooses, manager Bob Bradley will have the luxury of sticking with a front three of Vela, Rossi (who sources have said for months is unlikely to be sold this summer but has reportedly drawn a $17 million bid from Fiorentina) and striker Adama Diomande. The stakes should be a bit higher for Rodriguez next season, especially if Rossi is sold in the winter.
Vela just scored a golazo. This absolutely signifies that Ibra will score a ridiculous goal (or three) and everyone will forget Vela’s goal. The Lion always feasts best when Vela thinks he’s got him.
I just watched it and my lord, what a goal by Vela. A lot of his team's fans may be (are) jerks (and I hope we crush his team, yada yada) but dayam. It looks like he took Bradley's exhortation to "play like Messi" literally: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...les-mls-immortality-stunning-goal-vs-san-jose
Honestly, I think people are overrating it quite a bit. Comparing it to Messi and Maradona? Calling it the best MLS goal of all-time? Cobi Jones said it was the best of the year, like he wasn't at El Traffico 1. Really? Vela receives the ball in space at the top of the box with one defender in front of him in a 3-on-1 advantage; the one defender can be easily beat by a simple layoff to the open man to Vela's right or left, but Vela takes him on then beats the GK. He literally beats one defender and the GK in a 1-v-1. Objectively, people are falling over themselves to overrate this team. Bobby Warshaw said they are already an all-time team even if they don't win an MLS Cup, because of the "way they prepare". Okaaaay, guys. I'm not taking anything away from this team, but they have benefit from traditional West powerhouses being uncharacteristically mediocre: Galaxy, Seattle, SKC, Dallas this season.
Yes they are over-hyping the goal. That's too bad because it was a great goal. Yes the defense was suspect but it started with a sweet dummy and return pass (only the later replays actually show the beginning of the play, near half field), then a lot of great ball/body control, composure and confidence. Ninety-eight percent of forwards shoot earlier in this sequence rather than taking the risk of getting stripped. It took a lot of chutzpah to wait until he had the table set perfectly before pulling the trigger (holy mixed metaphor batman). To be fair already having a 2-0 lead probably made it easier. And as far as LAFC the team - give credit where credit is due. The WC may indeed be a bit weak but a team can only play the schedule put in front of them. Their offense is in first by an astounding 23 goals and is paired with the best defense in the league, and that isn't close either. Their +46 goal differential is the best in MLS history (#2 was '98 Galaxy at +41) and they still have 8 games left. And our 3-2 home win against them comprises 1/3rd of their losses for the season. This is a great team with some crappy fans. Denying either part of that just kills credibility.
This. Calm finish with the extra dribbling, but a lot easier to tack one on in a game situation where no defender is going to want to pick up a pointless card, and as an attacker you’ve got the game won great time to try anything feel like. Best ever hyperbole doesn’t do the classy finish any favors.
I agree the goal is pretty audacious; it shows Vela and the team are brimming with confidence and swagger. But it is being overrated and compared to goals where players eliminated many defenders or broke down defense with a dribble, which Vela didn't do. The weakness of the Western Conference is relevant if you wish to put LAFC's "accomplishments" in historical context, which everyone seems pretty eager to do. The fact that the traditional Western powerhouses are rebuilding IS relevant. If they win the Cup, they'll also have one of the easier paths in recent history, with single elimination home legs only. For example, in the Galaxy's last two Cup victories, they had to beat a very good San Jose who won the SS and were undefeated at home in IN SJ and tie a very good Seattle that won the SS IN Seattle. I don't have to agree that LAFC is a great team and I certainly don't come to this board to be compelled to do so. But you will find any number of folks ready to join in that chorus. If they are booted from the playoffs, this run will just be a trivia footnote, like when FC Dallas won the shield in 2016.
I wouldn’t call the 2014 Seattle a good team. They were a fantastic team. Everyone talks about Toronto as being the best MLS team of all time. BS!! The 2014 LA Galaxy, and as much as it pains me to say it, the 2014 Sounders are up there. So much talent on both sides (Donovan, Keane, Dempsey, Martins). Both teams pushed each other all season long. I still feel angry we lost the SS to them. I also think that LAFC is peaking too early. The curse of the shield awaits!!
Of course you don't have to agree - we are all just giving opinions. In my opinion a +46 gd in parity-minded MLS isn't to be sneezed at, down year or not. We don't completely suck and we haven't been able to reach a +0 gd vs. a similar schedule.
FC Cincinnati should be relegated. Currently down 3-0 to CLB at half. (Just saw score - no way I would watch that shxxshxx match up.)
Not even for rivalry week? What about the big San Jose vs. Vancouver rivalry game? What are they calling that one?
Watching the Open and checked stats for MIN. They have 44 goals - 6 more than us - and their leading scorer Quintero has only 8 goals??? But 15 players on their team have scored and 9 have multiple goals. They are the anti-Galaxy. But they still have no chance @ATL. Especially since their leading scorer is pouting on the bench. Not sure what that is about. As I write that MIN scores and make it 2-1. Still have no chance.
And now playing 11 on 10. But still no Quintero. Interesting. Edit - oops, didn’t notice he came in at min 75.
Of the players MIN started the most prolific scorer had 4 goals. (I know - no one cares. I just thought it interesting.)