The "Thoughts That Don't Require Their Own Thread" Thread XIV

I watched the reply of the 2006 playoff game with Chicago on Saturday night. The one thing I took from re-watching the game, the level of play in MLS has definitely gotten better. It reminded me of a U-15 team I had. Working with them on 1 and 2 touch passing. If you are doing 1 touch passing, the pass should get closer than 5 yards of your attended target!!

 

On average, the first touch of a fair number of players is also still suspect. (Independent of the quality of any particular ball played to them.)

Teal in particular has feet of stone - nearly every time, the ball "gets air" the moment even a perfect pass reaches him.

Diego too seems to frequently struggle to corral cleanly a ball played to him. (he's also a prime offender in the passing department, often lifts the ball when there's no reason to do so, so it arrives ankle/shin high at the receiving player.)

It's the lack of that **crud** in other higher-level professional leagues that is the huge huge noticeable visible difference from MLS re: how the game is played.

i.e., the difference isn't primarily due to speed, its not athleticism, etc.

-- it really comes down to how well clean technique is brought to bear in the quick or simple moments - which I am convinced is a function of mental toughness/concentration.

i.e.,the technique shortfall in MLS is not an issue of "not enough reps" - it seems too too often an inability to bring full concentration to enough of the many moments of the game.​

 

Hmmm, methinks there's an All-Time Best 11 BackPassers waiting to be discussed.

>> Clyde Simms is my # draft choice for this team. Terrific guy, but oh my lord so few incisive passes.​

 

Imad Baba has a safe place in this line-up.

 

https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-fi...-calendar-possibility-to-be-discussed-fifa-vp

Almost everyone had it wrong. All the other leagues should align with MLS’ schedule

 

All Time 11 Back Pass Maestros? Are we limiting it to Revs players, or allowing the league as a whole? Because there is a special place in Back Pass Hell for the likes of Mike Bradley and the infamous "Pass Back Pete" Vagenas.

 

Agree with your whole post, but I want to point out that this last bit can be said of the vast majority of "american-grown" (either youth or college coached or both) players. One touch play, and crazy ball skills that are common in Brazilian kids at 10 or 12, just aren't part of most American kids' experience. This strikes me as being like languages -- comparatively easy to learn young, but very hard to learn once your brain is more mature. This is part of what was spectacular about Dempsey -- he had these skills and never let them get coached out of him.

 

The all time best back pass I've seen live, belongs to Carlos Mendez, who wrong-footed Jon Conway from about 45 yards for the most improbable own goal ever. AND it was the game winner IIRC.

 

Yeah, Baba would drive me NUTS! The thing is, he had the skill to take on (and beat!) defenders 1 v 1, but he rarely did.

 

You are not alone -- my all time favorite Baba story: Imad had overlapped JMM on the right wing and Moore laid a beautiful pass to right where Baba should have been right near the corner flag but Baba had stopped his run just as JMM released the pass (would have been a wide open opportunity for a cross). The ball rolled out for a GK, and JMM (about 30 feet from my seat at the old Foxboro stadium) threw his arms in the air, and SCREAMED "Imad!"

The only saving graces of the old stadium. Real grass and in the front few rows you felt like you were right on top of the action.

 

K League puts an interesting twist on "social distancing"

Let's just say sex dolls >> tarps on empty seats

 

Da Bruce lets loose:

Bruce Arena addresses 2018 USMNT player pool, Gregg Berhalter's managerial style
June 18, 2020
1:11PM EDT
Dylan Butler

 

Yeah, I always thought the National Anthem before sports is something we can do without. It started in WWII and just continued ever since. It used to be just on special occasions like Opening day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, etc. I can see it for National Team games but for domestic MLS games, it's not necessary.

Things have gone too over-the-top in recent years for nationalism and glorifying the military, etc. It has it's place, but not everywhere.

 

I've been to soccer matches in 5 countries outside the US and a Rugby match in England, At precisely NONE of these was a national anthem played. I'm pretty sure in most countries across the world the National anthem is reserved for cases where it's country against country and not pro club against pro club.

 

Very true. National team games it is the norm (which makes sense), but for club games in a domestic league, most of the time clubs have their own "anthem" or some sort of song where the players walk out to it and the supporters sing, etc.

 

Ok, I've searched the boards here, and the internets in general as well, to no avail.

So those of you of a certain age: I vaguely recall an association of "LPFK" with the Revs. (For example, was that sign on Cambridge St used for printed copies of POCM?)

Maybe I am, in the words of Roger Clemens, "misremembering"....

 

You are correct, that POCM had LPFK (as a section/regular feature, IIRC).

 

I received this gem from the kids for Father's Day yesterday.

(Son #1 recently moved to Somerville, drives by LPFK daily. He recalled me pointing out the sign to him when he was very young)

There's a tie-in to early supporters of #NERevs

I know what I'm wearing to next game... pic.twitter.com/yPEpzjNiGS

— A Casual Fan (@A_Casual_Fan) June 22, 2020

 

Um...

Check out what I just added to my closet on Poshmark: New England Revolution crop top. https://t.co/y2lTyr4mT4 via @poshmarkapp #shopmycloset

— THAT’S SEW TIM (@timtimstees) July 3, 2020

 

The Pats are aiming to implement the "Revs experience" at home games this year. Wonder if there will be mandatory quiet space in midfield?