MLS 2022: Our Weird, Fun, Chaotic, Dumb Domestic League

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
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Dec 15, 2002
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Gutierrez’s physical development is allowing his technical skill to shine this season.


Edit: Duran also had a great match - 2 goals that showed off his strength, pace, and calm finishing. He also pressed hard and drew a slew of fouls. Duran is an excellent for for a team that has to defend deep and hit on the break…so long as he keeps his composure and doesn’t let his immaturity flare up again.
I came here to post this. What an outrageous piece of technique.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
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Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
The Sounders are a hot fucking mess right now. I keep seeing people in Seattle say it's no big deal because they've traditionally done well in the second half of the season, but Ruidiaz and Lodeiro are older and the entire team looks gassed.

The Joao Paulo injury continues to give them problems. Fingers crossed for some help in this transfer window.

@67YAZ I thought the Fire looked much better than their record shows. Stout defense.
 

67YAZ

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The Sounders are a hot fucking mess right now. I keep seeing people in Seattle say it's no big deal because they've traditionally done well in the second half of the season, but Ruidiaz and Lodeiro are older and the entire team looks gassed.

The Joao Paulo injury continues to give them problems. Fingers crossed for some help in this transfer window.

@67YAZ I thought the Fire looked much better than their record shows. Stout defense.
Really surprised to get this win. I kept waiting for Seattle to wake up and bang a couple home. Gassed is a good description.

Czichos is the key to the entire set up. Hendrickson is dedicating a lot of guys to defend, but Czichosis the field general and he takes the toughest marking assignments. Having Slonina as a backstop helps, too, but when Czichos missed 4 matches with injury, things immediately went to shit.

Hendrickson is proving to be really slow with adjustments. Right now it looks like he has re-structured the defense and press triggers, which has worked well. But the season started like this, and once opponents got some film, they were able to break the Fire down consistently.

The attack is still junk because Hendrickson is keeping so many back. Shaq looks ready to pull out his hair plugs.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
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Toronto added another big-name Italian a few years ago, Federico Bernardeschi. Their roster has been a total tear-down and they've shipped out a bunch of DPs in the last 12 months. Yeferson Soteldo only lasted a year and was moved to Tigres last winter. Carlos Salcedo was a disaster and mutually terminated his contract just recently. And Alejandro Pozuelo was salary-dumped to Inter Miami.

Toronto has been using a ton of young academy products, but they need some more experienced players who can be above-average starters.

https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-fc-sign-italian-international-federico-bernardeschi
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
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Apr 21, 2010
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Toronto added another big-name Italian a few years ago, Federico Bernardeschi. Their roster has been a total tear-down and they've shipped out a bunch of DPs in the last 12 months. Yeferson Soteldo only lasted a year and was moved to Tigres last winter. Carlos Salcedo was a disaster and mutually terminated his contract just recently. And Alejandro Pozuelo was salary-dumped to Inter Miami.

Toronto has been using a ton of young academy products, but they need some more experienced players who can be above-average starters.

https://www.torontofc.ca/news/toronto-fc-sign-italian-international-federico-bernardeschi
Somewhat ironic that the club formerly known as the Montreal Impact pioneered the philosophy of signing expensive Italian players, only to see their rivals perfect the strategy by signing good expensive Italian players.

Also, that was a shrewd move by Miami to get Pozuelo for only $150k GAM.
 

the1andonly3003

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Jul 15, 2005
4,371
Chicago
So, I'm heading to my first Chicago Fire match this weekend. What section is the best value between ticket price vs view from seat. Seems like there is a $40 vs $25 price point?
 

67YAZ

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Dec 1, 2000
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So, I'm heading to my first Chicago Fire match this weekend. What section is the best value between ticket price vs view from seat. Seems like there is a $40 vs $25 price point?
Saturday is supposed to be beautiful and it’s a doubleheader with the Red Stars!

It’s a modern stadium, so all the sight lines are fine, but as a football stadium, you’re not particularly close to the pitch. At those price points, the question is if you want to be behind a goal or in the corner. For $40, you can get either behind the goal 1st deck or in the corner 2nd deck. I prefer the corner because I get a better view of the whole pitch.

If you’re going for the doubleheader, the south end and southeast corner will be in the shade.

Edit: just remembered it’s Lollapalooza weekend, too. It’s going to wild downtown.
 
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the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,371
Chicago
Saturday is supposed to be beautiful and it’s a doubleheader with the Red Stars!

It’s a modern stadium, so all the sight lines are fine, but as a football stadium, you’re not particularly close to the pitch. At those price points, the question is if you want to be behind a goal or in the corner. For $40, you can get either behind the goal 1st deck or in the corner 2nd deck. I prefer the corner because I get a better view of the whole pitch.

If you’re going for the doubleheader, the south end and southwest corner will be in the shade.

Edit: just remembered it’s Lollapalooza weekend, too. It’s going to wild downtown.
Yup, had this double header circled all season! I guess I was mistaken on the ticket prices. I guess there are more price tiers.
 

67YAZ

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Yup, had this double header circled all season! I guess I was mistaken on the ticket prices. I guess there are more price tiers.
If you're willing to go to $50, 2nd tier up behind the benches is worth it IMO.

Not sure if the USWNT players are back in their respective starting XI yet, but seeing Pugh and Morgan at Soldier Field would be fun. Good luck and enjoy!
 

the1andonly3003

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Jul 15, 2005
4,371
Chicago
If you're willing to go to $50, 2nd tier up behind the benches is worth it IMO.

Not sure if the USWNT players are back in their respective starting XI yet, but seeing Pugh and Morgan at Soldier Field would be fun. Good luck and enjoy!
so this clear bag policy, is it literally clear bag or does a small over-the-shoulder messenger bag work?
 

67YAZ

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so this clear bag policy, is it literally clear bag or does a small over-the-shoulder messenger bag work?
Have only gone to one match this season so far. My wife brought her big purse and we had a few water bottles and some snacks in there among other sundries. It got a look through by security but no issues.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
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Just a typical Saturday slate with multiple 4-4 games. Miami blew multiple leads and then got an equalizer at 90+7'. Portland scored 14 seconds into the game and were deprived of the first hat trick in their MLS history when Blanco's would-be third goal was ruled an own goal, on their way to coming back from a 3-1 deficit to a 4-3 lead, which they also blew. MLS!
 

Pesky Pole

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Philadelphia Union beat up on Houston, winning 6-0. The interesting part for neutrals is Jack McGlynn getting his 3 straight start and scoring his first senior goal. He seems to have emerged as the most advanced of the heralded Union homegrowns and could have a future with the USMNT in the next cycle. Quinn Sullivan also added a goal in garbage time, assisted by McGlynn on a play started by an Aaronson press breakup. If you miss the U20's tournament, turn on a Union game.
 

67YAZ

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For all those fireworks, @the1andonly3003 say through 180 minutes of professional soccer last night and didn’t see a single goal scored by a Chicago team.
 

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
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Philadelphia Union beat up on Houston, winning 6-0. The interesting part for neutrals is Jack McGlynn getting his 3 straight start and scoring his first senior goal. He seems to have emerged as the most advanced of the heralded Union homegrowns and could have a future with the USMNT in the next cycle. Quinn Sullivan also added a goal in garbage time, assisted by McGlynn on a play started by an Aaronson press breakup. If you miss the U20's tournament, turn on a Union game.
McGlynn is a fascinating prospect.

I've heard tell of a Bundesliga club that is coming in hot for Paxten.
 

the1andonly3003

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Jul 15, 2005
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Chicago
For all those fireworks, @the1andonly3003 say through 180 minutes of professional soccer last night and didn’t see a single goal scored by a Chicago team.
Fire-Atlanta Utd was not fun to watch. Probably b'c I mainly watch EPL, the long balls and counter-attacking was a bit jarring to my palate. The place was rocking after Shaqiri's goal before VAR knocked it off. Disappointed there was no VAR chant...

Red Stars-Wave was more to my liking (it helped that it was a battle two top four teams). They played with intensity and maintained possession well. If Jaedyn Shaw becomes the next USWNT star, I can say that I saw her first professional club goal! Pugh's missed penalty was devastating. Most of the crowd did not stay for this match.

In talking to a few fans sitting around me, yesterday was one of the bigger crowds of the season due to the earlier start time and doubleheader. Soldier Field is not ideal for club football, but it's at least accessible. I was quite annoyed overhearing a guy telling his kids about why the Wave's sweeper keeper was playing her position incorrectly. The gatekeepers decided yesterday was the day they would enforce the bag policy. I got there at gate's open only to be turned away -ending walking back to my apt to stuff everything in my runner's pouch. They annoyed a number of people around me.

All in all, it was fun. Watching Pugh and Morgan play in person was a delight.
 

speedracer

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Jul 19, 2005
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DC United gives Rooney a win in his first game, scoring twice in stoppage time including this ludicrous winner:

View: https://twitter.com/TaylorTwellman/status/1553880988278833157?t=mB6OOAJ3iH1oUCjg80ouuw&s=19
Equalizer was a peach as well, a fizzing, bouncing cross that Chris Durkin redirected into the upper 90.

Dunno what the hell Rooney did to the team at half -- they went from aimlessly shuffling the ball back and forth across the back line and taking 3 dribbles on every pass to flying upfield and playing one-touch football like they were at a Barcelona training session.
 

67YAZ

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Chicago? It would be great to have a successful MLS leader running things, but haven’t heard any rumors about Heitz.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
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Jul 16, 2005
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Washington
A question (that has been roiling through Sounders fans) for the peanut gallery.

What is better?
1. Winning CCL and then struggling in MLS and possibly (likely?) missing the playoffs.
B. Not winning CCL and then advancing to the MLS playoffs, making a run.

The Sounders are 3-7 in their last 10 games and are in serious danger of missing the postseason for the first time in franchise history and the fanbase is getting grumpy. I wonder if winning the CCL would be more palatable if the Club World Cup was actually happening.

Also, in before "Sounders suck, so glad they are missing the playoffs!!!11!"
 
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67YAZ

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CCL, hands down. It was historic accomplishment for club and the entire league.

Last couple times I watched the Sounders, they looked tired. Missing the playoffs and getting a long off-season to rest, get healthy, and infuse some new blood could propel them right back to the top of MLS.

The CCL is always going to be a grind and have a major luck factor. Winning that is much more difficult.
 
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67YAZ

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Just in time for a trip to Foxboro…the Fire lose 0-2 to Montreal while seeing Shaqiri & Czichos hobble off injured. I think that’s if for the season. Czichos has proven to be Chicago’s most indispensable player, and the goddamn shit turf at Soldier Field causes a knee twist.

We’ll see how aggressively Hendrickson starts bedding in youth players in September - Brady, Casas, and maybe Oregel and Reynolds.
 

67YAZ

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Why doesn’t the Crew’s Luis Dias get more run? He’s lightening with the ball on his foot.

Przybylko was a wasteful signing for Chicago. He’s a mighty fine finisher, but can’t create. He needs good service and there’s none to be found in the Fire squad.

Edit: Slonina picks up his second consecutive 5+ save clean sheet. Gaga standing on his head is the trick this team knows.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
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Jul 16, 2005
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Washington
Holy shit the Sounders are awful. I don't even know what fixes them, considering they have the same team back next year.

No cohesion or chemistry. No results, except losing at home to awful teams. So frustrating.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Jun 15, 2002
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Looking at their last 8 or so years, it seems reasonable to assume that whatever they’re doing is incorrect.

It takes something special to be consistently bad in such a parity focused league.
 

67YAZ

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Dec 1, 2000
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Fire win! Their first 3 point outing in 5 matches and their first goals in 4. There’s no hope for the playoffs, but Duran netted twice tonight. It’s been amazing to see his development on the pitch this season - he’s pressing with coordination, timing runs, and learning how to hold up play. He’s still painfully immature and liable to act out in response to run of the mill physicality. Chicago’s hopes for next season rest in no small part on an 18 year old growing up.

Also, this week the Bears had a new type of sod laid in an effort to have a more durable turf. Well, Chicago and Miami ripped that thing up tonight and we saw players slipping around as well as balls taking screwy bounces. The Fire have 2 more home games and the Bears will plays twice at Solider Field during that span. It’s gonna be a shitshow.

(If and when the Fire become Soldier Field’s main tenant, I’d love to see them get a synthetic/real blend pitch like the major English stadiums as well as Lambeau Field.)
 
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Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
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Chicharito missed another PK tonight. Saw someone mention he is 16-31 in his career, which is an abysmal percentage for someone who has taken so many.