MLS Turns 21 - the 2016 season

[Titans Bastard]

Well, the first round of games is in the books, so it's high time for a new thread. It usually takes a few rounds for the quality of play to ramp up from preseason form and as usual there was some sloppiness on opening day. Fortunately, the sloppiness was of the high-scoring variety and not the dour 0-0 draw type.

The Revs came away from Houston with a 3-3 draw after a last-minute equalizer when Daigo Kobayashi headed home a Diego Fagundez cross deep into injury time. The Revs looked capable of scoring plenty of goals, especially in a road match, but the defense and Bobby Shuttleworth did not have good games. Heaps started a 4-2-3-1 with Kelyn Rowe moved deeper in the midfield to pair with new arrival Gershon Koffie. I'm not sure whether that configuration, which would bench Scott Caldwell, will stick around.

Elsewhere, Orlando scored goals at 90+3' and 90+4' to tie RSL 2-2 in a game that finished 10v10. NYCFC traveled to Chicago and won a 4-3 shootout. LA fell behind DC in the first half, before pounding them to the tune of four goals in the second. Montreal (sans Drogba) managed a 3-2 away win over Vancouver and Toronto (sans Altidore) took three points in NY after two late goals at Red Bull Arena.

Next up for the Revs is the home opener against DC on Saturday.

 

[DJnVa]

I watched the second half of the Timbers-Crew game. They picked up where they left off--that was fun.

 

[soxfan121]

 

[Titans Bastard]

Frickin' Grant Wahl didn't even do it justice. An international roster slot went from Toronto to Seattle in the trade as well.

 

[steeplechase3k]

As has been rumored for a week or two in Portland...

Portland Timbers acquire midfielder/defender Jack Barmby on loan from Leicester City

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have acquired midfielder/defender Jack Barmby on loan from English Premier League club Leicester City, it was announced today. Barmby will be added to the Timbers roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

“Acquiring Jack on loan with an option to retain long-term presents a great opportunity for both the player and the club,” said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager of the Timbers. “For his age he has very good experience at many levels, and we look forward to him joining the club.”

Barmby, 21, joins the Timbers after spending the opening portion of the 2015-16 campaign on loan with Rotherham United and Notts County in the Football League Championship and League Two, respectively.

http://www.timbers.com/post/2016/03/09/portland-timbers-acquire-midfielderdefender-jack-barmby-loan-leicester-city

 

[Arroyo Con Frijoles]

I was waiting for the new thread!

Revs looked oddly reactive early, playing very direct and looking to hit on counters, but they still looked really good with possession in the final third. I was honestly never that much a believer in Caldwell earlier on, but I think he has to be on the field now. Fagundez just keeps getting better and better.

 

[FlexFlexerson]

Rapids already performing to expectations.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Heaps recently said Caldwell didn't start mostly because of fitness concerns. He had a few setbacks in preseason, including an illness, so he wasn't ready to go 90. While using Rowe as a #8 may have some potential, the more I think about it the more I think Caldwell needs to partner with Koffie. Caldwell's game is pretty basic, but it's important to how the team functions and I think he's a little too good to be benched. And I'm not sure I'd be a fan of a Caldwell/Rowe pairing either because Koffie's physical presence is important.

Ultimately, the contours of the roster aren't well-suited to throwing Rowe in the CM pool. That would leave the team with a lot of surplus at CM: Caldwell, Kobayashi, Herivaux, and eventually, Kouassi, while detracting from depth among the front four. Right now there are six real options for four spots - Davies, Agudelo, Nguyen, Fagundez, Rowe, and Bunbury. Gamble and Neumann are out there, but haven't proven themselves. I don't think the Revs can afford to take Rowe out of that rotation.


----

Elsewhere, the Union announced that Maurice Edu is out for three months with a leg fracture. That's a tough loss for a team that can't afford one right now. Jim Curtin has one of the warmest managerial seats in the league as it is.

KC signed 22 year old Chilean forward Diego Rubio on loan from Real Valladolid of Spain. Rubio gives them a sorely-needed backup to Dom Dwyer, though he may get starts on the wing of the 4-3-3 as well.

Toronto signed local forward Mo Babouli to an MLS deal after he spent 2015 with their USL team. They originally found him playing against one of their academy teams in Ontario's semipro league.

LA bumped winger Ariel Lassiter from a USL deal to an MLS deal. Lassiter is Roy's kid, who left college early for a stint in Sweden, before signing for LA's USL team last year.

Seattle signed a draft pick, defender Tony Alfaro, and shipped out an old draft pick, defender Damion Lowe, on loan to Minnesota United.

Colorado signed a few draft picks - goalkeeper Chris Froschauer and midfielder Emmanuel Appiah

 

[Snakebauer007]

Orlando City just isn't the same without Kaka, missing Higuita and Rivas and having Ceren sent off didn't help either. When these guys are ready to go, along with Nocerino it's a deep team. I do worry about the drop off in goal from Hall to Bendik, so we'll see.

The atmosphere at the game was amazing: 60,000+ fans, hoping to see Nocerino debut tomorrow night

 

[Titans Bastard]

Amarikwa - fuck yeah:

 

[steeplechase3k]

Portland Timbers acquire attacker Darren Mattocks from Vancouver Whitecaps FC
http://www.timbers.com/post/2016/03/14/portland-timbers-acquire-attacker-darren-mattocks-vancouver-whitecaps-fc

Transaction: Portland Timbers acquire winger/forward Darren Mattocks from Vancouver Whitecaps FC in exchange for Targeted Allocation Money in 2016, and General Allocation Money and an international roster slot in 2017.

#AllYourZipsBelongToUs

 

[Titans Bastard]

The Revs signed Femi Hollinger-Janzen today, the last unresolved draft pick. He had some injury issues during preseason, which pushed the yea/nay decision on offering him a contract later. He's a forward who I'm guessing will spend the season on loan in Rochester, but who knows.

NYCFC signed Stiven Mendoza, a 23 year old Colombian forward who comes on loan from Corinthians of São Paulo. Meanwhile, they dealt defensive midfielder Andrew Jacobson to Vancouver where he'll back up Matias Laba. NYCFC don't have much depth at DM these days, but Jacobson was hardly a long-term answer.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Sounders about to fall to 0-3 after two dubious penalty kicks awarded to Vancouver.

Sigi has to be on the hot seat now, right?

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Here's the first "penalty".


There's a change.org petition seeking to ban the ref from taking charge of any more Sounders matches.

 

[robssecondjob]

Oh my goodness that is a bad call. Bad like I would be upset if one of my 16 year trainee refs made it.

 

[SocrManiac]

Howard is official. He really needs to tone down how he treats teammates after conceding now that he's making the mistake as often as the guys in front of him.

 

[Titans Bastard]

It wasn't that long ago that Mark Geiger was considered to be actually pretty good at his job, but he's come down with the Steve Blass Disease of soccer referees. He's been consistently atrocious for a while now.

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

I think Geiger is the only USA ref to have a World Cup knockout game, and he has quite a few other big international games under his belt. Which makes it too bad, because his doing well would be good for USA officiating in general. He is pretty young so hopefully he can rebound. (Though I guess that replay is not as clear to me as it seems to be to everyone else.). Sometimes I think the "not afraid to make the tough call" mentality that seems to be prized by the international assignors can lead to refs seeing stuff that isn't there.

 

[Section30]

The ref was not in the picture in either of the wide views. Was the call made by the linesman?

 

[Titans Bastard]

ESPN FC did a fun anonymous poll with 123 players asking them who they thought the most overrated and underrated players in the league are.

Unsurprisingly the list consisted almost entirely of overpaid Americans and Really Famous Old Europeans well past their prime.

More good quotations on other topics here.

 

[Titans Bastard]

- Orlando City signed Julio Baptista, who is now 34 years old. It doesn't look like he's done much lately, but I don't think he'll be given a major role in Orlando. They need a backup for Cyle Larin since Bryan Rochez doesn't appear to be working out.

- Herculez Gomez has signed with Seattle after being cut loose by Toronto. I don't love the Sounders' roster construction. They are getting a bit old and creaky. Their 4-3-3 feels like an attempt to squeeze their best players into an XI that doesn't actually put players in a good position to succeed. Herc will back up the front three.

- DC signed Andrea Mancini, an Italian forward who is Roberto's 22 year old son. He looks like a pretty bad signing, a guy who has bounced around a bunch of low level clubs without making an impact. He'll probably be the second coming of John Rooney.

- Lee Nguyen signed an extension with the Revs, who are off to a pretty uninspiring start - three points in four games. Red cards in two of the four games don't help. I am glad, in general, that MLS refs have come out of the gate swinging with regards to punishing brutal challenges. MLS has long been guilty of letting those slide; protecting playmakers a bit more is a cheap way to slightly improve the level of play.

 

[Arroyo Con Frijoles]

First one was a no doubter, but the one Saturday looked pretty soft to me. But uninspiring is right. Fagundez looks good at least.

 

[Senator Donut]

MLS is handing out red cards at a breakneck pace. There have been 12 issued in 33 games. I'm all for protecting skilled players, but the level of play argument falls short when one out of every three games ends with a ten man side trying to park the bus.

 

[Titans Bastard]

MLS is handing out red cards at a breakneck pace. There have been 12 issued in 33 games. I'm all for protecting skilled players, but the level of play argument falls short when one out of every three games ends with a ten man side trying to park the bus.

If this pace of red cards continues, you are absolutely right. The question is whether and how quickly MLS players will adapt to the new standards. Any time you tighten up the way refs call games, there's going to be an adjustment period with lots of cards.

 

[Titans Bastard]

The NASL announced that the San Francisco Deltas will join the league in 2017. Thus far we know that they will play at Kezar Stadium and that they have a really terrible logo. Minor league soccer in a big-league like SF seems like a tough sell. I'm skeptical, but we'll see.

 

[steeplechase3k]

There was a USL team that played in Kezar Stadium in 2007, they only lasted one year. The California Victory. I went to a Timbers match there, there isn't much around the stadium, but it was pretty easy to get there on transit.

 

[Titans Bastard]

It's snowing sideways in this Chicago-Philly game. Disappointed they didn't break out the old orange ball. Also, one of the sideboards has already blown over.

This has all the makings of the most aesthetic game ever.

 

[Titans Bastard]

A few of the more prominent remaining unsigned players from this past offseason have finally landed somewhere:

DC signed former Houston and Orlando Tally Hall. He's a solid GK who the Lions jettisoned last year because he was expensive and somewhat injury prone. With Bill Hamid out for a while and his backup Andrew Dykstra also injured, adding depth makes sense. DC have two younger GKs, too, and five in total now which will have to be sorted out eventually.

Former Houston right back Kofi Sarkodie has reunited with his old Dynamo manager, Dominic Kinnear, in San Jose.

 

[Titans Bastard]

The US Open Cup first round draw was made today. I haven't seen the draw on official sites, so I'm stealing it from reddit.

1. Seacoast United Phantoms (NH/PDL) at Southie FC (MA/LQ)
2. AFC Cleveland (OH/NPSL) at GPS Portland Phoenix (ME/PDL)
3. Boca Raton FC (FL/LQ) at Miami Fusion (FL/NPSL)
4. Kraze United (FL/NPSL) at The Villages SC (FL/PDL)
5. Detroit City FC (MI/NPSL) at Michigan Bucks (MI/PDL)
6. Cincinnati Dutch Lions (OH/PDL) at Indy Eleven NPSL (IN/NPSL)
7. CD Motagua of New Orleans (LA/LQ) at Mississippi Brilla (MS/PDL)
8. Corinthians FC (TX/NPSL) at NTX Rayados (TX/LQ)
9. Harpo's FC (CO/LQ) at Albuquerque Sol (NM/PDL)
10. Lansdown Bhoys (NY/LQ) at Long Island Rough Riders (NY/PDL)
11. Red Bulls U-23 (NJ/PDL) at New York Pancyprian Freedoms (NY/LQ)
12. Jersey Express (NJ/PDL) at Clarkstown SC Eagles (NY/NPSL)
13. Des Moines Menace (IA/PDL) at FC Wichita (KS/NPSL)
14. Myrtle Beach FC (SC/NPSL) at Charlotte Eagles (NC/PDL)
15. Aromas Cafe FC (VA/LQ) at Chesterfield United (VA/NPSL)
16. Atlanta Silverbacks (GA/NPSL) at Reading United (PA/PDL)
17. West Chester United (PA/LQ) at Fredricksburg FC (VA/NPSL)
18. CD Aguiluchos USA (CA/NPSL) at San Francisco City FC (CA/LQ)
19. Burlingame Dragons (CA/PDL) at Sacramento Gold (CA/NPSL)
20. LA Wolves FC (CA/LQ) at Ventura County Fusion (CA/PDL)
21. San Nicolas FC (CA/LQ) at FC Tucson (AZ/PDL)
22. La Maquina (CA/LQ) at Timbers U-23 (OR/PDL)
23. Outbreak FC (CA/LQ) at Sounders U-23 (WA/PDL)

PDL = Premier Development League [summer league with mostly college players]
NPSL = National Premier Soccer League [ditto]
LQ = not sure the L stands for, but basically it's the random amateur teams that have qualified through regional tournaments.

Hey, it's a really local team - Southie FC. They are playing their USOC game in Revere. Not sure where they normally play, but they compete in a few local leagues.


USL teams (3rd division pro) join in the next round.

 

[Cuzittt]

I assume LQ= Local Qualifier.

 

[steeplechase3k]

USL teams (3rd division pro) join in the next round.

The ones not owned by MLS teams that is. The USL teams that are owned by MLS teams are not in the US Open Cup any more. This does make thing easier for scheduling and the MLS teams can call up their USL players for Open Cup Matches.

 

[Titans Bastard]

The Revs were pretty well hosed by the ref today. Two PK no-calls and a questionably disallowed goal (didn't see a good angle on whether Hollinger-Janzen let the ball cross the endline before the pass). Two points lost.

Columbus has turned into a pumpkin so far this season. Two points from five games after a loss in Montreal.

DC crushed the Whitecaps 4-0 today with both Espindola and Saborio scoring braces. Party like it's 2011 at RSL.

 

[Senator Donut]

The refereeing in every Revolution game I've seen this season has been atrocious, although I missed the Union game. Phantom red cards (NYCFC, RBNY) and missed penalties (Houston, Toronto) have been the main culprits.

 

[Titans Bastard]

FC Cincinnati drew 14,658 to their home opener tonight. Nice work from a new minor league club.

 

[teddykgb]

In watching NYCFC v Fore right now and it's such dross. This NYCFC roster looks stronger under PV but my god does the roster construction not work. Playing 4-3-3 with three slow midfielders is no way to play decent football. Villa has given the ball away a bunch and only plays for himself. Mullins has managed to put himself about and foul defenders and has not been involved otherwise. McNamara looks like a full back in midfield. And the pitch is a joke, small and it looks small time. There's so much more to do in this "project" it's depressing.

And with all of that angst, Chicago has been worse. I hope the Galaxy Timbers match is better.

 

[Titans Bastard]

In watching NYCFC v Fore right now and it's such dross. This NYCFC roster looks stronger under PV but my god does the roster construction not work. Playing 4-3-3 with three slow midfielders is no way to play decent football. Villa has given the ball away a bunch and only plays for himself. Mullins has managed to put himself about and foul defenders and has not been involved otherwise. McNamara looks like a full back in midfield. And the pitch is a joke, small and it looks small time. There's so much more to do in this "project" it's depressing.

And with all of that angst, Chicago has been worse. I hope the Galaxy Timbers match is better.

They do look disjointed and that's with Lampard still out with injury! If NYC had taken all that Pirlo/Lampard money and spent it on a Matias Laba type at DM and invested the rest of it in a few other above-average players, they'd be so much better.

I'm somewhat intrigued to see what both Vieira and Paunovic can do, but it's early days and both will need a lot of time to fully overhaul rosters. Chicago is starting Razvan Cocis as a central attacking midfielder. Yeesh.

Chicago Fire:

 

[teddykgb]

While not exactly a barnstormer the Galaxy Timbers match has been much better. Players are showing to space and sometimes making intelligent runs. There are still too many long hero balls but this is watchable. Bits hard to believe these two matches are in the same league.

Most of the time when I watch MLS I feel like the biggest difference between it and other more credible non elite leagues is the lack of good crosses. It's like a never ending stream of high floated over hit crosses.

Edit: Lletget needs a look in with MNT. LA really playing some proper stuff, I'm going to have to find more of their matches

 

[Cellar-Door]

In news that should shock nobody a player had to be stretchered off the field (Darlington Nagbe) after a Nigel DeJong horror tackle.
In news that is even less surprising, the ref didn't see it clearly so he only gave a yellow.

 

[teddykgb]

It probably should have been a red. It's not going to make DeJongs greatest hits though, it seemed unintentional to me and was only scandalous in the sense that players are taught to never go over the ball any longer.

De Jong gets no benefit of the doubt from anyone and he's earned that. I imagine Holden was on the sidelines developing many twitches as that played out

 

[Cellar-Door]

It probably should have been a red. It's not going to make DeJongs greatest hits though, it seemed unintentional to me and was only scandalous in the sense that players are taught to never go over the ball any longer.

De Jong gets no benefit of the doubt from anyone and he's earned that. I imagine Holden was on the sidelines developing many twitches as that played out

It was pretty nasty, a full stomp into the leg, that's a red in every league. I'd expect somewhere between a 3 and 5 game unpaid vacation is coming his way.

 

[steeplechase3k]

I know you can't see motion but this is a stomp on a plant leg, not an attempt at the ball. Fucking sickening.

Assuming the DC give him a red post match this will be the THIRD time this has happened to the Timbers this season. Three times players should have clearly been sent off and they weren't. Three times in five games.

Edit to add a shot from a split second earlier:

ZERO attempt at the ball.

 

[teddykgb]

Again, there's no need to make up stuff like "no intention for the ball". If you don't grab stills 2 seconds after they both go in for a 50/50 you can clearly see that he went into the challenge for the ball. It's bad enough on its own because he ended up over the ball and onto his plant leg. He will get multiple games and he will have deserved them. But I really don't think there was anything in this more than clumsy play by a hard player. Quite frankly, if he wanted to injure him, that wasn't the type of ball to do it on and De Jong had very little momentum going into the tackle.

 

[Cellar-Door]

There's an attempt at the ball for sure, but it's a weird dangerous stomping motion. Made worse by taking a bad angle and then not pulling off once he missed the ball. It's less intentional than wildly reckless with a bit of a willingness to commit a hard foul once you miss.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/inside-mls/mls-folded-in-2001-and-we-had-no-idea-041116

Lamar Hunt is a freaking hero.

 

[Titans Bastard]

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/behind-the-scenes-of-mlss-efforts-to-improve-officiating

Interesting look at PRO, the organization that runs refereeing in MLS.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Expansion talk from Garber today in Sacramento:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- MLS commissioner Don Garber has officially announced that the league will expand to 28 teams, and said "we hope and expect" that one of the teams in the next wave will be the Sacramento Republic of the USL.

Sacramento could join the league as soon as 2020, Garber said on Thursday.

The 28 teams announcement has been expected. Currently teams 21-24 are all accounted for; Atlanta and Minnesota are joining next year, LAFC and Miami are joining in 2018 -- though I think Miami still hasn't been officially awarded a franchise.

Sacramento has huge crowds for a lower division team, deep pocketed owners, a stadium plan that's basically just waiting for the green light from MLS, and is a fairly large market to have only one Big Four sports team. It's a safe bet to do well.


Other markets under consideration for #25-28:

Sacramento’s competition, he said, consists of San Diego, Detroit, St. Louis, San Antonio and Austin, Texas.

I think San Diego would be great, but there doesn't seem to be an owner or stadium plan in sight. San Antonio has increased its profile since the Spurs took over the minor league franchise there. They have the money behind them to be contenders. Hard to see Austin getting in, especially if San Antonio does.

In any case, outside of Sacramento it's all loose talk.

 

[Vinho Tinto]

Once they reach a high enough number of teams, will MLS consider following the old MLB model of having two separate leagues? I'm assuming no, but those big Euro second divisions need 46-48 matches per club to complete the round robin schedule. So they end up playing multiple midweek matches to avoid a 12 month season.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Once they reach a high enough number of teams, will MLS consider following the old MLB model of having two separate leagues? I'm assuming no, but those big Euro second divisions need 46-48 matches per club to complete the round robin schedule. So they end up playing multiple midweek matches to avoid a 12 month season.

MLS used a double round robin schedule in 2010 (16 teams; 30 games) and in 2011 (18 teams; 34 games). IIRC those are the only seasons in which a straight double round robin has been used. Before 2009, there were few enough teams that you'd play some teams at least three times. After 2011, the league expanded again but hasn't extended the schedule past 34 games. The double round robin isn't much of a consideration with regard to expansion because it isn't being followed now and won't be in the future.

European scheduling isn't a good model for the US because of travel. The occasional bitching about "brutal travel" to Eastern Europe in the Champions League and Europa League is amusing in light of routine away trips in MLS. Or the "long drive from Swansea to Newcastle", etc, which is 90 minutes shorter than Colorado's "local derby" against RSL.

I don't think MLS would ever follow the old MLB model. MLB basically has no competition within its sport, whereas MLS has tons. Past 28 teams, MLS will really have to think long and hard about the benefits of expanding to more cities vs. the dilution of domestic talent in the league. They could loosen the foreign player restrictions, but I think a lot of MLS fans would be turned off if the league went full EPL and basically ceased to be a place for domestic players. I don't think even the league knows what they want to do past 28 teams. If #25 won't come in until 2020 at the earliest, there is time to figure it out.

If you want to be wildly speculative, there is a certain logic to the argument that the creation of an MLS2 league would satisfy the desire to expand into more markets without diluting the quality of the top division. After all, that's the problem that pro/rel was actually created to solve -- too many teams, too few spots in a league. (And even though there are minor league teams now, the vast majority of them don't have the physical infrastructure or financial backing to be credible members of MLS.) But from all indications there is zero appetite for this among the owners. Decades off, if ever, but probably never.

 

[robssecondjob]

It was pretty nasty, a full stomp into the leg, that's a red in every league. I'd expect somewhere between a 3 and 5 game unpaid vacation is coming his way.

And the verdict is a three game vacation issued by the Disciplinary Committee.

 

[moly99]

Past 28 teams, MLS will really have to think long and hard about the benefits of expanding to more cities vs. the dilution of domestic talent in the league.

This is an oft repeated statement for traditional US sports leagues, but those leagues do not develop their own players. If MLS teams are able to produce domestic talent in their academies, this should not be nearly as great of a concern.