Arena The Old Title Was Way Too Long: USMNT/MLS Discussion

Romain Gall, of Columbus Crew SC, converted twice from the spot tonight, giving him 6 goals in 4 games so far at the CONCACAF U-20 Championships.

Kid's got serious promise. Hope he starts to show it at the club level.

 

So, it turns out that when Hope Solo's husband got a DUI, he was driving a US Soccer van. 30 day suspension is not good enough. She needs to be off the team permanently. Other GKs in the pipeline, leave her off the WWC roster.

 

NYCFC President Tim Pernetti leaves club before a single game is played. Going to IMG. Replaced by Tom Glick.

NYCFC have also announced a frIendly between then and MCFC, to be played in New York BEFORE Frank Lampard actually moves to NYCFC. Allowing the parent club to once again thumb their nose at New York fans.

It's almost as if NYCFC read Donald Sterling's manifesto on running a team in America and/or see being the spiritual heir to Chivas USA as a good thing.

Heels, it's not too late to jump off the bandwagon ...

 

Not to continue to turn this thread into a LOL @ NYCFC thread, but ...

Ground rules for supporters to follow at home games at Yankee Stadium:



The "must be approved by Yankee Stadium" is bad enough, but a serious LOL at "One Drum".

It needs a twitter hashtag "OneDrum

By the way - Heels, can you rename the thread? Make it an allocation or designated player joke? Or maybe "We can't start for Sunderland: The MLS/US Soccer thread"

 

You see? A terrible mod, using his misgotten power to bully a fellow user. No doubt he'll deny it!

(There was a time when I'd have made a Comms thread over this for the loldrama)

 

Worse than suspected! Using misdirection and false claims of ignorance. Lilly-livered is the term!

 

Well done, yankheels

 

Tim Cahill has been released by New York

 

Not surprising, given the rumors have been there since before last season ended. RBNY will be significantly worse this season, losing Cahill and Henry, and adding Kleijstan.

Tough job for Marsche, who is already despised by the supporters before he even has a single game as manager.

Good news for Columbus, I suppose.

 

No comment needed on this one

http://www.espnfc.com/los-angeles-g...obbie-rogers-during-galaxys-white-house-visit

 

Miguel Ibarra, of Minnesota United in the NASL, starting for the U.S. today. Yet, RBNY won't pay a small transfer fee to get him into MLS. Because they are somehow run worse than NYCFC.

Gyasi Zardes also starting. Future of USMNT strikers. We'll need him to score in Qatar. Probably Russia, too.

Trapp in the 18. Hopefully he gets some time as a holding mid today.

Not sure why Nguyen can't get a start, though.

 

Just ordered my 2015 Riverhounds season ticket plan! I'm looking forward to it. There have been a lot of changes with the Hounds for this year, including an actual head coach with head coaching experience, unlike Niko "Well, he's not going to play, so he might as well coach" Katic. Unfortunately Jose Angulo left for Fort Lauderdale. He'll be sorely missed, but the Hounds are in much better shape now than they were at this point last year.

 

DMC, did they get their financials straightened out? I know there was some bankruptcy talk, so hopefully they got it sorted out. That stadium is just too gorgeous to not have some kind of proper team to use it.

 

I haven't heard much on that front from the usual places. They're out of Chapter 11 protection, which is a good sign.


It truly is a sight to see.

 

Champions League is back tomorrow!

...

But we're left to root for D.C. United and Montreal Impact

 

Montreal with a good result on the road to open CCL. Two away goals could prove huge, but they'll likely lament blowing a 2-0 lead. Still, second leg will be a Mexican side traveling to CANADA, and the freezing cold, needing a win or three goals. I like the Impact's chances to advance.

We'll see if United can get a good start on Thursday, too.

 

Shay Facey first to utilIze Man City -> NYCFC loan path. Looks to be a good prospect, had some time as a center back on England U-20s. This is how Kreis should be leveraging the partnership.

Heelsy? Thoughts from you?

 

Absolute garbage from United tonight. Just terrible. Need to win by the on the return leg. Two away goals don't mean much when you concede five.


Heels - Ryan Meara is quality in net, and only 24. But, I think he's hurt. Saunders is past his prime, and I don't know the other keeper on the roster. That said, there have been rumors linking Tim Howard to NYCFC ...

 

Assuming the Season Starts on time this week and we get a full 34 games, and no other "big" names come to MLS this season, here are my sure-to-be-wrong predictions

Eastern Conference Standings:

1. New England Revolution - This is a damn good MLS team. Star Power (Nguyen, Jones, Agudelo), and a very good midfield to back them up.
2. DC United - This is a damn well coached team, and it has a lot of continuity from last season. That matters.
3. Columbus Crew SC - the team got better as they got more comfortable in Berhalter's offense, and they added a goal scorer (Kamara) to help. Should take another step forward.
4. Orlando City SC - Kaka is a great signing, and should have plenty in the tank. Brek Shea should be a very good MLS fullback. Team has a core that's comfortable together, too
5. NYCFC - I think Lampard will struggle not only with fatigue, but with adapting. Still, with Diskerud, Villa, and some other good signings, this team should have just enough to make a run into the playoffs.
6. Tornoto FC - Getting Giovinco now, and not mid season, is the difference. It'll hurt them that they'll lose both Bradley and Altidore for the Gold Cup, which MLS plays through, and I think it'll take them time to gel. But this season, Toronto finally makes the playoffs.
7. Red Bull New York - No Replacements for Henry and Cahill, as Sacha Kleijstan just isn't enough to make up for them, is a big step back. #RedBullOut
8. Philadelphia Union - Lots of teams got better in the East, Philadelphia did not. Continuity only goes so far when you have a talent deficit.
9. Chicago Fire - Magic Mike isn't showing signs of repeating his MVP season. Fire need him to to contend.
10. Montreal Impact - Don't want to overreact to one good game in Mexico, and this team looked poor last season, and had their best player retire. Anyone counting on goals from Dom Odduro is probably going to be disappointed.

Western Conference Standings:

1. Seattle Sounders FC - Dempsey and Martins are the best pair in MLS. And they have plenty behind them, including Chad Marshall, who if he stays healthy, could win another MLS Defender of the Year award.
2. Sporting Kansas City - Talent, Continuity, and great coaching combine. Hell of a team, great system. and, I think they'll travel slightly less in the West than they did in the East.
3. L A Galaxy - replacing Donovan is impossible. But, Zardes looks like he could be the next face of US Soccer. Gerrard will struggle with fatigue and fit, just like Lampard. But, Galaxy won't need him as bad as City need Lampard.
4. Portland Timbers - they'll rebound from a disappointing 2014 to look closer to the promise we saw in 2013. Injuries are already piling up, but Caleb Porter is one of the five best coaches in the league.
5. Vancouver Whitecaps - a team with a fantastic defense and a great philosophy, as well as just enough playmakers on offense.
6. F C Dallas - Oscar Pareja might be the best coach in the league (though I refuse to give that title to anyone but Bruce Arena), and he proved himself worth every cent last year. But, he needs to show he can deliver when it's expected, and not just thrive under low expectations.
7. Real Salt Lake - too much attrition from their best year, but the spine is still good enough to contend late for a playoff spot.
8. Houston Dynamo - they'll miss Dom Kinnear, and they won't get Cubo Torres until mid season. That adds up to no playoffs.
9. San Jose Earthquakes - it'll take more than one off season for Kinnear to get his squad in place to contend. Not enough talent this year.
10. Colorado Rapids - the heir to the dysfunctional Monarchy that Chivas USA. LOL @ any team that never collects a cent from a dirty shirt sponsor.

MLS Cup Final: Portland over Revolution. Because Caleb Porter YES, Boston NO.
MLS MVP: Robbie Keane. Narrowly over Lee Nguyen
Defensive POY: Matt Besler, SKC
Newcomer of the Year: Giovinco, Toronto FC
Goalkeeper of the Year: Steve Clark, Columbus Crew SC (YES! I get to make a homer pick once)

Number of coaches Toronto Employs this year: 2