MLS 2021

[Steve of phpBB]

Time for MLS to change its playoff format again ...

[wlu_lax6]

So Bradley to Toronto. Pairing with an aging team (Jozy and his son). Not sure this is his best move as a manager.

[P.D.X.]

Time for MLS to change its playoff format again ...

Jesting aside, it'll be nice next year as they slid the schedule to end by the Nov int break (world cup). Kinda hoping it goes well and that's permanent move. (Although, yes, gonna suck to play in Feb/March in wintry places.)

[Steve of phpBB]

Time for MLS to change its playoff format again ...

Jesting aside, it'll be nice next year as they slid the schedule to end by the Nov int break (world cup). Kinda hoping it goes well and that's permanent move. (Although, yes, gonna suck to play in Feb/March in wintry places.)

I was surprised that all of the rounds are knockout matches. Is that going to remain the plan going forward?

[P.D.X.]

I believe so. The arguments in favor is that it's better for audience engagement and makes seeding/standings more relevant.

[DaveInSeattle]

Woof. Hate to see those RSL tactics prevail but not terribly sad to see the Sounders out of course. Feel like it was just a matter of time before Morris, Lodeiro, and Ruidiaz started clicking again.

I wish they would bring back the two-legged ties. The one game playoffs are just too random.

[Rex]

The two-legged format tends to be more random for higher seeded teams because of the away leg.

I have an idea for MLS that I think has never been done before: two legs in the first round, but the lower seeded team has to win both to advance (and the first has to be in 90 minutes, no extra time). That gives the better team the carrot of a longer rest if they can win/tie the first leg.

[phxgators]

Woof. Hate to see those RSL tactics prevail but not terribly sad to see the Sounders out of course. Feel like it was just a matter of time before Morris, Lodeiro, and Ruidiaz started clicking again.

I wish they would bring back the two-legged ties. The one game playoffs are just too random.

There might be a few people in Colorado that would agree with this assessment tonight.

[P.D.X.]

Surprisingly, PTFC edged out a +1.1 xG difference, which is pretty formidable at the Dick. Essentially yes though, I feel like we won a coin flip. This ride might be over though sans Blanco and Asprilla.

[Brontoburglar]

peak skc stuff right there

[P.D.X.]

peak skc stuff right there

Sums it up no? I don't follow them that closely but it seems like successful season followed by early playoff crash-out is the pattern.

[Brontoburglar]

yes, I think that's a good summation of it. a crude way of putting it is that vermes is the MLS equivalent of Bielsa, just with the ability of staying in one place for a long time

the lack of a second midfield creator in the team after Busio was sold was a huge problem. how they didn't have that accounted for when he left is baffling

[A_B]

peak skc stuff right there

I spent way too much time trying to figure out what sancarlos had said...

[wlu_lax6]

These playoffs have been very good.

[P.D.X.]

And that leaves Portland with home field advantage.

[L-Jam3]

This appears less than ideal:

[Rex]

Make it 7 straight years of Portland or Seattle in the final. Two very similar clubs with similar fan bases from near identical cities, or so I’ve heard.

[P.D.X.]

hey!

[mister d]

I wish I cared more.

[Rex]

Portland looking about as comfortable right now as me in one of my pre-pandemic suits.

[Rex]

MLS never stops being the wildest shit

[mister d]

Ah well that worked out.

[Rex]

My takeaway from this game is that every team should try to get as many Charas as they can find.

[mister d]

Pretty cool that Callens was the guy to end it. Has to be one of the most tenured guys behind Johnson and maybe Chanot.

[Rex]

I was there for the stupid foul that let NYC pull a point out of their ass in Atlanta to save their season, so I feel like I was a part of this journey.

[P.D.X.]

The last-second goal made the trip worthwhile. Haven't gone that apeshit in forever. Pretty unspectacular performance otherwise.

[wlu_lax6]

So Charlotte pick Bender (Terp, Baltimore Armour, Calvert Hall) with the first pick of the super draft.

[wlu_lax6]

So Real signs a kid younger than when Freddy ADU signed with DC. Hope for him it works out better than Adu's career. Feels like with the U.S. competing with overseas options some homegrown deals are must (and MLS teams have better options for young players) but a big risk for him to play with grown ass men and keep developing.

[Nonlinear FC]

Don't know if you listened to Grant Wahl's podcast on Freddy Adu, but it really laid bare all the things that went wrong with Freddy. Most of which will likely never be replicated due to how bizarre/unique that situation was.

The main thing with Freddy is that the league put almost all of its marketing behind the kid, and while he held up OK in the beginning, he stopped loving the game somewhere in S2 and things went to shit from there. He started grinding gears with Novak and Payne and eventually pretty much got himself shipped out of DC and from there never go settled again.

I don't think it was about him playing on the field, but more that he was a kid in the lockerroom and off the field, all while adults are trying to make a living and being shoved behind this kid in terms of "leadership" and prestige. Almost impossible for a player to develop in that environment.

[HaulCitgo]

So Real signs a kid younger than when Freddy ADU signed with DC. Hope for him it works out better than Adu's career. Feels like with the U.S. competing with overseas options some homegrown deals are must (and MLS teams have better options for young players) but a big risk for him to play with grown ass men and keep developing.

That kid was supposedly born on December 30, 2007. WTF? Someone better than I can post a recent game photo but thats absurd. Kid is clearly 23.

[A_B]

So Real signs a kid younger than when Freddy ADU signed with DC. Hope for him it works out better than Adu's career. Feels like with the U.S. competing with overseas options some homegrown deals are must (and MLS teams have better options for young players) but a big risk for him to play with grown ass men and keep developing.

That kid was supposedly born on December 30, 2007. WTF? Someone better than I can post a recent game photo but thats absurd. Kid is clearly 23.

I would, but I have no frigging clue what the kid's name is.

[wlu_lax6]

So Real signs a kid younger than when Freddy ADU signed with DC. Hope for him it works out better than Adu's career. Feels like with the U.S. competing with overseas options some homegrown deals are must (and MLS teams have better options for young players) but a big risk for him to play with grown ass men and keep developing.

That kid was supposedly born on December 30, 2007. WTF? Someone better than I can post a recent game photo but thats absurd. Kid is clearly 23.

I would, but I have no frigging clue what the kid's name is.

Axel Kei. He is 6'4", 183LBs....How did the hoops team not get their hands on him

Born in the Ivory Coast,
Raised in Brazil (dad played pro)
Moved to San Diego in 2017.
Was part of LA Galaxy's San Diego club before RSL Academy.
Got playing time for the RSL USL team last year.

[wlu_lax6]

DCU give Paul Arriola to FC Dallas for $2M GAM. Guess there was a bidding war between Liga MX, Charlotte, and Dallas.

[P.D.X.]

[wlu_lax6]

So apparently home grown Kevin Parades is leaving DC United for Wolfsburg. $7M transfer. Good for him. He got a USMNT call up but went home after getting a knock.

[Rex]

Bruce is about to sprinkle some of that pixie dust on Jozy. He’ll be starting in Qatar.