Other MLS Games - Saturday March 30 & Sunday March 31

[OgtheDim]

Saturday


NYRB @ Chicago 1pm - Noon game in Bridgeland will mean a bad crowd. Chicago's offence is good but NYRB's defence in theory is better. What I'll be looking at? Is BWP finally past it?


Minnesotta @ NER 2pm - Friedal lambasted his team's commitment this week. Meanwhile the Loons have feasted on 2 bad teams while losing closely to one decent team. What I'll be looking at? Signs of NER giving up on its coach


Montreal @ SKC 3pm - SKC off to Monterrey this week. Montreal the same as the Loons - beating 2 bad teams while losing closely to Houston. What I'll be looking at? Is Piatti able to make his team good against a good offence


LAFC @ San Jose 3:30pm - The Black clad teams from California on 2 different glide paths. What I'll be looking at? Can San Jose make this press work?


Philly @ Cinci 7:30pm - GAME OF THE WEEK - Stolid defence vs. an attack that's rounding into form What I'll be looking at? If Cinci goes down by 2, can they get back into games?


Atlanta @ Columbus 7:30pm - DRAMA OF THE WEEK - There is nothing Porter likes doing more then sticking it to uppity coaches What I'll be looking at? Signs of the Atlanta players taking control


Houston @ Colorado 9pm - The Dynamo's first away game against a bad team that plays decent at home What I'll be looking at? Can Houston attack away from home


Dallas @ RSL 9pm - The "Play Your Kids" Derby To be a playoff team you have to get points away from home in conference & win at home. What I'll be looking at? Who succeeds at that


Seattle @ Vancouver 10:00pm - Hottest team meets coldest team - What I'll be looking at? This being MLS, Vancouver might start well & score first. Its been easy for Seattle playing on the front foot - lets see how they do when having to come back (or not)



Sunday


DCU @ Orlando 6:30pm - Best team in the league vs one of the most inconsistent What I'll be looking at? See the Seattle/Vancouver game, only with the added bonus of watching Wayne effn Rooney through force of his quality & personality make a bunch of MLS quality players look like a Fergie style calm free flowing Man United (OK, maybe not that good - but DCU has been the most pleasant team on the eye if you like your football with intelligence)


Portland @ LAGalaxy 9pm - No Zlatan vs No defence - Epic road trip from hell continues for another couple of months What I'll be looking at? Can Portland manage to get enought goals to make up for their shoddy defence?

[James17930]

Piatti is out too

[Gringo Starr]

The crowd in Chicago is worrisome, not a good look for MLS

[OgtheDim]

Schweinsteiger as a sweeper is helping the Fire defence out of jams but the Red Bulls midfield looks bad.

[SoccMan2]

The crowd in Chicago is worrisome, not a good look for MLS
Unless they get out of Bridgeview which is like TFC playing in Newmarket, crowds are never going to be any good. Not many people at the New England either same problem there that stadium sucks even more and is too far away from Boston.

[OgtheDim]

Unless they get out of Bridgeview which is like TFC playing in Newmarket, crowds are never going to be any good. .

2037 can't come soon enough (when the Fire can get out of their iron clad contract)

[CBTFC]

Caught most of the 2nd half of Chicago vs NYRB, and man does it look like the Red Bulls are in trouble already... excellent *mr burns fingers*.

And just like that, SLC goes 2-0 up on the Impact. Kansas looks like they'll be the pace car in the West this year

[Gringo Starr]

KC is a machine, their team defence is just wow.

[Hugh Jazz]

As much as people dislike Bono at least we don't have Daniel Vega. LAFC up 1-0 with a soft one against SJ.

[Yohan]

Mtl without Piatti is nothing. SKC is a good team and my pick for Western Conference winner but Mtl is so bad

[stegosaurus]

Beita scores for LAFC.

[SoccMan2]

5 minutes left in Kansas City , Sporting Kansas City winning 7 -0 and it’s not like Montreal is playing a man down or anything it’s been 11 v 11 the whole game wow!

[General Woolfe]

SKC 7 Les Poutine 1

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2f/b1/f0/2fb1f0ff1589fb03ffa4814f3aef0929.jpg

[OgtheDim]

Remember when 4-0 felt like a clobbering?

[Red CB Toronto]

Nice to see the L'impact get whacked 7-0 today. How beautiful!!

[ag futbol]

S J is getting flattened by LAFC too. Remember when the distance between the best and the worst wasn’t that much? Those days are gone it seems

[Oldtimer]

Nice to see the L'impact get whacked 7-0 today. How beautiful!!

7-1 final score.

[Red CB Toronto]

7-1 final score.

Did not even notice that , flipped the channel at 7-0.

[Voodooman]

My god....That was glorious to watch the highlights.

Pathetic.

[OgtheDim]

The second goal by Nemeth where he is just standing there for 5 seconds near the penalty spot with nobody around him for 15 yards is possibly indicative of why we don't have Daniel Lovitz anymore.

[OgtheDim]

Watch the second goal by Philly, it is eerily similar to goals we tend to give up - with bonus Hagglund content.


Giveaway in own end by defender with odd header or pass from other part of the body but the foot? Check
Said Defender then faked out? Check
Next defender goes to ground but gets bypassed? Check
Toe poke under arm of keeper in the net from 6 yards out? Check



https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-03-30-fc-cincinnati-vs-philadelphia-union/details/video/186589

[tfcfans]

Lovely weather in Columbus ---- another Atlanta loss with zero goals scored.....I "know" we all feel so bad for the most "spoiled" fans in the league.....I mean it took two whole seasons to win the championship, I mean they waited soooo long for success after what seemed like years....ummm months, ummm days, ummm hours, of struggle.....but I'm sure they will handle adversity with dignity, I mean 4 whole games of struggle - I wonder what that must be like as a TFC fan from 2007-2014, (quickly checks AUFC message boards.......nope utter shambles after 4 games......).....stay classy Atlanta, always nice to go back and read how much you piled on TFC after our struggles last year, and boasting how AUFC was the best team ever (nice CCL run by the way).....just know that no one outside of your market is rooting for you to turn this thing around anytime soon......I think I'll go back and watch the Pozuelo highlights again........:)

[OgtheDim]

https://twitter.com/RobUsry/status/1112141534965743616


:smilielol5:

[troy1982]

Unless they get out of Bridgeview which is like TFC playing in Newmarket, crowds are never going to be any good. Not many people at the New England either same problem there that stadium sucks even more and is too far away from Boston.

In the Blanco days they were always near 20,000.
They just need to go balls to the wall with a DP

[Auzzy]

Wow some crazy results from around the league.

Originally I didn't think a Friday night game was a good idea, but the turnout & vibe were good, and we really dodged a bullet with the weather! Some very crappy weather at other MLS games today. And I guess some of these fields don't have good drainage?

[troy1982]

Unless they get out of Bridgeview which is like TFC playing in Newmarket, crowds are never going to be any good. Not many people at the New England either same problem there that stadium sucks even more and is too far away from Boston.

In the Blanco days they were always near 15,000 to 20,000 consistently.
They just need to go balls to the wall with a DP or win MLS Cup

[ensco]

7 points clear of Atlanta and a game in hand, and it's still March.

That is delicious.

[James17930]

S J is getting flattened by LAFC too. Remember when the distance between the best and the worst wasn’t that much? Those days are gone it seems

Yep. MLS is really starting to stratify now between the haves and have nots, much more than usual.

[OgtheDim]

That game in Columbus should have been postponed in the second half - the pitch was unplayable but also from what I see, dangerous. There is nothing to learn from in that game for me as far as either team is concerned.

Atlanta now goes off to NER - never an easy game - then is home to Dallas (doable but not easy). The real test of the depths of badness of Atlanta is the game after - home to Colorado. Go into that game winless & then not beat the Rapids at home? They'd have to fire DeBoer.

[Fort York Redcoat]

The crowd in Chicago is worrisome, not a good look for MLS

It was next level sad with a win vs RBNJ.


Schweinsteiger as a sweeper is helping the Fire defence out of jams but the Red Bulls midfield looks bad.

It was completely one-sided in the highlight package. From that we have a tougher match on Saturday but I doubt RBNJ are actually that bad. Schweiny and Nikolic will be issues.


Unless they get out of Bridgeview which is like TFC playing in Newmarket, crowds are never going to be any good. Not many people at the New England either same problem there that stadium sucks even more and is too far away from Boston.

I still miss the Newmarket Saints...


2037 can't come soon enough (when the Fire can get out of their iron clad contract)

That is a ridiculous contract! Dear Lord. Schweiny can't be the last marketing signing for this club. Crazy.


Caught most of the 2nd half of Chicago vs NYRB, and man does it look like the Red Bulls are in trouble already... excellent *mr burns fingers*.

And just like that, SLC goes 2-0 up on the Impact. Kansas looks like they'll be the pace car in the West this year

Red Bulls had a shocker.

[Fort York Redcoat]

NE did it. The goals were necessary but I think keeping Quintero quiet was the first best step. The attendance is always of note but with Kraft being touted as the best owner of some other franchise that team isn't going anywhere soon. Sorry Boston.

[gracos]

yes it's early, but from the standings, TFC are the only team with all points from all games early in the season as SEA vs VAN finished 0-0

[Fort York Redcoat]

Piatti is out too


KC is a machine, their team defence is just wow.


Mtl without Piatti is nothing. SKC is a good team and my pick for Western Conference winner but Mtl is so bad


5 minutes left in Kansas City , Sporting Kansas City winning 7 -0 and it’s not like Montreal is playing a man down or anything it’s been 11 v 11 the whole game wow!


The second goal by Nemeth where he is just standing there for 5 seconds near the penalty spot with nobody around him for 15 yards is possibly indicative of why we don't have Daniel Lovitz anymore.

That was a sad display the week after Canada played. Seeing the Canadian talent in the back on Montreal just capitulating like that.

But the disappointment on KC for giving up the shutout was an eyebrow raiser. They are seriously serious.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Beita scores for LAFC.

Love to see him contribute before it was a rout.


S J is getting flattened by LAFC too. Remember when the distance between the best and the worst wasn’t that much? Those days are gone it seems

The offensive side to this league keeps getting improvement without enough focus on the back. There are definitely some teams getting left behind in the off season, not making enough additions and that's enough to lose parity in this ever expanding league. It's a concern.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Watch the second goal by Philly, it is eerily similar to goals we tend to give up - with bonus Hagglund content.


Giveaway in own end by defender with odd header or pass from other part of the body but the foot? Check
Said Defender then faked out? Check
Next defender goes to ground but gets bypassed? Check
Toe poke under arm of keeper in the net from 6 yards out? Check



https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-03-30-fc-cincinnati-vs-philadelphia-union/details/video/186589

Accam. A little of "that good" and Cinci back "that bad". Philly will be fun for the fans vs more than half the league. Glad we played them when we did.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Lovely weather in Columbus ---- another Atlanta loss with zero goals scored.....I "know" we all feel so bad for the most "spoiled" fans in the league.....I mean it took two whole seasons to win the championship, I mean they waited soooo long for success after what seemed like years....ummm months, ummm days, ummm hours, of struggle.....but I'm sure they will handle adversity with dignity, I mean 4 whole games of struggle - I wonder what that must be like as a TFC fan from 2007-2014, (quickly checks AUFC message boards.......nope utter shambles after 4 games......).....stay classy Atlanta, always nice to go back and read how much you piled on TFC after our struggles last year, and boasting how AUFC was the best team ever (nice CCL run by the way).....just know that no one outside of your market is rooting for you to turn this thing around anytime soon......I think I'll go back and watch the Pozuelo highlights again........:)


https://twitter.com/RobUsry/status/1112141534965743616


:smilielol5:

Ya no tears for Hatelanta.

Interesting seeing the diff between the Ohio teams pitches after the same Ohio rainfall.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Dallas had a great game vs Salt Lake.

Another example of the offense lopsiding this league.

Salt Lake were stupidly down to 10 men but the Dallas goals were stupendous.

Another example of Rimando's curse. Don't say it's your last season dude. Just retire when you want to. You'll get your props.


Houston kept their focus while Colorado lost their shit. And another poor attendance. No reason I could see, sports competition-wise.

[Fort York Redcoat]

yes it's early, but from the standings, TFC are the only team with all points from all games early in the season as SEA vs VAN finished 0-0

Good on Van for that performance. Great for Henry. Good for us to see Seattle blip. But we'll see if they bounce back next week before they host us.

[James17930]

Dallas had a great game vs Salt Lake.

Another example of the offense lopsiding this league.

Salt Lake were stupidly down to 10 men but the Dallas goals were stupendous.

Another example of Rimando's curse. Don't say it's your last season dude. Just retire when you want to. You'll get your props.


Houston kept their focus while Colorado lost their shit. And another poor attendance. No reason I could see, sports competition-wise.

I did some searching and the reasons seemed to be 'the weather is too hot,' and 'the tickets are too expensive.'

Seems pretty whiny to me. I think the FO are doing something wrong with their promotion.

[Oldtimer]

Just wow. Shambolic defense.


http://youtu.be/rG-A321JUOs

[magmadragon]

That game in Columbus should have been postponed in the second half - the pitch was unplayable but also from what I see, dangerous. There is nothing to learn from in that game for me as far as either team is concerned.

Just watched the highlights. Yeah that should have gotten called off. Large pools of water where the ball just stopped moving. There is one shot of Guzan wringing water from his gloves. Ref added no extra time and everyone hauled ass into the locker rooms.

[SoccMan2]

I did some searching and the reasons seemed to be 'the weather is too hot,' and 'the tickets are too expensive.'

Seems pretty whiny to me. I think the FO are doing something wrong with their promotion.
There are some real problem franchises right now in terms of attendance where you watch games and the stands look almost completely empty it’s embarrasing really. I’ve watched games from Chicago, Colorado, New England, Columbus and Houston for a few games now and all I see are empty stands with a few scattered people here and there you can actually count how many people are actually in the stands . I’m serious most of these cities there can’t be more than a few hundred people in the stands it’s crazy. At what point are we going to hear rumblings of teams folding ?

[ensco]

^ Next recession.

NASL started contracting in the early 1980s when interest rates spiked to 20%.

[SoccMan2]

^ Next recession.

NASL started contracting in the early 1980s when interest rates spiked to 20%.
Well hopefully I’m over reacting here and there is money being made in other ways because if some of these teams are relying on their gate to bring in money they can’t be making much money. I lived through that whole original NASL going belly up in 1984 so that’s why when I see these teams with crap attendances I’m always a but fearful that this whole MLS thing can come crashing down.

[James17930]

Well hopefully I’m over reacting here and there is money being made in other ways because if some of these teams are relying on their gate to bring in money they can’t be making much money. I lived through that whole original NASL going belly up in 1984 so that’s why when I see these teams with crap attendances I’m always a but fearful that this whole MLS thing can come crashing down.

MLS attendance is historically bad in many markets in the spring and picks up in the summer, but yeah – it currently seems worse than it was before, maybe because it's now so obvious how behind many of those markets are. The biggest disappointment though is Houston; they actually have a great stadium in a great location with a good team. There should be no excuses there, hot weather or not.

[OgtheDim]

Watching Orlando is like watchng a basketball game - just tune in for the last 30 minutes.

[Oldtimer]

Well hopefully I’m over reacting here and there is money being made in other ways because if some of these teams are relying on their gate to bring in money they can’t be making much money. I lived through that whole original NASL going belly up in 1984 so that’s why when I see these teams with crap attendances I’m always a but fearful that this whole MLS thing can come crashing down.

There's some real differences with the original NASL though.
* salary cap (which NASL only brought in when it was far too late)
* significant TV rights through SUM
* much better ownership (you could get an NASL franchise for about $300k in today's dollars, and they opened it up to just about anyone)
* rules promoting parity
* it already survived a recession in 2008
* two whole generations of people who have actually played the game as a major part of the fanbase
* single entity structure. They can easily ramp down spending in an emergency by eliminating TAM, lowering GAM, or even eliminating DP slots. The league will only fail if most teams fail.

That's not to say that a significant enough downturn wouldn't cause some teams to fold, for an other sports example the NHL lost two of eight teams during the Great Depression leaving the "original six."
I don't fear for the league anymore though. In 2006 I wasn't so sure.

[James17930]

Zlatan now goes and does the panenka.

Pfffh. We've seen that already ;)

[ensco]

^^NASL risk. I agree with this, except for the SUM part. That is just a different business, they could hive that off anytime. SUM is in some sense a threat to MLS, regardless of who owns it, it competes with the product.

I would add that NASL never had a supporter culture, so there was no “base” to retreat to, and the stadium situations were universally bad.

The thing NASL had, that we will probably never have, was a better “product” (better as in bigger name, more exciting players). We had like 50% of the World Best XI of 1974 in the league in 1978. Plus Pele. Plus an absolute ton of very good other players that played or could play for top clubs in England, Germany and Italy.

Salaries in Europe were a joke in those days, and there was no Saudi or China. We were it.

[ensco]

Watching Orlando is like watchng a basketball game - just tune in for the last 30 minutes.

With a great atmosphere. For all the press Atlanta, Portland and Seattle get, it seems like it's Orlando that of all the US MLS cities, is really bringing it in the stands game after game.

[OgtheDim]

Something to remember

https://twitter.com/tutulismyname/status/1112654177539420160

Its early days yet.

[James17930]

Something to remember

https://twitter.com/tutulismyname/status/1112654177539420160

Its early days yet.

Except we're basically the same team as 2017 when we dominated, with some actual upgrades in some areas.

I don't think we're going to go undefeated, but I'm definitely drinking the 'we're a top team' kool-aid.

[ensco]

^What??!!

I look at that list of teams ....and I see 4 of the top 6 teams in MLS 2018 in the top 5.

Bring fifth in a 23 team league is somehow a sign that you aren’t a top team?

I draw the exact opposite conclusion of that of the tweeter. Early form mostly really matters.