Other mls game week 5

[kottisinick]

It’s international break which mean every league stops ….. but ours. I’m not sure who’s out on duty for every team so feel free to comment on what’s what but let’s see what week 5 brings us

Portland vs galaxy

Both teams havnt really been flying so far but if vanney wants to bring back the glory days for the galaxy he’s gonna want a vital away win here. Portland hasn’t been too good as aging players are now getting close to calling it quits. Do we see a draw or does someone go for it.

Charlotte vs NYRB

I know charlottes polish international is gone to be with big L for Poland but can they muster anything here. NYRB is gonna come up doing their style but will they be able to run all over charlotte.

Columbus vs Atlanta

Almada really shining here. Pick up a goal vs Panama but I don’t think will be available for Atlanta this weekend. How will Atlanta cope without him. Nancy still trying to work with the players getting them all accustomed to is style. Cucho is out I think for this game but will be a good match to see how things shape up.

Dc vs revs

Dc really doing bad lately and revs are doing alright. I think the revs will win this game. Rooney got a lot of work to do here with dc. Talk about returning to the glory years dc is worse than galaxy. Will Rooney be the first manger sacked ?

Inter Miami vs Chicago

Chicago still hasn’t won a game and could lose this one. They scoring goals but also giving a lot of goals Miami will be back at home after freezing at bmo. So they will be happy to the the sun

Philly vs orlando

Philly losing at the big O due to var times 2 check and a late goal. I don’t see Philly losing back to back here l. Orlando could come away with a point but needs some luck

Austin vs Colorado

Austin has really gone down since that shock ccl exit. A loss to Houston last week has them trying to find its form and maybe a Colorado team could be the jolt back in the win column. Colorado will try and throw another loss here but with Austin at home could prove too much.

Houston vs nycfc

Houston always a sweaty place to play but nycfc could give them problems. Could Houston go two wins in a row or will NYFC walk out of the damp humid mess with something. I heard though Houston was experience a little chill for their part of the country.

Minnesota vs Vancouver

Vancouver still winless in mls and take a trip to the cold USA north. Reynoso drama still in full effect for the loons but have been getting some results. I think Vancouver doesn’t get a win here as it will be a freezing night and get out of there with a draw would be a like a win for them.

Nashville vs Cincy

Nashville at home with cincy come into spoil the music city. Shaff did not get a call up to Canada i don’t think so expect him to be full in attack. Cincy come off a 6 goal game with Chicago so expect goals in this game as both teams can put balls in the back of the net.

Sporting vs Seattle

Seattle coming off a draw last week. Some of their players gone for duty. Sporting are also a winless team in mls could take the missing players Seattle has to their advantage.

Salt lake vs St. Louis

When will St. Louis get their first loss? With the new format expect this new team to make the playoffs in their first year. They do travel and will play in altitude so this will be a big test for them.

Lafc vs Dallas.

Lafc is the team to beat but with their ccl campaign will they burn out ? For me it doesn’t look like it. Dallas is playing good but Lafc is hard place to go get win.

Post all ur comments and kool stuff below.

It’s weird week with the break so things will be a little scrappy with teams pretty much trying to it through this break without losing or minimal damage.

[OgtheDim]

Here's hoping St Louis loses so the MLS talking heads stop talking about that.

[levyashin]

Philly-Austin-Minny as home bankers.
Sporting KC as slight upset��

[Amir.]

We get it going with portland galaxy and edwards starting for vanney

[ensco]

Throwing the Curacao game in here, as that as what I will be watching.

[OgtheDim]

Canada game is at 9


That LAG/Portland game

a) why is LAG wearing Portland's uniform (I know...I know...its a look from their past)

b) UGLY UGLY UGLY game of soccer

[Smokecell]

Minutes 83ish plus of the Portland/LA game were entertaining. Thought a goal was coming for sure.

[Amir.]

farsi and rowe starting for columbus vs an in form atlanta as nancy holds on to his back three with the weak quinton

[Amir.]

petrasso starting at lb for orlando vs philly as fans are getting impatient with pareja and saying he cant take them any further

[OgtheDim]

Joe Bendik looking ticked off after goals brings back so many memories...

[OgtheDim]

Glad to not have to listen to Wheeler....muted

[Amir.]

rowe assists then scores on a farsi assist

[OgtheDim]

Kei Kamara - still doing it

[Mr. Inbetween]

Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/mlsitaly/status/1639774790671126531

[jloome]

Hands up anyone else who picked Jordan Morris this week in Fantasy Football!

Just wish I'd captained him at all. I suck at it, but this week I might actually have a decent score.

[Amir.]

man skc is doing so bad...and they just gave vermes a five year extension until 2028

[Amir.]

wow becher scores at 90+8 to give vancouver a draw vs minnesota and have heath saying to sartini "im just as bad as you"

[Mr. Inbetween]

STLcity!

[ensco]

STLcity!

Anybody got a coherent explanation for what is happening here? It seems beyond belief.

[JoesphNdo]

Anybody got a coherent explanation for what is happening here? It seems beyond belief.

Well the game plan starts with asking the defence to just pass you the ball and apparently them all agreeing to do it

If we get the kind of service from insigine for millions a season they get from opposition defenders it'll be value for money

[Mr. Inbetween]

Well the game plan starts with asking the defence to just pass you the ball and apparently them all agreeing to do it

If we get the kind of service from insigine for millions a season they get from opposition defenders it'll be value for money

Teehehe, brilliant!

[jloome]

Anybody got a coherent explanation for what is happening here? It seems beyond belief.

Very cohesive gegenpress, where they all played together for a year in MLSnext, and some bad defenses.

If you watch the RSL game, this isn't some super team coming into the league. It's the Red Bulls but with two DPs who score and create goals, basically. Bu they've played against some terrible defense.

I think they look good now. I think when the rest of the league is as cohesive as they get by June or so, they're going to have a very hard time winning games against good teams.

For example, that game last night, I don't think we'd have given any of those up, not the way our defense is playing right now. I don't think LAFC or Seattle's defenses would, either.

The reason is simple: having watched multiple seasons now of Gegenpress, particularly in 4-2-2-2 but also 4231, it cannot break down compact defenses.

Defenses that sit in a low block aren't moved around by it, and the quick counterattack from the re-possession is only effective early in games, when players have enough energy to go forward quickly during a press and support the team that has just regained the ball.

Teams that played Man United last year under Ragnick and against both Southhampton and Leeds this year beat them by sitting in a low block and counterattacking, by advancing with rapid switches of field to avoid its narrow congestion.

If St. Louis had LA's talent and was pulling it off, I'd say it might last. But all it'll take is one or two teams to figure out that gegepress can't beat a low block counter and it'll be all bets off.

It's why NYRB hasn't won since Marsch's one shield in 2015. They were figured out, basically, and past the opening stages of a game, the better defenses in the league aren't troubled by them.

[Mr. Inbetween]

^
Re.: STLcity, probably. Still... 'to dream the impossible dream'; can you say... Leicester City Football Club?

[jloome]

^
Re.: STLcity, probably. Still... 'to dream the impossible dream'; can you say... Leicester City Football Club?

Playing the style they're playing with the team they have, I'd bet it's not going to happen. Gegenpress is fundamentally flawed. Its success is more dependent on the state of the division it's being used in than anything else. If they had a league-best team already, it would be a reductive tactic to use, ala Jessie Marsch at Salzburg, but it would still probably win the league.

A journeyman team that is very cohesive, like St. Louis, can do well with it. They might even get into the second or third round of playoffs. But they won't win with it, because good players and tight, low-block defenses defeat its offensive potential too easily.

[ensco]

Well the game plan starts with asking the defence to just pass you the ball and apparently them all agreeing to do it

If we get the kind of service from insigine for millions a season they get from opposition defenders it'll be value for money

Ahh very good

[ensco]

Very cohesive gegenpress, where they all played together for a year in MLSnext, and some bad defenses.

If you watch the RSL game, this isn't some super team coming into the league. It's the Red Bulls but with two DPs who score and create goals, basically. Bu they've played against some terrible defense.

I think they look good now. I think when the rest of the league is as cohesive as they get by June or so, they're going to have a very hard time winning games against good teams.

For example, that game last night, I don't think we'd have given any of those up, not the way our defense is playing right now. I don't think LAFC or Seattle's defenses would, either.

The reason is simple: having watched multiple seasons now of Gegenpress, particularly in 4-2-2-2 but also 4231, it cannot break down compact defenses.

Defenses that sit in a low block aren't moved around by it, and the quick counterattack from the re-possession is only effective early in games, when players have enough energy to go forward quickly during a press and support the team that has just regained the ball.

Teams that played Man United last year under Ragnick and against both Southhampton and Leeds this year beat them by sitting in a low block and counterattacking, by advancing with rapid switches of field to avoid its narrow congestion.

If St. Louis had LA's talent and was pulling it off, I'd say it might last. But all it'll take is one or two teams to figure out that gegepress can't beat a low block counter and it'll be all bets off.

It's why NYRB hasn't won since Marsch's one shield in 2015. They were figured out, basically, and past the opening stages of a game, the better defenses in the league aren't troubled by them.

But at some level talent has to matter too… doesn’t it? I mean, who are these guys?

[jloome]

But at some level talent has to matter too… doesn’t it? I mean, who are these guys?

The argument behind gegenpress is that it equalizes talent levels and is mostly about athleticism. Press, strip, press, strip, try to set up a shot or cross from the "danger" zones at the top corners of the box. If all you're doing 90% of the time is tackling, short passing and shooting, with very little effort to move the ball on the dribble or over more than a short distance, you technically and get away with a balanced team of journeymen.

And when it works, it looks genius, as is happening for St. Louis.

The idea is that if you get a shot off within a few second of dispossessing the other team, the defense has little time to settle and block it, and most goals are scored off junk in the box anyway: rebounds, caroms, headers, second chances.

St. Louis has improved their chances by having a couple of European veterans who are of top-league quality, if not at a star level, and therefore will take most of their chances.

But for it to work all game, you have to be faster than the defense can reset; after the first third of a game at 100% speed and full-field press, most teams aren't. So unless you get ahead earlier, it gets easier and easier to defend with a low block and wide counter attack (especially when played as a narrow 4-2-2-2).

Watch as the season rolls on, travel miles build up etc. Most of that team is just that: hardworking journeymen.

I'd bet dollars to donuts we see a regression once we're into the meat of the season. Salt Lake's defense looked shambolic. Against good teams, they'll have a stat line that shows eight or nine shots but no goals, an xPG that is always higher than accomplished and a lot of late 1-0 losses to counters See: Leeds and Leipzig under Marsch, RBNY under Chris Armas.

[jloome]

KC's defense wasn't exactly stellar, but anyone interested should watch Seattle's highlights from the past weekend. They played Morris as a no.9 and he was just lethal.

[OgtheDim]

To St. Louis



I look at their schedule & I see 6 games against decent defences

Seattle
Cinci
LAFC
TFC
Orlando
LAFC


BUT, I also think decent coaches will figure them out by June. So, I agree with jloome - by the time they get to September, this team is going to be gassed.

Oh, and wait until the injuries start to show up too.