This thread is a catch-all for general banter not specifically related to transfer rumours.
This thread is a catch-all for general banter not specifically related to transfer rumours.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Atlanta is in big trouble losing Martinez for most likely the season. They now have to lean on Barco and Pity for all their offense. Club America will likely bounce them from Champions League relatively easily. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back mentally from this.
I wouldn't overdo the Atlanta handwringing.
They still have Pity Martinez. I don't know what happened to him last year, but he is probably still the biggest signing/talent in MLS history (when considering both age and pedigree), and this may free him to unlock his game.
Pity instantly becomes the one of the favourites to be MLS Player of the Year.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
^not if Vela has another hot year
Based on what I've been seeing in CCL & in Nashville, I think Atlanta will be OK by the end of the season - not SS winners but top 3. Defence will take a couple of months to gel together but their attack is going to be a false 9 approach. Martinez is a poacher, a great one, so they will have to pass the ball around a bit more with a bit more patience. There is going to be some hand wringing from their fans for a few months but by June, I think they hit their stride again.
If we are talking Argies winning MVP, I think it might be Pavon
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Outlandish because it's based on the fact that Josef Martinez was blocking him from having that great season. I get the game plan was probably "Get the ball to Josef" but I find it hard to believe with less quality in the squad, "Get the ball to Pity" will be enough to to have not just a stellar year - but an MLS POTY year.
I think at best, we'll see Pity have a top 10, maybeeeee top 5 year during his MLS tenure.
Corona update
LA health emergency not yet requiring closed door games
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/kbaxter11/status/1235309178983460880
Jozy hosting SportsCentre was funny.
Walked into BMO with Ford sign where the Sonnet sign used to be. Looks like they dropped Kia. I'm not surprised tho because of the Leafs. Maybe Raptors will follow suit
Cavalleni is gonna have a long season. Vancouver has no one to make plays.
I've said it before, but CAM (the creator or Pozuelo and Victor Vazquez position) is the most important in soccer/mls.
Without that special creative player driving the offence, it is so hard to make things happen.
Yes I think Cavalini will not get the service to score goals really limiting his production. Cavalini would have been a great fit for TFC...
Last edited by ag futbol; 03-08-2020 at 12:26 PM.
Anyone see Delgado call out Josh Kloke for being Liam Fraser's biggest fanboy on Twitter? Kind of deserved, to be honest. Kloke obviously has some ties to Fraser's family or agent with the way he constantly promotes him on Twitter and in his articles.
My guess is this is something their German sporting director, who only started last November, and his team are continuing to look into as the season progresses, and with the secondary transfer window still to come.
All major pro leagues active right now (i.e. not the NFL) close locker rooms to journos afterwards - will use mix zones & interview rooms.
If I as to game out how this is going to go down:
Saturday @ BMO goes ahead as planned
21st @ Cinci - behind closed doors
4th April @ Columbus- behind closed doors
11 April @ BMO - behind closed doors
15 April @ DCU - postponed
After that is just too far away to guess but if I had to, looking at China, I think we get games back by late May.
MLS is relying upon local officials and although stuff is happening in Ohio, I think it moves to "no crowds" time by then but not "Lock down the town" time. DC though is going to be in panic mode by the end of this month. I think we move in Toronto to "avoid crowds" by early April.
***
Edit - local officials in San Jose have just banned crowds of more then 1K. Next San Jose game is March 21st.
Last edited by OgtheDim; 03-09-2020 at 09:59 PM.
When health officials advised the Sharks do not play and they went ahead anyways, that said a lot of what the North American leagues are thinking. The women's world hockey championships which was suppose to take place in a few weeks in Nova Scotia has been cancelled. Can only take that as a sign of more to come considering where it was suppose to take place. There is so much conflicting messaging going on it the US right now that I am sure it confusing for some at times. You can only reply on local officials so much as at some point you are going to have to make a real decision for all on if and under what circumstances games will be played.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
The US's best health personnel & policy decision making is local now - they see where stuff is happening and are best able to make decisions locally. MLS is probably better to rely upon them. Garber knows better then to rely upon the US Feds right now for anything.
In Canada, health is a provincial matter constitutionally and they are best prepared to deal with this stuff on a local basis and provide guidance. The feds can only step in if they see outright incompetence and no official has shown that yet. The feds have asked for updates from all provinces as to plans. Travel bans to counties and from countries are federal jurisdiction but we are not likely to see a ban on travel to and from the US.
Leagues might make decisions - the NBA is heading there quicker then most - to shut down or take the crowds out of games - some of that will be union driven but a lot of it also driven by the avoidance of lawsuits. I could see pressure on Garber to make that call happening.