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American Soccer |OT| Life, liberty and the pursuit of the beautiful game
- Thread starter Askani
- Start date
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Portland Timbers
Projected starting lineup: ^^^(In order) Fernandez, Valeri, Jewsbury, Paparatto, Johnson, Ricketts, Chara, Kah, Harrington, Nagbe, Urruti
Relevant bench players: Alhassan, Danso, Piquionne, Tshuma, Zakuani, Wallace (Currently recovering from injury)
Strengths:
- Fast, possession based soccer that is not typical for MLS play
- A very solid, deep team with good reserves on the bench
- Fast, creative attack with Nagbe, Fernandez, Valeri and Urruti
- Low percentage of goals allowed - in 2013 the Timbers lead the league in shutouts and were 2nd in goals allowed.
Weaknesses:- A very solid, deep team with good reserves on the bench
- Fast, creative attack with Nagbe, Fernandez, Valeri and Urruti
- Low percentage of goals allowed - in 2013 the Timbers lead the league in shutouts and were 2nd in goals allowed.
- Last year many of the goals scored on Timbers were on set pieces - hopefully Paparatto will help close that gap.
- Ties. While this isn't necessarily a weakness, too many games finished with a tie. Timbers need to score goals and put games away.
Additions & Losses- Ties. While this isn't necessarily a weakness, too many games finished with a tie. Timbers need to score goals and put games away.
- Gained the Argentinians Norberto Paparatto and Gaston "La Gata" Fernandez
- Gained Steve Zakuani, a former Akron Zip
- Gained Schillo Tshuma in the MLS Draft
- Rodney Walace - Torn ACL (Currently Recovering)
- Lost Ryan Johnson
- Lost Mikael Silvestre
- Traded Sal Zizzo
- Traded Andrew Jean Baptist
Things to look forward to this season:- Gained Steve Zakuani, a former Akron Zip
- Gained Schillo Tshuma in the MLS Draft
- Rodney Walace - Torn ACL (Currently Recovering)
- Lost Ryan Johnson
- Lost Mikael Silvestre
- Traded Sal Zizzo
- Traded Andrew Jean Baptist
- With a year under our belt, can we repeat out success? We now have a target on our backs; can we establish ourselves as a team who can maintain excellence?
- How will the new Argentinians fit into Caleb Porter's system?
- Will we be as bad as we were on set pieces last year?
- Will we beat RSL? No, seriously. RSL were our Kryptonite in 2013.
- How quickly will Valeri and Zakuani get up to 100% form?
- How will the new Argentinians fit into Caleb Porter's system?
- Will we be as bad as we were on set pieces last year?
- Will we beat RSL? No, seriously. RSL were our Kryptonite in 2013.
- How quickly will Valeri and Zakuani get up to 100% form?
Overall Season Outlook: Very, very good. Under Caleb Porter, the 2013 Timbers suddenly went from one of the worst teams in the league to winning the West, winning Porter Coach of the Year honors. Now, with a year of "Porterball" experience, the core of the team still intact, and key additions to the defense and offense through Argentinians Norberto Papparato and Gaston "La Gata" Fernandez, the Timbers are expected to reach the MLS Cup.
I agree with everything you wrote. The depth is ridiculously thin compared to the other playoff contenders. Hell we don't even have a solid starting eleven as of now, with Atiba freaking Harris having replaced Marvin Chavez... On top of that, pretty much every important player on the team is like 30 years old, so it shouldn't come as a surprise when there are injuries (see the first half of last season).
What I don't understand is
- Why can't we find relatively inexpensive and/or creative - technical players from Latin America like a dozen other MLS teams?
The only one we've brought into the league ourselves is Victor Bernardez.
- Who is doing their drafting?
The Quakes hit on 3/4 of their first and second round picks in the 2010 draft (Opara, Michael Thomas, Morrow, Beitashour). Since then they haven't really added anyone of note through the draft. 2011 had only one pick (Ampaipitakwong), who is now in Thailand. 2012's top pick (Sam Garza #6 overall) still hasn't done anything, and the other two (Jacob Hustedt, Chris Blais) were busts. 2013 brought in another one who hasn't done anything (Tommy Muller) and another one who's already gone (Dan Delgado). So the only guy from all those drafts who is even relevant is 2013 Supplemental Draft pick Adam Jahn, and he's a halfway decent bench player and not much more.
2014 they drafted three guys (JJ Koval, Joe Sofia, AJ Corrado) who they are touting as "character / class guys"... I don't know much about them but based on my knowledge of baseball players being praised for their grit and hustle, I'm assuming this means they're inoffensive white guys with limited talent who work hard.
Thierry will lead us to the cup.
Unless it's on turf
Fucking Turf.
So the official NYCFC Supporter's Club (Who the fuck supports a team that doesn't exist yet?) will be at Legends at the same time as the Empire Supporters Club gathering to watch the NYRB-Whitecaps match, so that'll be interesting.
The Borough Boys '(Cosmos supporters) bar is right next door to Legends at Jack Demsey's.
3 teams, 2 bars, 1 block.
Complete nonsense. There's a billion other bars in the city. They could've gone to Nevada Smith's or something.
If there are any Rapids fans on here (I have a hard time finding Rapids fans anywhere other than Rapids-specific boards), feel free to agree / disagree.
Colorado Rapids
Projected Starting Lineup: Irwin; Klute, Moor, O'Neill, Wynne; Powers, Mari; Chavez, Sanchez, Torres; Brown
Relevant Bench Players: Sturgis, Serna, Buddle, Burch, Eloundou
Strengths: Speed from Brown and Chavez, Irwin's pretty solid, young corps of Klute, Powers, and Brown doing well, Sanchez and Torres get a full season
Weaknesses: Brown's finishing is occasionally atrocious, right back is a huge question mark (Wynne prefers CB, O'Neill prefers CB or DM), no hold up play up front, questions about creative playmaking in the center of the field, and oh yeah, WE HAVE NO FARKING COACH
Key Additions: Jose Mari, DM from Spain; Charles Eloundou (sort of counts, he couldn't play last year), winger from Cameroon; Martin Chavez, winger from San Jose
Key Losses: Martin Rivero (loan expired), Hendry Thomas (trade to Dallas), Oscar Pareja (poached by Dallas), Jaime Castrillon, Diego Calderon
Things to look forward to this season:
Interesting off-season story: A Rapids fan blogger wrote a critical piece about the Rapids front office, saying that the perception is that the front office is just killing time, making it seem like they're doing their due diligence on the coaching search, then hiring Pablo Mastroeni full-time because he's a new coach and therefore cheap. The Rapids president, Tim Hinchey, then wrote a nasty email to said blogger. Then he shared the email with a friend, who posted the email publicly. Rapids president then later bashed the blog again for noting that one of the coaching staff members, John Metgod, had been scrubbed completely from the Rapids website, including removing a video from the Superdraft. Turns out the guy has visa problems and the Rapids shouldn't have publicized his hiring as much as they did. Oops.
Overall season outlook:The Rapids had a pretty solid year in 2013, finishing in the last playoff spot, but they faltered in their last games and went out tamely to Seattle, partially due to Oscar Pareja's bizarre decision to replace Marvelle Wynne at right back with Shane O'Neill, who had only played there once before, and replacing O'Neill at center back with German Mera, who is a terrible soccer player. However, Pareja, who was crediting with building up this squad, is now gone, and no one has replaced him. The Rapids start off with a tough schedule - @NY, home to Portland, home to SKC, @Vancouver, and @Toronto. And they're doing this without a head coach. The big concern is that the Rapids will find themselves in San Jose's position last year - in a big hole early on in the season, needing to make up points at the end. Will they be able to do so? My answer - no. I'd guess they'll be out of playoff contention with 4-5 games to spare.
Colorado Rapids
Projected Starting Lineup: Irwin; Klute, Moor, O'Neill, Wynne; Powers, Mari; Chavez, Sanchez, Torres; Brown
Relevant Bench Players: Sturgis, Serna, Buddle, Burch, Eloundou
Strengths: Speed from Brown and Chavez, Irwin's pretty solid, young corps of Klute, Powers, and Brown doing well, Sanchez and Torres get a full season
Weaknesses: Brown's finishing is occasionally atrocious, right back is a huge question mark (Wynne prefers CB, O'Neill prefers CB or DM), no hold up play up front, questions about creative playmaking in the center of the field, and oh yeah, WE HAVE NO FARKING COACH
Key Additions: Jose Mari, DM from Spain; Charles Eloundou (sort of counts, he couldn't play last year), winger from Cameroon; Martin Chavez, winger from San Jose
Key Losses: Martin Rivero (loan expired), Hendry Thomas (trade to Dallas), Oscar Pareja (poached by Dallas), Jaime Castrillon, Diego Calderon
Things to look forward to this season:
- Continued development of Klute, O'Neill, and Brown
- DeShorn Brown, specifically: if he improved on his finishing over the offseason, he could easily be a 15+ goal scorer this year. If he didn't, expect him to have 8-10.
- Full season with Sanchez and Torres
- Who's the coach?
- No, seriously, who the f*** is the coach?
Interesting off-season story: A Rapids fan blogger wrote a critical piece about the Rapids front office, saying that the perception is that the front office is just killing time, making it seem like they're doing their due diligence on the coaching search, then hiring Pablo Mastroeni full-time because he's a new coach and therefore cheap. The Rapids president, Tim Hinchey, then wrote a nasty email to said blogger. Then he shared the email with a friend, who posted the email publicly. Rapids president then later bashed the blog again for noting that one of the coaching staff members, John Metgod, had been scrubbed completely from the Rapids website, including removing a video from the Superdraft. Turns out the guy has visa problems and the Rapids shouldn't have publicized his hiring as much as they did. Oops.
Overall season outlook:The Rapids had a pretty solid year in 2013, finishing in the last playoff spot, but they faltered in their last games and went out tamely to Seattle, partially due to Oscar Pareja's bizarre decision to replace Marvelle Wynne at right back with Shane O'Neill, who had only played there once before, and replacing O'Neill at center back with German Mera, who is a terrible soccer player. However, Pareja, who was crediting with building up this squad, is now gone, and no one has replaced him. The Rapids start off with a tough schedule - @NY, home to Portland, home to SKC, @Vancouver, and @Toronto. And they're doing this without a head coach. The big concern is that the Rapids will find themselves in San Jose's position last year - in a big hole early on in the season, needing to make up points at the end. Will they be able to do so? My answer - no. I'd guess they'll be out of playoff contention with 4-5 games to spare.
Deadspin article about why you should avoid MLS:
http://deadspin.com/getting-ready-for-mls-allow-us-to-convince-you-otherwi-1537875746
Rebuttal article:
http://deadspin.com/reading-deadspin-allow-a-former-mls-player-to-convince-1538898895
http://deadspin.com/getting-ready-for-mls-allow-us-to-convince-you-otherwi-1537875746
Rebuttal article:
http://deadspin.com/reading-deadspin-allow-a-former-mls-player-to-convince-1538898895
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
The Warshaw reply article will be the last time I ever click on a Deadspin article. It was a great reply from him.
I hope Dwyer gets the nod ahead of Sapong on most game days. I just don't see Sapong ever becoming the striker we would like to see him become. I predict Teal being more successful for the Revolution than Sapong will be for SKC.
Another wish is hoping that someone like Lopez impresses enough to get more opportunities with the first team. A lot of his U-20 teammates are regular starters in their squads while he has failed to get into that mix under Vermes. If given the choice between an old Olum and Lopez, as a fan I would like Lopez given the nod. I just hope Vermes agrees. And if Kronberg has a terrible start to the season, I think he will struggle to keep the job.
also the deadspin article by Billy Haisley is just straight up garbage. Gawker is just terrible altogether.
I really don't know who it's going to be. I would too like to see Dwyer get more time over Sapong, but if you do that's three short players up top and no one that can get headers on the goal from the run of play. And Teal is gone...so we don't have anyone left to fill that role except Sapong. I'm assuming it'll be formulaic Vermes and we'll get Sapong left, Bieler middle, and Zusi right. Saad will sub in only for Sapong, Dwyer will sub only for Bieler, and...Peterson for Zusi? Sometimes I really wished we would have signed Eddie Johnson.
Lopez has to get some minutes soon. And by minutes I hope it doesn't mean shuffled off to Orlando to play. Kronberg will be kept under a microscope, but I do think he's our best option. I think he'll do well. He won't have Jimmy's placement and probably not his quick reactions, but his speed and range should be better for sure.
I agree. I shouldn't have even posted it because all they are getting is more clicks, but I liked the response article.
Cornballer
Member
- New rules and regulations for this MLS season
Highlights from Goff and Straus:
Highlights from Goff and Straus:
Presumably someone will have a full breakdown soon.
I fucking hate Away goals. It's such a shitty rule. It's bad enough that it's in Liga MX, or any league for that matter, and now I have to be okay with it in the MLS? Fuck.
Word.
Okay anyone else want to do predictions? Here are mine... I put teams in tiers (elite, playoff contenders, basement)
Western Standings
Portland Timbers
LA Galaxy
Real Salt Lake
===
Seattle Sounders
FC Dallas
Vancouver Whitecaps
===
San Jose Earthquakes
Chivas USA
Colorado Rapids
Eastern Standings
Sporting Kansas City
Toronto FC
New England Revolution
===
Philadelphia Union
New York Red Bulls
Chicago Fire
===
Montreal Impact
D.C. United
Houston Dynamo
===
Columbus Crew
Supporters Shield: Sporting KC
MLS Cup: Portland over New England
MVP: Keane, Fagundez, Zusi
Golden Boot: Keane, Bieler, McInerney
Defender: Hedges, Goncalves, Schuler
Goalkeeper: Rimando, Penedo, Johnson
RoY: Shipp, McNamara, Mullins
Coach: Pareja, Porter, Heaps
Western Standings
Portland Timbers
LA Galaxy
Real Salt Lake
===
Seattle Sounders
FC Dallas
Vancouver Whitecaps
===
San Jose Earthquakes
Chivas USA
Colorado Rapids
Eastern Standings
Sporting Kansas City
Toronto FC
New England Revolution
===
Philadelphia Union
New York Red Bulls
Chicago Fire
===
Montreal Impact
D.C. United
Houston Dynamo
===
Columbus Crew
Supporters Shield: Sporting KC
MLS Cup: Portland over New England
MVP: Keane, Fagundez, Zusi
Golden Boot: Keane, Bieler, McInerney
Defender: Hedges, Goncalves, Schuler
Goalkeeper: Rimando, Penedo, Johnson
RoY: Shipp, McNamara, Mullins
Coach: Pareja, Porter, Heaps
You have us (TFC) up there? This feels weird.
TopDrawerSoccer has two interesting articles on young MLS players:
The 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year race
After reading this I'm sticking with Shipp:
Sometimes I hate being an Earthquakes fan....
MLS Homegrown game: Who starts? Who plays?
The 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year race
After reading this I'm sticking with Shipp:
Sometimes I hate being an Earthquakes fan....
MLS Homegrown game: Who starts? Who plays?
Eastern Conference Homegrown Starting XI
Bench: M Harrison Shipp (CHI), GK Matt Lampson (CLB), M Collin Martin (DC), M Maxim Tissot (MON), M Ben Speas (CLB), D Connor Lade (NY), D Karl Ouimette (MON), M Zach Pfeffer (PHI), F Jordan Hamilton (TFC)
Western Conference Homegrown Starting XI
Bench: GK Lalo Fernandez (RSL), M Raul Mendiola (LA), F Caleb Clarke (VAN), D London Woodberry (FCD), F Caleb Calvert (CHV), D Bryan Gallego (POR), D Moises Hernandez (FCD), M/F Sean Okoli (SEA), F Jack McBean (LA)
ActStriker
Member
Us in the MLS Cup? I might actually be okay with this...
If we weren't already the Bills of MLS.
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
I'm looking forward to a better season than last. Hopefully Ben Olsen gets let go early on if we're awful. We made some nice additions in the back and front but we still lack a guy who can control the match in the midfield. Arnaud is not a good MLS player anymore.
talisayNon
Member
I just moved into an apartment in Harrison, so it'll be poppin tonight.
Go Bulls!
Go Bulls!
Delicious Waffles
Member
That's what I love about it. As soon as it's gone, it's back again! Yay!
Cornballer
Member
Thanks for the team previews, all.
In other news:
- Sciaretta for ASN on Stabaek supporters raising money for Bradley to sign Michael Stephens
In other news:
- Sciaretta for ASN on Stabaek supporters raising money for Bradley to sign Michael Stephens
As someone on Twitter pointed out "This is how you mock MLS without being a dick." Funny vid.
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
I can't wait for the season to start! I think Perry Kitchen will continue his development and be one of our key players.I'm hoping he adds a little offense this year.
Where are you watching the game?
That was great. Man, I can't wait for this season to start.
Cornballer
Member
That second one was nice.
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
The quality is decent on the PC and iPad. I'm in the blackout zone for DC but the opener isn't on the local channel so I'll be buying it to watch the few matches not on TV.
Oh man, that second one was great.
Cornballer
Member
Colorado finally got around to naming Mastroeni as their head coach.
I kinda feel bad for Nobody getting fired. He seemed to be working really, really hard.
...seriously, fucking finally. I still have love for Rapids fans after that "Portland's better than you" chant that they did against Seattle. Haha. <3
Cornballer
Member
Also, Goff notes:
Lineups for the opener:
Lineups for the opener:
The Culture Vulture
Member
I'll be curious how the new keepers do. Let's go Sounders.
The Culture Vulture
Member
Just back from the USMNT game I assume. Would be surprised if he wasn't a second half sub.
Because Kenny Cooper is far better than him right now.
Dempsey just played (using the term loosely) against Ukraine, he was never expected to start in this game.
Oh yeah. Duh. Haha. *facepalm*
The Culture Vulture
Member
Or they're waiting for the Fulham stank to wear off.
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