2017 Major League Soccer Discussion Thread (Champions: Toronto FC)

Post #1 » by **LittleOzzy** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:02 pm

Welcome to the 2017 MLS Season Thread. Seattle will try to defend their title, as we welcome both Minnesota and Atlanta into the league.

Any predictions for 2017?

ShacBenYakir · Post #2 » by **ShacBenYakir** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 2:33 pm

Hi Ladies and Gent, my name is Shac, I'm from London (originally Israel, don't know why you would care but anyway

) Im currently doing my dissertation regarding the different motivations for attending Major League Soccer events. Mainly i look to understand what are you expecting, whats your price perception, quality perception and so on. Since my main target for the study is the MLS American fan, i thought this would be a great place to find some potential responders.
The link is below, Thanks.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/66HDZDX

Post #3 » by **LittleOzzy** » Thu Feb 9, 2017 3:18 am

If you're still calling MLS a 'retirement league,' you're not paying attention

There was this lingering thought that Major League Soccer couldn't attract stars who were actually in their prime. We had to settle for players who were 31-, 32-, or 33-years old, guys who were done with the European game and ready to move on.

That changed when Toronto FC signed 27-year-old Sebastian Giovinco in 2015. Finally, a top-level player had come to North America in his prime. In a lot of ways, it was a signing that had to happen for MLS to grow up a bit and take the next step forward.

This winter transfer window has further crippled any thoughts of MLS being a retirement destination for fading foreigners. Spearheaded by expansion Atlanta, the list of acquisitions includes dozens of players under the age of 30 and dozens more under the age of 25.

Tally all of that up and you get 59 total players. If you take their combined ages and then divide by that first number, you see that the average age of foreign signings entering Major League Soccer this winter is 25.7.

That's a staggering number. We've never seen this many young foreigners join the league during a single transfer window.

Click the link for the list of players. http://www.phillyvoice.com/if-youre-still-calling-mls-retirement-league-youre-not-paying-attention/

It's great to see the league is getting younger, it's only going to get better and better.

shawn_hemp · Post #4 » by **shawn_hemp** » Thu Mar 2, 2017 6:07 am

Giovinco is my favorite player to watch in MLS. Not sure how he wasn't a finalist for MVP last year

Post #5 » by **LittleOzzy** » Fri Mar 3, 2017 12:35 am

shawn_hemp wrote:Giovinco is my favorite player to watch in MLS. Not sure how he wasn't a finalist for MVP last year

I still have no idea how or why he didn't win it.

shawn_hemp · Post #6 » by **shawn_hemp** » Fri Mar 3, 2017 12:59 am

LittleOzzy wrote:
shawn_hemp wrote:Giovinco is my favorite player to watch in MLS. Not sure how he wasn't a finalist for MVP last year

I still have no idea how or why he didn't win it.

Large US market media bias?

All finalists played in NYC...

Post #7 » by **LittleOzzy** » Fri Mar 3, 2017 6:05 pm

The Major League Soccer season kicks off tonight.

I just wanted to once again invite all you soccer fans over to the MLS board. It would be great if you stopped by to leave a comment if you ever find yourself watching a game.

Good or bad, just more traffic would be great, haha.

shawn_hemp · Post #8 » by **shawn_hemp** » Sat Mar 4, 2017 2:49 am

I forgot American sporting events always start 15-30 minutes after their scheduled time

Portland has to win tonight right?

Rob Stone's suit, lol

Post #9 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sat Mar 4, 2017 2:59 am

shawn_hemp wrote:I forgot American sporting events always start 15-30 minutes after their scheduled time

Portland has to win tonight right?

Rob Stone's suit, lol

No way Portland loses tonight, unless of course some kind of miracle happens.

shawn_hemp · Post #10 » by **shawn_hemp** » Sat Mar 4, 2017 3:09 am

Satellite problems?

MLS is a legit league though...

Nah it was only for a minute though, I just wanted to post that picture

Wow Portland could win this game like 3-0 from how it's starting.

shawn_hemp · Post #11 » by **shawn_hemp** » Sat Mar 4, 2017 3:16 am

Weirdest free kick location I've ever seen a goal from. Basically a corner kick

Blanco made that goal happen with his hustle

been waiting all year to say this

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL

Will say this about Minnesota though, their logo is pretty sweet

Post #12 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sat Mar 4, 2017 3:27 am

One of the best logos in the whole league... Oh and Portland is winning this 3-0.

shawn_hemp · Post #13 » by **shawn_hemp** » Sat Mar 4, 2017 6:43 am

Turned it off after 2-0, saw where that was going.

I really start watching MLS after basketball season ends.

If they play their cards right, the MLS could compete with the MLB in tv ratings at some point.

Can't wait for the Union game tomorrow

Det the Threat · Post #14 » by **Det the Threat** » Sun Mar 5, 2017 10:47 pm

I've got to say that new stadium in Orlando looks really nice.
And of course, Larin scores against NYC, like he always does.

Though, too bad Kaka had to leave the game early.

Also, watching Alex Ring playing for New York, next to Pirlo, is quite interesting. The guy couldn't really cut it with us(but scored a goal in CL qualification nearly five years ago) and played in the 2nd Bundesliga(Kaiserslautern) for the last couple of years.

Post #15 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sun Mar 5, 2017 11:23 pm

Det the Threat wrote:I've got to say that new stadium in Orlando looks really nice.
And of course, Larin scores against NYC, like he always does.

Though, too bad Kaka had to leave the game early.

Also, watching Alex Ring playing for New York, next to Pirlo, is quite interesting. The guy couldn't really cut it with us(but scored a goal in CL qualification nearly five years ago) and played in the 2nd Bundesliga(Kaiserslautern) for the last couple of years.

Orlando's stadium might be the best in MLS right now. And Larin is just too good to stay in MLS, it's only a matter of time before he will want to test himself overseas.

shawn_hemp · Post #16 » by **shawn_hemp** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 2:44 am

LittleOzzy wrote:
Det the Threat wrote:I've got to say that new stadium in Orlando looks really nice.
And of course, Larin scores against NYC, like he always does.

Though, too bad Kaka had to leave the game early.

Also, watching Alex Ring playing for New York, next to Pirlo, is quite interesting. The guy couldn't really cut it with us(but scored a goal in CL qualification nearly five years ago) and played in the 2nd Bundesliga(Kaiserslautern) for the last couple of years.

Orlando's stadium might be the best in MLS right now. And Larin is just too good to stay in MLS, it's only a matter of time before he will want to test himself overseas.

Vancouver's stadium is pretty cool as well.

The Union's stadium has a nice background since it is right on the Deleware River but what you don't see is that it is right in the middle of a pretty impoverished area

Anyway, Union / Whitecaps game starting right now, I just want to see Andre 3000 make some diving saves.

I remember the first time he played for the Union in a friendly against Crystal Palace that ended 1-0 for CP.

The goal they scored wasn't Andre's fault at all and he made at least 4-5 saves that made you go

"Ok, I see where this is going"

LETS

GOOOOOOOOOO

Post #17 » by **LittleOzzy** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 2:57 am

shawn_hemp wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:
Det the Threat wrote:I've got to say that new stadium in Orlando looks really nice.
And of course, Larin scores against NYC, like he always does.

Though, too bad Kaka had to leave the game early.

Also, watching Alex Ring playing for New York, next to Pirlo, is quite interesting. The guy couldn't really cut it with us(but scored a goal in CL qualification nearly five years ago) and played in the 2nd Bundesliga(Kaiserslautern) for the last couple of years.

Orlando's stadium might be the best in MLS right now. And Larin is just too good to stay in MLS, it's only a matter of time before he will want to test himself overseas.

Vancouver's stadium is pretty cool as well.

The Union's stadium has a nice background since it is right on the Deleware River but what you don't see is that it is right in the middle of a pretty impoverished area

Anyway, Union / Whitecaps game starting right now, I just want to see Andre 3000 make some diving saves.

I remember the first time he played for the Union in a friendly against Crystal Palace that ended 1-0 for CP.

The goal they scored wasn't Andre's fault at all and he made at least 4-5 saves that made you go

"Ok, I see where this is going"

LETS

GOOOOOOOOOO

Vancouver's stadium loses major points because of the carpet grass. Looks like hell.

Philly's stadium I agree has a great backdrop. Love the bridge just to the side of the stadium.

shawn_hemp · Post #18 » by **shawn_hemp** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 3:03 am

LittleOzzy wrote:
shawn_hemp wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:
Orlando's stadium might be the best in MLS right now. And Larin is just too good to stay in MLS, it's only a matter of time before he will want to test himself overseas.

Vancouver's stadium is pretty cool as well.

The Union's stadium has a nice background since it is right on the Deleware River but what you don't see is that it is right in the middle of a pretty impoverished area

Anyway, Union / Whitecaps game starting right now, I just want to see Andre 3000 make some diving saves.

I remember the first time he played for the Union in a friendly against Crystal Palace that ended 1-0 for CP.

The goal they scored wasn't Andre's fault at all and he made at least 4-5 saves that made you go

"Ok, I see where this is going"

LETS

GOOOOOOOOOO

Vancouver's stadium loses major points because of the carpet grass. Looks like hell.

Philly's stadium I agree has a great backdrop. Love the bridge just to the side of the stadium.

Yeah I thought the grass looked a little funny in Vancouver, the structural part of the stadium is nice though.

The small caveat about PPL Park is that it's not actually in Philadelphia, but in Chester, PA which is right outside Philly. Every other stadium is located in South Philly in a giant complex

Union with 1 legit scoring chance so far, but looking in control of the game.

And our defense doesn't look god awful, which is different from last year.

I could see this being a 1-1 game with the Union scoring a nice, legitimately set up goal and the Whitecaps getting one that sort of falls into their laps.

Or the Union could just win 2-1 and that's cool too

shawn_hemp · Post #19 » by **shawn_hemp** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 3:40 am

Really been impressed with Derrick Jones in the 1st half

He was born in Ghana, moved to Philadelphia when he was 14, got discovered playing for a club founded by West African immigrants, signed to the Union Academy, played well for Bethlehem Steel, and is now starting for the Union.

Great story, and he's playing well. Great physical tools, and he is really flying around the field. Definitely more of a defensive midfielder since he lacks real good ball handling skills but I'm liking this kid

Andre Blake is almost always in good position, and he has great physical tools as well. If he ever went to Europe, I think it might be a better league than the Dutch league tbh. I can see him in one of the major leagues on a smaller club. He's that good

Jay Simpson hasn't really had any scoring chances yet, hopefully he gets some in the 2nd half.

Our midfielders aren't really doing anything to set him up though. Most of the game has been back and forth in midfield with each team recovering and regaining possession before a real scoring chance occurs.

I feel like CJ Sapong should come in at some point to give the Union a player who can keep possession of the ball on the offensive end instead of dribbling it to nowhere

Post #20 » by **LittleOzzy** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 3:23 pm

3 games this weekend, and not one of the Canadian teams scored...

Hopefully for a lot better this week.