Topic: Soccer Discussion: 1.67% Chance of Being the Best Thread on the NWR Forums

[NWR_insanolord]

Today the man who's been my favorite player since I began following the sport, and the greatest American to ever play it, Clint Dempsey, announced his retirement after 15 years of playing professional soccer. Famously described by Bruce Arena early in his career as someone who "tries ****," he brought a certain flair and creativity in his game that no other U.S.-developed player has matched. He finishes tied with Landon Donovan for the most goals for the U.S. national team, tied with Fredy Montero for the most goals in Seattle Sounders history, and alone atop the leaderboard for goals by an American in the English Premier League.

[Soren]

What the hell is this?

EDIT: That's the official name of the franchise but they'll be known as Inter Miami CF. Hello?

[NWR_insanolord]

That's Beckham's new Miami expansion team. The name and crest leaked about a week ago but was just made official today. I'm not a big fan of aping foreign naming conventions, but I dig the pink, and it's not nearly as bad as Real Salt Lake or Fussball Club Cincinnati.

[NWR_insanolord]

Today was Decision Day in MLS, the final day of the regular season, and among other things the Seattle Sounders completed their most remarkable late season turnaround yet. On June 30th they had a 1.67% chance of making the playoffs, but since then have been the hottest team in the league, winning 15 of their last 17 games to not only get into the playoffs, but to get a first round bye for finishing second in the Western Conference.

In other news around the league, Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn't enough to drag the hot mess that is the LA Galaxy into the playoffs. A win at home against the awful Houston Dynamo this afternoon would have had them jump RSL for the final spot, but they managed to lose 3-2 after blowing a 2-0 lead.

Atlanta United continued that city's storied history of choking in big moments in sporting events by losing to 2018's biggest disappointment, Toronto FC, and allowing the New York Red Bulls to pass them to win their third Supporters Shield in the last six years. We'll see if the Red Bulls' history of blowing it in the playoffs rears its head again.

And finally, the Columbus Crew didn't let their storybook victory over their owner who wanted to move the team to Austin be followed by a sour note of missing the playoffs. With their coach Gregg Berhalter almost certainly about to be named the next coach of the U.S. national team, they've got one last hurrah under him to try to win some silverware.

[NWR_insanolord]

The official announcement won't come for another few days, but today Gregg Berhalter was approved by the U.S. Soccer Federation board of governors as the next head coach of the national team. This is not a surprise, as he's been heavily rumored to be the front runner for nearly a year now, but it's nice to finally have closure and be able to move forward.

Berhalter has done an admirable job in his years coaching the Columbus Crew, making a team with one of the lowest payrolls in MLS and an owner who was actively sabotaging it in a failed attempt to move the team to Austin into a perennial contender, including a run to the MLS Cup final in 2015 that they tragically lost to the Portland Timbers. His teams have played a very attractive, possession-oriented style, and his system has consistently gotten great production from the forward position, most recently this season when he revitalized the career of Gyasi Zardes, who scored 19 goals compared to the 2 he had last year in LA.

This may not be the most ambitious hire, and the process USSF General Manager Earnie Stewart used to conduct the search leaves a lot to be desired, but in the end I think this is a very good choice. With his extensive experience as a player and a coach, in the U.S. and in Europe, I believe he has what it takes to rehabilitate the program and get the most out of the promising crop of young talent currently coming up through the ranks.

[NWR_insanolord]

After seemingly endless rumors and speculation, it's finally official: Christian Pulisic has been sold to Premier League giants Chelsea for a whopping €64 million. This is a big day for American soccer, nearly quadrupling the €17 million for John Brooks in the summer of 2017 for the most ever paid for an American. Congratulations to him, as well as to NBC for the substantial increase in value their U.S. TV contract for the Premier League just saw.

[NWR_insanolord]

It's early, and most of the starters weren't there, but tonight was a very promising start to Gregg Berhalter's tenure as manager of the United States. It may have been against a (really) bad opponent, but the U.S. showed a level of tactical cohesiveness that was very rare under Arena or Klinsmann in only their first try at it.

[ShyGuy]

How is there soccer? Isn't it winter still?

[NWR_insanolord]

There's pretty much always soccer going on because different leagues play on different schedules. MLS isn't in season yet, though preseason is about to start, but most European leagues outside Scandinavia run from August to May. Some do take a winter break, but those are mostly over by now. This particular soccer was what the U.S. national team calls January camp, which they run every year around this time specifically because it's during the MLS offseason.

[NWR_insanolord]

Sunday's going to be a big day of soccer. The Women's World Cup final kicks things off at 11:00 a.m. Eastern, with the U.S. women looking to add a fourth star with a win over the Netherlands. Then at 4 p.m. Eastern we've got the Copa America final with the hosts Brazil taking on Peru, who are in the final for the first time since 1975. And to finish it off at 9 p.m. Eastern, the Gold Cup final, with CONCACAF getting the matchup it hoped for, the United States vs. Mexico, for the first time in 8 years.

[ejamer]

Should be a good game for the Women's World Cup!
(Have to admit that I haven't followed the others, so am completely ignorant about the quality of those matches... but assume they'll also be great?)

[NWR_insanolord]

USA-Mexico is always big no matter the stakes, even if it's a friendly. One of few true rivalries in international soccer, the two teams always get up for this matchup, and this one especially should be heated with continental supremacy on the line and both teams a bit shorthanded and having coaches in their first tournament with the team.

Copa America could get out of hand, though, Brazil blew out Peru earlier in the tournament and there's a good chance that'll happen again, but it's fun to root for the underdog story.

[Caliban]

I'm glad it's back too: https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1173977816431517696

[NWR_insanolord]

Anyone who's been itching for live sports since the pandemic started should set their alarms for tomorrow morning, as the German Bundesliga is back! A bunch of games are kicking off at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, with the biggest game being the rivalry match between Dortmund and Schalke which is on FS1.

The Bundesliga is a really fun league, and I especially love it because about half the teams have American players on them. That Dortmund-Schalke match includes Weston McKennie, one of the young stars of the U.S. national team, for Schalke, as well as Gio Reyna, a top youth prospect and son of U.S. legend Claudio Reyna, for Dortmund. The league is also home to Americans like Tyler Adams, Zack Steffen, John Brooks, and Alfredo Morales, as well as the great hope of Canadian soccer in Alphonso Davies.

[NWR_insanolord]

Haven't posted in this thread for a while, but I just thought I'd congratulate Canada on qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and only the second time ever. They've got a fun, young, very talented team, and have looked very good in qualifying. And after the big win by the U.S. tonight they'll be in as well as long as they don't lose by 6 on Wednesday in Costa Rica, getting that monkey off their back from 4 years ago.