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

[NWR_insanolord]

Seattle Sounders all-time leading scorer Fredy Montero is returning to MLS, but with our Cascadia rival Vancouver. Now, this isn't as bad as when Steve Zakuani went to Portland, but it stings, not just because of who it is, but because this and the widely rumored Atiba Hutchinson signing turns Vancouver from one of the few weak links in the Western Conference into a contender. The West is just going to be a bloodbath this year.

[rygar]

In other City news, Carli Lloyd signed a contract to play out the remainder of the season for the womens team. It will encompass both the FA Cup and Champions League. I've never seen the women's brackets of these tournaments, not even sure they are broadcast in the US, but I'll try to catch a few games if they are.

[NWR_insanolord]

Wow, Leicester City fired Claudio Ranieri. I get that the team had kind of fallen apart, but that seems harsh to do that to the architect of the greatest sports underdog story maybe ever. I guess he'll always have that one magical season that people will remember forever.

On a separate continent, FC Dallas look scary good right now. They stand a real chance of being the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League if they can keep up and build on what they did tonight, a 4-0 total domination that was a lot closer to 7-0 than it was to 4-1. They're doing all this without their best player, Mauro Diaz, who's out through the summer with a torn achilles that he suffered late last year (and my Sounders never would have won MLS Cup if that hadn't happened).

EDIT: And apparently the Sounders are about to sign Keisuke Honda. After seeing that Dallas performance we're going to need every weapon we can get our hands on.

[rygar]

The elephant in the room last year was that it was the worst collective Premier League season in maybe its history. Commentators who tried to point out the context surrounding Leicester's surprise run were often accused of churlishness. Leicester and Ranieri (who I like) were also frequently used as a stick to beat on whatever agenda the writer had (putting the boots into Mourinho during the Chelsea meltdown, promoting the competitiveness of the Premier League vis-a-vis its continental rivals, etc.). It would be fun but pointless to dig up all the bad takes I read last year.

I really like N'Golo Kante. There is obviously a lot more to Leicester's and Chelsea's reversal in fortunes, but that loss was devestating. But even without that move, I don't think the same Leicester team from last year is realistically competing for Europe (let alone the league) in 16-17.

[NWR_insanolord]

While most of the people here were waiting in line for their Switch, I was watching the CONCACAF Champions League. The semifinals are now set, with both matches being MLS vs. Liga MX. FC Dallas vs. Pachuca should be a hell of a series, and the Vancouver Whitecaps will face a tough test taking on Tigres. Watching Vancouver's performance tonight made me a lot more confident in their ability to not get humiliated in that matchup, though, as Fredy Montero and Brek Shea both look like really good additions to an attack that was very weak last year.

The real story, though, is Alphonso Davies. This 16 year old plays with the confidence and composure of someone twice his age, and he's the crown jewel of a very promising crop of young Canadian talent. Canada would have made the Hex this year with a better coach, and whoever gets that job is going to have a lot to work with going forward. Don't be shocked if Canada makes the trip to Qatar in 2022.

[rygar]

I'd love a competitive Canada. I really enjoy the hockey, rugby, womens soccer, and Winter Olympics rivalries with our northern neighbors. The World Baseball Classic will never really work because of the inherent conflict in protecting the pitchers, but Canada getting competitive in soccer and basketball would be great for North American sport.

[NWR_insanolord]

It's going to be a long first season in MLS for Minnesota United. Tonight's performance wasn't as bad as the 5-1 scoreline makes it seem, and there's some promise in their attack, but my god is that defense going to get torn to shreds.

[rygar]

I'm sad to see Xabi Alonso announce his retirement. He is one of the most complete players I've ever seen and he has the trophy case to match: 1 World Cup, 2 Euros, 2 Champions Leagues, 3 domestic leagues, 4 domestic cups, and 4 super cups. He will probably add to that in his final season. He was an amazing player who possessed both technical grace and physical resolve. He could just as easily shut down a rampaging attack as he could unlock a well-organized defense. He has been a pleasure to watch in both White and Red.

[rygar]

In happier news, Christian Pulisic was fantastic yesterday for Dortmund.

[NWR_insanolord]

A point on the road is generally a pretty decent outcome in MLS, particularly when you were down 2-0 after 80 minutes, but the Sounders should have won 3-2 tonight if not for a goal being disallowed for a handball that never happened. Really looking forward to video replay becoming a thing right now.

[NWR_insanolord]

And now Minnesota United have conceded 11 goals in their first 180 minutes in MLS. This could be a historically bad season for them. They simply weren't ready for this, with no DPs and whiffing pretty damn hard on their defensive signings.

EDIT: That was apparently the first time in MLS history that a team allowed 5 or more goals in consecutive games, in the first two games Minnesota ever played. Wow.

[Soren]

I'm sure that MLS expansion fee was money well spent.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm sure they'll turn things around in the long term, but this season is going to be ugly. Adrian Heath was a bad choice of head coach, like he was in Orlando. If Bob Bradley takes the LAFC job like many expect him to, Minnesota needs to go hard at Sigi Schmid as a replacement for Heath. He's lost a step compared to the rest of MLS, but the man knows how to run an expansion team.

[Phil]

My brother Nick has been enjoying some of the MLS matches that have been on our Charter Spectrum package. I didn't know he liked the sport. I watched a match about a month ago, and it was fun. I always have to ask why there's extra time, and always do my "do they get paid overtime" lame joke.

[NWR_insanolord]

The USMNT roster for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers is out. The highlights:

1. Clint Dempsey's back. He's not going to let a little thing like a heart condition keep him away from the game for long, and despite what Bruce Arena said in January, he's going to be there, hopefully inching a bit closer to the all time scoring record (he needs 5 goals to tie Landon Donovan's mark).

2. DeAndre Yedlin's injury came at a really bad time. Timmy Chandler wasn't called in, likely due to the fact he was suspended for the first match anyway, so the RB spot is down to Geoff Cameron (which would push him out of the CB role he's been so good for us in), or good old Michael Orozco, who everyone hates, but to be fair has played well consistently starting for a good team in Liga MX.

3. It's sounding very much like Bruce intends to play Fabian Johnson in his more natural midfield spot, leaving left back to a guy who's talented but barely playing for his club (Jorge Villafana) or USMNT legend and AARP member DaMarcus Beasley.

4. No Benny Feilhaber or Sacha Kljestan, so either Bruce intends to play a 4-4-2 without an attacking central midfielder or the era of Christian Pulisic playing as the 10 for the USMNT is kicking off a bit earlier than I'd expected. I've gotta say, an attacking midfield of Fabian Johnson on the left, Pulisic in the middle, and Lleget/Nagbe/Arriola on the right is fun to think about.


EDIT: After seeing what Kellyn Acosta just did in the Champions League against Pachuca, he has to be putting himself in the discussion to start these games as well, especially if Bruce chooses to go with two d-mids.

[rygar]

Atleti-Leicester
Barca-Juve
Bayern-Madrid
Dortmund-Monaco

This is a pretty spectacular draw for neutrals and Atleti (and to a lesser extent Dortmund) fans.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'll be pulling for Dortmund just to see Pulisic playing at the highest level. The high watermark of any U.S. international's club career is usually considered to be Clint Dempsey starting a Europa League final, an Pulisic's got a shot at taking that from him here.

[rygar]

I disagree that Dempsey's Europa success is the high water mark. DaMarcus Beasley's European career dwarfs his. Even if the argument rests (bizarrely in my opinion) on Dempsey's appearance in the Europa Final, Beasley played in a Chamipons League semi-final.

(Edited because I was unsure of how the tone would be interpreted)

[rygar]

I like to look at the schedules to see if there are any comparative adavantages. This is just me eyeballing and I didn't check any strength metrics, but they seem relatively balanced between the competitors. Monaco and Leicester seemingly have the easiest schedules and Madrid looks the most difficult (maybe a lot more difficult). This is the run in from the international break through April:

Bayern
@Ausburg
@Hoffenheim
Dortmund
Madrid
@Leverkusen
@Madrid
Mainz
Dortmund
@Wolfsburg

Madrid
Alves
@Leganes
Atletico
@Bayern
@Sporting
Bayern
Barca
@Deportivo
Valencia


Barca
@Granada
Sevilla
@Malaga
@Juve
La Real
Juve
@Madrid
Osasuna
@Espanyol

Juve
@Napoli
@Napoli
Chievo
Barca
@Pescara
@Barca
Geno
@Atalanta


Dortmund
@Schalke
Hamburg
@Bayern
Monaco
Eintracht
@Monaco
Mochengladbach
@Bayern
Köln

Monaco
@PSG
Asse
Lille
@Angers
@Dortmund
Dijon
Dortmund
@Lyon
Toulouse


Atleti
@Malaga
La Real
@Madrid
Leicester
Osasuna
@Leicester
@Espanyol
Villaareal
@Las Palmas

Leicester
Stoke
Sunderland
@Everton
@Atletico
Crystal Palace
Atletico
Tottenham
@West Brom

[NWR_insanolord]

So the perceived top team has the toughest schedule and the two teams everybody's treating as the weakest have the easiest?

[rygar]

That's largely my perception with a few caveats.

Although while I think Madrid has the best collection of players, and inarguably the most depth, Bayern seems to have the more cohesive form and balance. Barca is the betting favorite (at least according to 5dimes) post draw.

I think Monaco and Dortmund are pretty even. I would bet on Dortmund, but this is a goal fest on paper, and the schedule could be a factor. Atleti are better than Leicester by a significant margin, but it is a very intriguing style match up. Leicester will likely try to do to Atleti what Atleti does to Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern. Particularly so with the first leg at the Calderon. It will be interesting to see how Atleti deal with the pressure of both being huge favorites and having to create goals through possession play.

I'm extremely nervous as a Madrid fan, but this is probably the most entertaining collective draw outside of maybe flipping Barca and Bayern.

[NWR_insanolord]

With Fabian Johnson and now Bobby Wood out with injury, the U.S. is facing a much depleted roster for a must win qualifier. This leads me to believe the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 may be back in play. My thought would be something like this.

                             Altidore
                Nagbe - Kljestan - Pulisic
                      Bradley - Acosta
      Villafana - Brooks - Cameron - Orozco
                             Howard


or if you want to go 4-3-3:

           Morris - Altidore - Pulisic
           Bradley - Acosta - Kljestan
     Villafana - Brooks - Cameron - Orozco
                             Howard

[rygar]

It was reported over the weekend that CONMEBOL is eliminating the odd year Copa America [to line up with the UEFA calendar] and that the 2020 version will played in the US. It was already reported that there are talks to include CONCACAF teams, and this news makes that seem likely. Promising news for North American soccer fans and South American expats/immigrants in the US.

[NWR_insanolord]

Great to hear. I have a lot of fun at the game I went to during last summer's Copa America, and I thought the tournament was a nice complement to the Euros and I'd argue a much more entertaining one given the snoozefest the Euros were under the expanded format. It makes too much sense for everyone involved to not keep doing it on a regular basis, and it's nice to see they agree.

[NWR_insanolord]

With Bobby Wood out, Jordan Morris nursing an injury, Clint Dempsey still not 100%, and Jozy Altidore currently fully healthy but also a guy with a knack for getting hurt at exactly the wrong time, Bruce Arena needed an extra body at forward for this week's qualifiers, and he turned to a guy with a legendary club career and an infamous international one in Chris Wondolowski. This must-win game keeps taking twists and turns and it's still four days away.