Either that or the high prices finally maxed out the Amex card.
General MLS Discussion
- Thread starter Shwafta
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I like this insight re: roster building in our league.
bsky.app
John Parker (@jpsoccer3.bsky.social)
MLS clubs have figured out that for players 23-27 who are at the top of leagues like Belgium, there isn't much of a market anymore in the bigger leagues (where the capital is focused on 18-21 year olds who have more resale value). Now they can buy the best players in Belgium around their peak...
bsky.app
I like this insight re: roster building in our league.
John Parker (@jpsoccer3.bsky.social)
MLS clubs have figured out that for players 23-27 who are at the top of leagues like Belgium, there isn't much of a market anymore in the bigger leagues (where the capital is focused on 18-21 year olds who have more resale value). Now they can buy the best players in Belgium around their peak...
Wolf and Martinez fit that mold. Swap any of the dead weight of Jovan, Ojeda, and Frenedez for a few more Wolf and Martinez types and we are probably favorites right now to win the ECF. At the very least Nick would have more than 2 subs that he could actually trust.
martinez has been great. my hope is it's not just a freak heber type year and he can repeat the performance next year.
i'm still not convinced wolf is a great signing. i don't think he gives us a whole lot other than effort and some IQ in the press. he's just simply our best option on the right wing with this roster. i'd take another gabby over wolf in a heartbeat.
It feels like he's been a little unlucky in front of goal. I think he's a creative, smart player who knows the spaces he needs to get to and is a threat in the attacking third. I definitely feel like he's one of those players who will really have a strong season in his second season with us.
According to ASA, he has 5 goals and 6 assists, but his xG is 5.76 and his xA is 7.44. So he has been a little unlucky.
As for Martinez, he has 16 goals but an xG of 9.28, so he's scoring at a rate of 6.72 goals more than expected. The only two players in MLS that have been more "lucky" are Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
It will be interesting to see how things shake out for Wolf. In his first 21 games, he had 4 goals and 7 assists. In the 13 games since, he’s had 1 of each. Most of his productivity was in a 14 game stretch mid-season, when he had 5 goals and 6 assists.
So, is there a reason why he was so productive in that middle stretch and less productive before and after? Or is it just randomness and he’s a 5/8 kind of guy? What should we expect going forward?
So, is there a reason why he was so productive in that middle stretch and less productive before and after? Or is it just randomness and he’s a 5/8 kind of guy? What should we expect going forward?
This season he has given me Medina vibes without the DP tag. There are long swaths of the game where I forget he’s on the field until he gets subbed off. But I think he’s doing what the coach is asking of him, I’ve noticed him on transition opportunities. But those usually fizzle out quickly. I’d keep him on the roster as a TAM player but would be pulling out the pitch fork and torch if he’s upgraded to DP
Alonso has definitely been "lucky" in terms of his finishing, but he's also generating 0.53 nPxG per 96 minutes, which is good for 8th in the league. Willie Agada, Messi, Felipe Mora, Joveljic, Benteke, Suarez, and Ramiro Enrique are the only ones ahead of him. That's good company.
Even if he finished at his xG level, he'd be a damn productive striker in this league.
I think Alonso needs to add a few things to his game next year:
- Hold up / link up play. He's shown the ability to make some nice passes in the final third, but he hasn't been very strong at being involved in the buildup, holding up play, etc.
- Set piece chances. He's had very little here and if he can figure out how to generate chances off of set pieces, that would be massive. Especially considering how bad this team has been from that standpoint this season.
Just looking at the few Google images of Genoa, it’s no wonder why he would want to be there over Atlanta lol
This is a week old, but I think it has some details not in the Athletic article from late October.
sports.yahoo.com
A schedule flip in 2026 also would mean a 2027 stadium opening could target August instead of March, and it also solves the fantasy "problem" of Pep joining at the end of the 2026-27 Man City season.
Of course neither is a reason for the league to switch, or even for NYC to support it. I guess we will find out after the league meetings late fall early winter. Soon enough.
MLS is exploring a calendar overhaul. The case for (and against) change is clear
Major League Soccer faces pressure to shift its season calendar to align with Europe's in order to maximize playoff exposure and synchronize with global transfer windows.
sports.yahoo.com
A schedule flip in 2026 also would mean a 2027 stadium opening could target August instead of March, and it also solves the fantasy "problem" of Pep joining at the end of the 2026-27 Man City season.
Of course neither is a reason for the league to switch, or even for NYC to support it. I guess we will find out after the league meetings late fall early winter. Soon enough.
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After sitting through that miserable cold and wind tonight: I really, really, really, really, really, really hope MLS does not change the schedule.
I'm willing to do that for a playoff game, I am absolutely not sitting through weather like that for an early-season MLS regular-season game where 18 teams make the playoffs and the game means nothing. I attended 14 of our 18 NYC-based home games this year. That number will go substantially down if they change the schedule.
It's just not an enjoyable fan experience to be playing soccer this time of year.
I'm willing to do that for a playoff game, I am absolutely not sitting through weather like that for an early-season MLS regular-season game where 18 teams make the playoffs and the game means nothing. I attended 14 of our 18 NYC-based home games this year. That number will go substantially down if they change the schedule.
It's just not an enjoyable fan experience to be playing soccer this time of year.
A really bad Maxime Chanot own goal allowed Seattle to tie the game in the 2nd half.
I am in favor of the flipping the calendar. And I hope that means the league is smart enough and Apple is lenient enough to allow the cold market teams to play those games in the afternoon in the sun.
Afternoons in the sun at 30 degrees and with wind chill shaving an additional 10 degrees off won't change a thing
I was there last night and I’m still for flipping the calendar. More home games in the northern cities in August/September, more in southern cities in November /December, off from mid December to mid February (hold leagues cup in January in warm weather location), same type of weather based home/away scheduling in spring. Easy peasy.
I think moving our calendar to the winter would be a bad idea. A bad idea on the level of when Donald Trump killed the USFL. Our attendance will plummet.
I was ready to leave in the 40th minute last night, because NJ were controlling the match and defending very well.
I am rooting for anyone who will beat them, even Orlando.
I was ready to leave in the 40th minute last night, because NJ were controlling the match and defending very well.
I am rooting for anyone who will beat them, even Orlando.
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