The MLS/USL/NWSL Thread

[METALMAN]

One leg knockouts should be the norm. That year when the Champions League introduced them as a one off during covid was much more fun than usual.

[gunnar hendershow]

The two-leg playoffs in MLS would sometimes get chaotic during the last 10 minutes of the last leg, but for the most part it was two sides actively trying not to lose which is always the worst kind of sports.

This format is, measurably, even worse.

Ever-expanding playoff fields are one of the worst part of North American sports. It makes sense to have playoffs accounting for unbalanced schedules, but you get multiple playoff teams in all sports now who are just there because other teams are worse. And the execs love it because it's more TV revenue and more gate revenue.

[Lineker]

 

[Captain Kirk]

10 hours ago, Lineker said:

 

He’s a detestable little cunt, wish nothing but the worst for his new club.

[Szumi]

MLS I think prides itself on its utter lack of transparency when it comes to the salary cap and how teams stay compliant with it. And I think that's going to continue to be the theme with Miami, a club that has already broken the salary cap rules. Both Suarez and Alba, by MLS rules, can each only make $1.6m a year with Miami. That's roughly $31k a week. It's been a long, long time since either made that little money for their club, and I will be shocked if that's all they're actually getting paid for real to be in Miami.

[Captain Kirk]

13 minutes ago, Szumi said:

MLS I think prides itself on its utter lack of transparency when it comes to the salary cap and how teams stay compliant with it. And I think that's going to continue to be the theme with Miami, a club that has already broken the salary cap rules. Both Suarez and Alba, by MLS rules, can each only make $1.6m a year with Miami. That's roughly $31k a week. It's been a long, long time since either made that little money for their club, and I will be shocked if that's all they're actually getting paid for real to be in Miami.

They’ll probably get round it with side contracts with other companies.

[Lineker]

Quote

The Professional Soccer Referees Association (PRSA), the union that represents professional referees in North America and Canada, has voted to authorize a strike, the union said in a statement on Monday.

The vote means it’s probable that the MLS season, which kicks off on 21 February with a match between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake, will begin with replacement officials.

“We knew the frustration levels were high, because these officials have not benefited from the growth of our sport and PSRA was forced to file an unfair labor practice charge to address alleged direct dealing committed by certain PRO [Professional Referee Organization] managers,” Peter Manikowski, president and lead negotiator of the PSRA, said.

The Athletic reports that the PRSA asked for a pay-scale increase of up to 90%. The PRO, which is responsible for servicing officials in MLS and other professional soccer leagues in the United States, countered with an offer in the single digits.

PSRA officials working mainly in MLS have been under an agreement that was ratified in February 2019. The agreement expired on 15 January 2024, and was extended to 31 January 2024. The PSRA comprises approximately 250 members, who are employed by the PRO.

A potential work stoppage would also complicate the introduction of new league rules for the upcoming season, specifically those aimed at cutting down time wasting. MLS has taken a leading role in enforcing the International Football Association Board’s mandate to boost the amount of time the ball is in play over 90 minutes. Ifab is the governing body that determines the laws of the game.

After experimenting with new rules in MLS Next Pro, a developmental league, MLS will introduce the most stringent time-wasting rules in world soccer for the 2024 season. A new rule devised to cut down on players feigning injuries will require a player to leave the field for three minutes to receive treatment if they remain on the ground for more than 15 seconds. MLS reported that over the 18 months of implementation in MLS Next Pro, there was an 80% reduction in stoppages due to players receiving on-field treatment.

There will also be a crackdown on time-wasting during substitutions. A rule change will require a substituted player to leave the pitch within 10 seconds. If not, the oncoming substitute will be kept off the pitch for 60 seconds or until the next stoppage in play. There are exemptions for injuries and goalkeeper substitutions. MLS reported there were only 10 violations across 3,150 substitutions during the MLS Next Pro trial period.

A potential strike could mean the league is forced to delay the implementation of its new rules or work with replacement officials who have yet to officiate games with the new restrictions.

In its statement, PRSA highlighted the potential issues with replacement officials. “Any decisions by PRO to bring in officials who are not members of PSRA could have a substantial impact on the upcoming MLS season,” the union said. “In 2014, PRO started the MLS regular season with replacement match officials, and their lack of familiarity and experience with MLS teams, players, and specialized rules created detriment for the quality of the matches.”

Replacement officials were last used during the 2014 labor dispute. The PSRA said refereeing errors “skyrocketed” during that period.

 

[Szumi]

So my beloved Philadelphia Union opened their season in CONCACAF Champions Cup a few thousand miles away down in Costa Rica. Went from 1-0 down to scoring a huge 3-2 win, plus the 3 away goals on top of it. Excellent result given the travel, it was played in a torrential downpour and extreme winds, playing in Costa Rica is always hard, and it's vs a team in mid season form. 

... However, the Union also scored an own goal for the century for Saprissa's opening goal. Just...my goodness. Make fun of MLS, I understand, totally deserved.

 

 

[gunnar hendershow]

It was an honor to have been able to play in goal for the Philadelphia Union tonight.

[Adam]

Isn't it Leo, not Lio?

Amazing own goal mind, glad you came back to win.

[Hobo]

It is a very MLS own goal

[Chris2K]

That's quite the exuberant celebration for an unforced own goal in the 27th minute.

At least Spurs had the decency to wait until the 96th minute before celebrating ours against Liverpool .

[METALMAN]

3 hours ago, Adam said:

Isn't it Leo, not Lio?

Amazing own goal mind, glad you came back to win.

I like Lio - is funny. Please keep it.

[Colly]

I believe the official short form is Lion-O.

[Szumi]

In fairness, I was absolutely exhausted when I made this thread.

 

Also, Jakob Glesnes scored an own goal in the Union's first game last year...in the same exact minute apparently. Someone's about to investigate him for match fixing! 

4 hours ago, Hobo said:

It is a very MLS own goal

Yeah this is one of those where I can't go "this shit happens in bigger leagues in Europe too, MLS gets so much unfair criticism from people." It was the most bizarre own goal I have ever seen. It's just one of those freak moments where the first match in 3 months meets torrential downpour and wind meets losing composure. These are two of the best players in their position in MLS, and are pretty much consistently mistake free players. But oh boy this own goal will be played a lot this week!

[Adam]

I dunno, the best leagues have had their fair share of absolute howlers before.

Peter Enckelman, Lee Dixon, Tony Popovic, Jamie Pollock and many more have pulled off astounding own goals in the same vein as Glesnes here, and all at or near the top level of English football.

[GoGo Yubari]

That one's pretty wild. I'm assuming the awful weather had a hand to play in that. My favorite MLS own goal is probably this one from the late, lamented Chivas USA back in 2013:

 

[Hobo]

im being a bit facetious but my early memories of the MLS are of seeing howlers by goalkeepers and own-goals.

 

[METALMAN]

Sad. I enjoyed the Lio Messi thread while it lasted.

[LittleDaniel]

Damn I was hoping I could find pictures of him covered in dirt or slime or something so I could start a "Lio Messy" thread, but no luck

Anyway, love that it's the first game of the season and Minnesota still doesn't have a manager! At least Reynoso was only a week late to pre-show this year...and then immediately injured himself. Gonna be a good year!