2012 Major League Soccer Thread

[Guest mr. potato head]

So I want to try and get into MLS, can anyone suggest a team for me to support, as I tend to do better when I stick to a team. I'm edging towards DC United personally, so tell me if I'm wrong to do so

You could follow Hobo's path and go for Vancouver, they seem to be building their squad well and will do fairly well this year, have a very good striker in Sebastien Le Toux, and a bunch of potentially recognizable names from Europe like Eric Hassli and Alain Rochat (Zurich), Jay DeMerit (Watford) and Atiba Harris (cousins with Micah Richards).

Montreal Impact are new this year, but if you can get past the French thing, they might be another team worth looking at. They've got Donovan Rickets (Bradford), Patrice Bernier (Canadian international mainstay who spent a lot of time in the Norwegian Premier League), Matteo Ferrari (Parma, Roma, Genoa and a really cool name), and the cool factor of following a team from more or less their inception.

Don't follow Toronto FC though. They might have Julian De Guzman (Hannover), Danny Koevermans (Rotterdam, AZ, PSV), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Stefan Frei (goalkeeper and second cousin of Alexander), and Richard Eckersley (bounced around England a bit), but they've been the perennial joke of the league since entering and while this year looks like there are reasons for optimism on paper, it's hard to be optimistic given their track record. Great supporters though.

And those are the only teams that matter.

[Hobo]

I must admit I picked Vancouver because back the early 80s the Whitecaps once boasted the mighty Bruce Grobelaar and Peter Beardsley on their books which has always drawn me to the team. Plus I've had fun adventures in managing Vancouver on a couple of FM games.

[HailtotheYo]

Whatever you do, ignore MPH's post.

DCU is a good choice. The obvious bandwagons are Seattle/LA ... but if you're into watching train wrecks unfold NYRB has plenty to offer. Of course, the atmosphere at the Portland games is phenomenal.

LOL LA .... wow that was funny to watch.

[HailtotheYo]

... and just like last year, the Timber's Army opens the season by singing the National Anthem. I don't give a crap who you are or where you're from ... that is just bad ass, and as awesome a moment as you get.

Now, let's put in 3 Boyd

[Meacon Keaton]

We're looking rough here to start. Not very hopeful for the rest of the match. Maybe we can hold on and just leave Portland with a point.

[Meacon Keaton]

Well we've woken up a little bit since I called them out. If we keep getting chances like this, we may be able to slip one in.

I can't tell if I can trust our defense yet. The last two years have given me reason for serious doubt.

[HailtotheYo]

.. and a howler from MacMath lets Portland tie it up.

[HailtotheYo]

BOYD~! Fucking class flick with the head ... hell yes.

[GoGo Yubari]

So the moral of this weekend that I'm taking is that yes, the Western Conference still rules and the Eastern Conference still sucks (Houston d. Chivas barely even counts because it was the MLS cup runners-up vs. fucking Chivas). Yaaaaay, having to play all these teams repeatedly.

[Lineker]

It's like youw own little SPL!

[Szumi]

Yeah, watched the game last night, and the second half was just poor. The defense and closing down play was really good in the first half. When Gomez grabbed that fluke own goal off Alex-Baptiste, it was the worst thing for the Union. They got complacent, sat back, didn't close down, and let Portland take it to them. MacMath should've saved that free kick, but regardless, a goal was coming. Only Boyd's header was a good goal out of all four, but the Timbers were the better side throughout the full ninety. They improved as the game wore on, Philly did not.

I didn't like that tactics that Nowak used at all either. Michael Farfan had a poor game, trying too many fancy passes in the attacking third instead of just shooting. Josue Martinez was relatively quiet, and Freddy Adu was absolutely anonymous. Seriously, I hope Nowak isn't intending on building this club around him, or we'll be in big trouble. Adu is not a leader, nor is he a top talent in the MLS.

Pajoy looked very good, however. His movement off the ball was great, but with no one playing off of him and a lack of service, it was all ineffective. Mwanga, McInerney, or Martinez need to be next to Pajoy for the Union to have better success this season.

[Meacon Keaton]

We've got a looooooooooooooooooooooooot of work to do, Szumi.

({)

[Szumi]

Oh yeah Nowak pretty much said, Mwanga + Torres > Le Toux. I say, you fucking crazy, thanks for taking away our best player for a striker who can only come off the bench and an attacking midfielder that is just another Freddy Adu and Michael Farfan. I mean, I like Torres and all, but what really separates him from those two? Not much, in truth.

[Meacon Keaton]

I agree one-hundred percent. First "big mistake" as a franchise. Hopefully it'll be a while before we bend over again.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

SOUNDERS! SOUNDERS! SOUNDERS!

GoGo won me over to them the other week.

[Meacon Keaton]

...well, it's better than being an LA fan, I guess.

[GoGo Yubari]

Anything is better than being an LA fan if you're not actually Californian.

[HailtotheYo]

Pajoy looked very good, however. His movement off the ball was great, but with no one playing off of him and a lack of service, it was all ineffective. Mwanga, McInerney, or Martinez need to be next to Pajoy for the Union to have better success this season.

Fatal flaw right here, and I'll call it now. Martinez NEEDS to be outside to use his speed/footwork and cut in, provide service. Pajoy needs a true CF or second striker with him and ADU is not that. He can sit in the CAM role IF you've got a proper second for Pajoy. Honestly, I think you guys would be better served 4-2-2-2 ... let Martinez/Adu play underneath the striker with over/underlaping CM's behind them. That's just me though. Either way, Martinez isn't the 2nd for Pajoy. That completely kills his style/skillset.

Anything is better than being an LA fan if you're not actually Californian.

TFC Fan ?

[GoGo Yubari]

Absolutely. TFC fans seem to be really cool people. Being a Galaxy fan is like being a Yankees fan (or a Man Utd. fan ).

[HailtotheYo]

Absolutely. TFC fans seem to be really cool people. Being a Galaxy fan is like being a Yankees fan (or a Man Utd. fan ).

MPH is a TFC fan *cough*

Honestly some of the worst have been Houston, RSL, and SJ fans.