And, sure enough ... NYCFC take the semi 2-1 against a clearly weakened Union side.
MLS final is set ... NYCFC against Portland Timbers. 4th in the East vs 4th in the West ... symmetry.
2021-22-23-24 News Thread
- Thread starter jeffbear
- Start date
MLS final is set ... NYCFC against Portland Timbers. 4th in the East vs 4th in the West ... symmetry.
NYCFC saved it to the death, or near death getting the winner in the 88th minute.
Ed H in Pasadena
Well-known member
I know we Americans are used to playoffs deciding things, but c'mon! This is Championship-level nonsense!
I don't have a problem with it. I fail to see why soccer is so precious that they have to do it differently than every other professional sport in North America. Americans like playoffs and I don't see why they should have to apologize for that.
Ed H in Pasadena
Well-known member
It cheapens what happens in the regular season, and luck often enters into playoff success more than actual talent. I mean, you only have to win a series of one-off competitions to be champions. Isn't that what the U. S. Open Cup is for?
VinatieriDefinesClutch
Active member
It's also a factor of season size. American football is too short of a season to decide the championship entirely based on record, you have no choice but to use a playoff system. Conversely, basketball and hockey are too long of regular seasons. They are too physically demanding of sports to play that many games with championship intensity, so you have to have the regular season be an entry way to the championship season. Soccer has a perfect length season where you can have enough of a sample size that record is a true indicator of success and not too much of a sample size that teams are forced to take time off throughout the season.
This is also where I'm going to complain about the absolute insanity that we do playoffs in fantasy sports leagues. As silly as the concept of playoffs to determine champion can be for regular sports, doing it for fantasy sports is beyond nuts.
This is also where I'm going to complain about the absolute insanity that we do playoffs in fantasy sports leagues. As silly as the concept of playoffs to determine champion can be for regular sports, doing it for fantasy sports is beyond nuts.
Bottom line ... American sports fans expect a proper champion to be determined by a playoff simply because that's how it's been done in North American pro sports forever. It's not Europe and MLS isn't trying to sell tickets to European fans, and the complaining smacks of another symptom of MLS's inferiority complex. There's absolutely nothing wrong with conducting yourself as an American league ... in America. At best, maybe MLS should formalize the regular season champion with some sort of trophy, but operating in a 2 conference setup makes that a bit more complicated. Whatever ... I have zero problems with a playoff champion.
Maybe elevate it to make it a bigger deal then. And this is a good time to complain that the timing of CONCACAF Champions League renders MLS sides' efforts pretty much moot.
Ed H in Pasadena
Well-known member
Oh and in case you missed it, Alex Morgan is now with the expansion San Diego franchise
Yeah ... didn't miss that. She's not the player she once was, but Alex is still a capable striker and a true icon. You could do a lot worse for one of the primary public faces of an expansion effort.
NWSL is in the middle of a "big sort" for all sorts of reasons, so there's going to be a lot more to come on the player movement front as we roll into the expansion draft and the amateur draft. Most teams have now traded their way into at least partial immunity from the expansion draft itself, but in doing so they've loaded up with allocation money and draft picks ... which will make this week utter chaos, more than likely.
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Ed H in Pasadena
Well-known member
The top story on Sky Sports this morning wasn't Sergio Aguero's official retirement but the fact that the Prem DENIED Leicester's request to postpone tomorrow's match with Spurs. This despite the fact that Leicester will be without NINE players due to Covid restrictions. Way to send a message that you take Covid seriously, FA! 
And so much for the "integrity of matches" you're always going on about.
And so much for the "integrity of matches" you're always going on about.How many were missing from Spurs that allowed them to postpone?The top story on Sky Sports this morning wasn't Sergio Aguero's official retirement but the fact that the Prem DENIED Leicester's request to postpone tomorrow's match with Spurs. This despite the fact that Leicester will be without NINE players due to Covid restrictions. Way to send a message that you take Covid seriously, FA!
Ed H in Pasadena
Well-known member
It was eight players and five members of the staff. The grounds were closed for several days.
Not quite accurate. The nine is correct but six were injured, not in the protocol. It shouldn’t have made a difference but the FA waited until LC had two more today.The top story on Sky Sports this morning wasn't Sergio Aguero's official retirement but the fact that the Prem DENIED Leicester's request to postpone tomorrow's match with Spurs. This despite the fact that Leicester will be without NINE players due to Covid restrictions. Way to send a message that you take Covid seriously, FA!
It would not be a bad thing for Spurs to drop out of Europe just to be able to re-schedule their PL fixtures
The Courage now have accumulated 3 first round picks in this draft. Hopefully they'll focus on rebuilding their midfield in the draft, since even with McDonald moving out they've got a lot of attacking options ... at least in the first 11. Remember, they brought in a solid defender in Brianna Pinto and signed Malia Berkley from Bordeaux. She was a 2-time ACC Defender of the Year at FSU and could be a real force when they get her settled. The midfield is still looking pretty empty with Mewis and Roccaro out.
Well, they stocked up on offense for sure. Carolina Courage took two ACC scorer/creators in Va Tech attacking midfielder Emily Gray and UVa striker/winger Diana Ordonez. Both veterans of the US age group International programs, both very prolific and creative in one of the better conferences in women's college soccer. Neither would have any sort of cultural transition either. And look, it's past time for the Courage to start leaning on the ACC as a development ground a bit more. Those kids play their championships on your field every year ... they know what you're about.
Ed H in Pasadena
Well-known member
Nowhere to put League Cup stuff, so here goes
The Carabao Cup quarterfinals are this week. They are as follows
The Carabao Cup quarterfinals are this week. They are as follows
| Date | Quarterfinals | Time (ET) | Streaming |
| Tues, Dec. 21 | Arsenal vs. Sunderland | 2:45 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed, Dec. 22 | Tottenham vs. West Ham | 2:45 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed, Dec. 22 | Brentford vs. Chelsea | 2:45 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Wed, Dec. 22 | Liverpool vs. Leicester City | 2:45 p.m. | ESPN+ |