Major League Soccer

One of my favorite times of the year! MLS salary figures:

http://www.mlsplayers.org/images/July%2015,%202015%20Salary%20Information%20-%20By%20Club.pdf

Stevie G getting PAID

In his first half of MLS football, Gerrard has suffered a penalty (which Keane converted) and scored a goal. Not a bad start

And now an assist! Definitely not a bad start at all

Seeing his celebration hurt a little bit.

Good to see the old captain enjoying himself!

LA Galaxy 5 - 2 San Hose Earthquakes
Stevie scored and wore his LFC shin pads for luck.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33086012

Just seen possibly one of the worst sendings off I've ever seen. An Orlando City player (Larin) went sliding in for a challenge, he had his studs showing but he didn't actually make contact with the player yet the player dived onto the floor and was rolling around faking injury.

The referee didn't actually make the decision either, it was the fourth official. Crazy stuff!

Just seen possibly one of the worst sendings off I've ever seen. An Orlando City player (Larin) went sliding in for a challenge, he had his studs showing but he didn't actually make contact with the player yet the player dived onto the floor and was rolling around faking injury.

The referee didn't actually make the decision either, it was the fourth official. Crazy stuff!

Yeah that was Cyle Larin sent off. Shocking decision considering there was no contact with the studs at all.

MLS Week 18

Chicago 0-1 Columbus
Columbus 3-1 Chicago
Why the two scores? Well, because the geniuses at MLS decided to schedule two teams to play each twice in a span of 5 days (Wednesday in Chicago, Sunday in Columbus). The Crew tore the Fire apart in the first game with balls in behind but only got goal via Kai Kamara. The Fire didn't learn their lesson and conceded, incorrectly, a penalty 10 seconds into the Sunday match. Kamara and Finlay have been at the center of everything in Columbus this year.

As for the Fire -- there's talk they're trying to sign Didier Drogba but he'd rather go to Montreal, and there's no more telling sign than that. No team has fallen from grace faster than Chicago in 5-6 years. We were a perennial playoff team making deep runs and winning 4 US Open Cups too, now we're a F***ing laughing stock. And that's why some fans have started a petition to get the owner to either sell or start fixing this mess: https://www.change.org/p/andrew-hauptman-respark-the-chicago-fire?recruiter=52921208

Every one is fed up this F***ing bullshit.

Los Angeles 5-2 San Jose
As everyone already knows, Stevie G!!!!! A goal, an assist, a won penalty. Love that man. Lost in all the Gerrard insanity was that Quincy Amarikwa got a brace to give SJ the 2-0 lead, actually.

Toronto 2-1 Philadelphia
If Giovinco doesn't win MVP, we have failed at soccer in North America. Magnifico once again.

New England 1-0 New York City
The Revolution end their sh*t streak with a 12th minute goal from Lee Nguyen. Nguyen was superb last season, but some injuries and bad form have really hampered him. 18 goals last season (+2 more in the playoffs), but only his 3rd from 19 games this year.

Orlando 0-2 New York Red Bulls
As mentioned above, awful sending off of Cyle Larin. RBNY got off to a great start on an excellent strike from Sacha Kljestan. Orlando now winless in their last three matches.

Kansas City 2-1 Montreal
No real surprises here. Dom Dwyer is really starting to find his shooting boots again and that's a dangerous proposition for the West.

Dallas 2-1 DC
This was good Dallas. The match was actually headed for a draw but a deflection fell perfectly to Fabian Castillo and he wasn't missing that one. Dallas now sit atop the West AND Supporters Shield standings with two games in hand too.

Seattle 0-1 Colorado
1) 2) Colorado?!?! Colorado! Rapids have won three straight, this one on a solid finish from Kevin Doyle (yep, the guy from Wolverhampton). The Sounders, meanwhile, are 1-5 since the injury of Obafemi Martins and suspension/Gold Cup duty of Clint Dempsey.

Salt Lake 2-0 Houston
Good for RSL, they needed this one after going 0-2-2 the last four matches. Houston's bad season continues, however, and I'm wondering just how long Owen Coyle has before he starts feeling some pressure on his job. Second from bottom in the West now.

Portland 1-1 Vancouver
Diego Valeri, of course, with Portland's goal. But Vancouver did what they've done all season and held on, getting a well-struck equalizer from Matias Laba.

MLS Week 18

As for the Fire -- there's talk they're trying to sign Didier Drogba but he'd rather go to Montreal, and there's no more telling sign than that. No team has fallen from grace faster than Chicago in 5-6 years. We were a perennial playoff team making deep runs and winning 4 US Open Cups too, now we're a F***ing laughing stock. And that's why some fans have started a petition to get the owner to either sell or start fixing this mess: https://www.change.org/p/andrew-hauptman-respark-the-chicago-fire?recruiter=52921208

Every one is fed up this F***ing bullshit.

Thanks for posting the link to the petition. You are definitely correct about being fed up. Some major changes need to happen and happen soon.

Giovinco - best MLS signing ever?

Gio dos Santos was also a very big step in the right direction - even younger than Giovinco if I'm not mistaken, could play in quite a lot of European sides, but  is going to play alongside Gerrard at Galaxy.

Thanks for posting the link to the petition. You are definitely correct about being fed up. Some major changes need to happen and happen soon.

The Fire used to be a top side in the league. It's just depressing what the club has become. Even Taylor Twellman is fed up, and he suffered years of abuse from Section 8 during those great Chicago-New England matches

Giovinco - best MLS signing ever?

Gio dos Santos was also a very big step in the right direction - even younger than Giovinco if I'm not mistaken, could play in quite a lot of European sides, but  is going to play alongside Gerrard at Galaxy.

I'd say so, yes. Those are the kinds of signings teams need to make and are hopefully a kick start to getting high quality players at a younger age.

LA vs Barca in 3hrs time... trying to stay awake for it......

MLS Week 19

Salt Lake 2-1 Kansas City
RSL with back-to-back wins thanks to a Plata penalty. Good win for RSL at home in what's slowly building into a bit of rivalry between the two sides.

Columbus 3-3 Toronto
Columbus blows a 3-goal lead at home in the second half. Ouch. Questionable penalty given to Toronto for their third goal, but it was still such a bad collapse by the Crew.

Montreal 1-0 Seattle
Seattle's slip and slide continues, conceding another late winner to Drogba's future team (he's legit going to Montreal per ESPN). Good news for Seattle though is they're getting Dempsey back from Gold Cup duty.

Chicago 2-2 New England
Chicago (sloppily) comes from behind and takes the lead, only to give up an equalizer within 2 minutes thanks to a tragic amount of ball-watching. New England may/may not have had the winner incorrectly cancelled out, too, but I don't really see an offside call.

Houston 3-0 Los Angeles
In the Texas heat the Dynamo pull off an upset, and quite convincingly too. Goes to show you never know in MLS. Cubo Torres made his debut for Houston as well.

Dallas 4-1 Portland
Statement win from Dallas. They're such a tough side to beat at home, and when they're really clicking they're one of the best in the league.

New York City 5-3 Orlando
That awful Yankee Stadium pitch likes goals, doesn't it? Two for Villa, Pirlo made his debut for NYC, and Cyle Larin got a hat trick for Orlando. Rookie of the Year? You betcha.

DC 3-2 Philadelphia
Philly jumped off to a 0-1 lead within 30 seconds then got another 5 minutes later. DC came roaring back to win, though, which is testament to how good they are and how bad Philly is.

Vancouver 3-1 San Jose
Vancouver, man, still hanging on near the top of the table. Last year they showed signs of looking pretty solid, but this year they've really developed into a great side. Still not sure they can win it all, though. Maybe next year.

Whenever I catch LA Galaxy on tv, it's disappointing to see Gerrard in that 10 role Any ideas why they don't play him in the deep lying play making role?

Whenever I catch LA Galaxy on tv, it's disappointing to see Gerrard in that 10 role Any ideas why they don't play him in the deep lying play making role?

Because he doesn't want to play in that role?

He played in the deep role in his first few games didn't he?

Gutted that I missed the NYC and Orlando match but I thankfully managed to find the highlights.

He played in the deep role in his first few games didn't he?

Gutted that I missed the NYC and Orlando match but I thankfully managed to find the highlights.

He seemed to interchage a lot when I've seen him play for the Galaxy. Sometimes he's dropping deep, othertimes he's playing closer to the front.

I started watching Orlando and NYC right before Villa's first goal and it was a heck of a game even after that point in time. I hate that pitch though, way too small.

Shaun Wright-Phillips has joined New York Red Bulls, teaming up with his brother Bradley once again.

Whenever I catch LA Galaxy on tv, it's disappointing to see Gerrard in that 10 role Any ideas why they don't play him in the deep lying play making role?

Remember that they don't have their full squad yet. Zardes and Dos Santos will be coming into the attacking half once they're back from the Gold Cup, probably pushing Stevie deeper.

Watching Gerrard now and its just weird.

Also, it's a bit unfortunate that the referees shirt has chevrons running up the back which makes it look like he was was run over by a tractor at some point but given the girth of the f**ker I wouldn't be surprised if he had actually been flattened by one.

No update this week, sorry. I was at the Chicago-Dallas match last night. Really, really solid 2-0 win by the Fire.

Nemeth with a great looping header for Sporting Kansas to put them back in the lead. This is a quality game so far. Current score is 2-1 with half an hour gone. Sky Sports 5 if anybody wants to watch.