Friends of Fulham

General Category => Overseas & International Fans => Topic started by: btings on March 01, 2013, 10:10:18 PM

Title: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: btings on March 01, 2013, 10:10:18 PM
Season starts tomorrow!  This will actually only be the second season I've followed MLS, but I'm legitimately excited about it.

As I've mentioned in various places on this board, I follow San Jose, as they're my local team.  I think... they will probably regress this year.  They worked hard to improve defensive depth in the offseason, and they picked up Mike Fucito up front, who's looking ok, but I'm worried about how much their midfield depends on Sam Cronin and Rafael Baca.  Simon Dawkins and Khari Stephenson gave them some extra playmaking options that haven't really been replaced.  Also, they're starting the season with a pile of injuries, including both their starters on the right side (Chavez, Beitashour).

I'm predicting a 4th place finish, 22 goals for Chris Wondolowski, and 17 yellow cards for Stephen Lenhart.
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: CanadianCottager on March 02, 2013, 03:59:03 PM
Quote from: btings on March 01, 2013, 10:10:18 PM
and 17 yellow cards for Stephen Lenhart.
Make them red, and throw in a couple for Victor Bernardez and we have a deal! Either way, good luck to you in the west, hope you can humiliate the whitecaps a couple of times. On my own part, I'm just hoping the "Worst Team in the World" can be presentable this year, on the plus side we've dropped most of Paul Mariner's deadwood, now just hoping Nelsen will prove as resilient a manager as he was a player
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: YankeeJim on March 02, 2013, 08:32:50 PM
I'm unfortunate to have two local teams. One is the zenophobes at Chivas and the other being the Lannycakes brigade. Hopfully, the Galaxy will play more as a team this year rather then serve as a photo op for Becks.  .......................aanndddd, maybe Donavan will come back with his head screwed on correctly. Lord knows he is the best player in the US at the moment. I just wished he gave a damn.
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: CanadianCottager on March 02, 2013, 10:34:22 PM
Quote from: YankeeJim on March 02, 2013, 08:32:50 PM
I'm unfortunate to have two local teams. One is the zenophobes at Chivas and the other being the Lannycakes brigade. Hopfully, the Galaxy will play more as a team this year rather then serve as a photo op for Becks.  .......................aanndddd, maybe Donavan will come back with his head screwed on correctly. Lord knows he is the best player in the US at the moment. I just wished he gave a damn.
Not to back up Chivas USA, who are a joke of an organization and owned by one of my all time least favourite people in Jorge Vergara, but I don't really get why everyone is all of a sudden accusing them of being xenophobic. Toronto FC has a strongly Canadian identity but I don't see people throwing the same accusation our way, Chivas was founded with the idea of having a Latino identity. The vast majority of their roster is from the US anyways, and there are as many Burlings as there are Avilas. Chivas USA have enough reasons to be called laughing stocks for what they produce on the pitch.
As for Donovan, he's on sabbatical in Cambodia no? The USMNT really missed his width against Honduras, and from what I saw of Costa Rica Panama, wide play will be the best way of breaking down the Ticos in Colorado.
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: YankeeJim on March 02, 2013, 11:23:19 PM
Can't argue with your analysis of the Nats but I feel your letting Chivas slide. The parent club employs only Mexicans not just Latinos and Chivas USA tried that their first couple of years in MLS and were worse than they were last year. Sola says he "rejects" the Latino only label but has brought in only Latinos and sent out only non Latinos. Read into it what you will. If I could work up as strong a liking for the Galaxy as I have a dislike of Chivas, Id be a big MLS fan.
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: CanadianCottager on March 03, 2013, 05:52:30 AM
Quote from: YankeeJim on March 02, 2013, 11:23:19 PM
Can't argue with your analysis of the Nats but I feel your letting Chivas slide. The parent club employs only Mexicans not just Latinos and Chivas USA tried that their first couple of years in MLS and were worse than they were last year. Sola says he "rejects" the Latino only label but has brought in only Latinos and sent out only non Latinos. Read into it what you will. If I could work up as strong a liking for the Galaxy as I have a dislike of Chivas, Id be a big MLS fan.
I may have been letting Chivas slide, but Columbus certainly didn't! They keep this up and I feel like we can just about manage to be the second worst team in the league
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: A Humble Man on March 03, 2013, 07:20:10 AM
Why do your teams have such funny names?
Title: Re: The MLS 2013 Thread
Post by: YankeeJim on March 03, 2013, 05:38:44 PM
Quote from: A Humble Man on March 03, 2013, 07:20:10 AM
Why do your teams have such funny names?

They aren't humble?  :005:

I suppose Galaxy comes from LA which thinks it is in the center of it. Chivas Goats is the child of a long established (1906) Mexican club in Guadalajara. The owner bought into MLS when it started and thought his second string could play with the best of MLS. They couldn't. They usually finish last or next to last and I'm not sure if they have ever had a winning record. Its against the law to discriminate in this country unless you are a Mexican football club. As to the other names, I can only say The Lilywhites? Love Fulham but THAT is an odd name.