It is August. I am currently out of town with limited soccer access, but this summer keeps on rolling, and the kicks keep on kicking! Let’s dive right in!
D.C. United to Travel to Subaru Park for Leagues Cup Round of 32 (D.C. United): The format can seem silly at times, and the tournament likely could use some tweaking, but I still love the ambition the Leagues Cup has for giving us a month of MLS-Liga MX interplay. In two games, winning only one of them and with a goal differential of -2, D.C. United have joined Cruz Azul (-1) and Queretaro (-3) as the only teams with a negative goal differential moving on to the Round of 32. The team will travel up to Chester, PA to face the Philadelphia Union. A win would see them face the winner of the New York City derby.
D.C. United looks to continue this tournament without the aid of Russell Canouse.
Interestingly, the D.C. United vs Pumas match raked in quite the audience:
The USWNT is through — but this team looks lost (Pro Soccer Wire): The USWNT have made it out of the group stage of this World Cup. Those who have watched the team play have had very little words of inspiration to say about the matter. They have until Sunday to shake off whatever bogeyman is plaguing their form as they will likely be facing a strong Sweden.
Revolution place Bruce Arena on administrative leave pending MLS review into ‘inappropriate remarks’ (The Athletic): Mum’s the word on this one. Probably not Bruce Arena’s word though….
Columbus Crew midfielder Lucas Zelarayan set to join Saudi side Al-Fateh (The Athletic): MLS star player snatched by Saudi league…. Does this mean MLS has made it to the big league table?
D.C. United Announce International Friendly Match Against Medeama SC on Saturday, October 14 (D.C. United): That’s news, I guess!
New York Red Bulls Announce Freestyle Kit Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop (New York Red Bulls): I don’t much care for sharing a link to D.C. United’s arch rivals, but a kit reveal is a kit reveal. I’ve personally seen nothing but praise for these kits. I recognize the graphic mastery at work here, but as I sit in the farmlands of Appalachia right now, this kit invokes more “graffiti in the trashy alleyways” for me rather than the hip-hop for which it is inspirationally cited. I am, however, still recovering from MLS’ blandest kit years, so kudos for doing something.
That’s all for this morning. The soccer world continues to buzz, so get kicking in the comments!
Argentina fought valiantly before bowing 0-2 to Sweden. It was scoreless until the 66th minute. Sweden added a pk in injury time. Argentina held Sweden to just seven shots (three on goal) while notching six shots themselves (two on goal). Sweden disrupted Las Albicelestes attack by committing 21 fouls (three yellow cards).
It’s true that Sweden was resting several regulars, but still … perhaps US Soccer needs to draft Argentine coach German Portanova for the USWNT’s upcoming match.
All in all, an excellent Women’s World Cup for Argentina. They were not outmatched against Italy, South Africa and Sweden despite not advancing. Big time progress.
BTW, South Africa bested Italy 3-2 (first World Cup win ever) to advance to the next round.
Inter Miami DP update!
Miami has signed Jordi Alba and maybe done some financial gymnastics, but let’s see what the official MLS website says:
Leo Messi: DP
Leo Campana: Young DP
Sergio Busquets: DP
Jordi Alba: DP
Gregore: DP (season ending injury list)
Notice that Josef Martinez is no longer listed as a DP. I couldn’t find any Miami or league source mentioning him being bought down with TAM but I’ll assume he was. According to MLS’ website, under Miami’s DP slots they only list Messi, Busquets, and Alba even though they list Campana as a Young DP and should also count as a DP.
Still disappointed by all this. I’d love for any other team, no matter who it was really, to just go out and sign an extra DP and call the league’s bluff. I don’t blame MLS for moving heaven and earth to make Messi happen, but they could’ve been a bit more discrete with the roster designations. I’ll give the benefit of the doubt seeing as MLS games don’t officially resume until August 20th, but I’m skeptical that Miami will be 100% compliant by then.
P.s. let me know if y’all stopped caring about this.
Andrew Wiebe and Charles Boehm had a good back-and-forth thread on Twitter (X?) with a few fans about this. The gist of it, from what Wiebe said, is that the rosters on the league site are essentially never to be believed. Gregore was initially brought in as a DP, but a TAM-able DP, and he was actually bought down. I’m not 100% sure about Josef, but I think since Atlanta bought him out, he could sign anywhere for essentially no cap hit to that team, so that would explain how he’s paid so highly. I know Messi and Biscuits are full DPs and Campana is a young DP, which allows for them to have the U22 signings they’re currently doing. I haven’t yet seen much analysis on Alba to know where he comes in. I know early reports were that he was coming in on a TAM deal, so that may be the case.
I’d absolutely believe that the league website rosters are never correct. Taking it further, I’d say the only person who really knows what everyone’s status is would be the GM. And they can probably just cross out the letters as needed and move some budget items around.
Roster rules are Calvinball. But I will agree with Matt’s overall sentiments that so blatantly letting Miami do whatever tf they want because of Messi is slimy. Just let everyone do it for a year or two and make it even.
I think the thing that surprises me the most with Miami is that, at least as far as I’ve seen outside of Pizzaro, they haven’t really needed to get rid of anyone. The sentiment going into the window was that they’d have to move out some of their current players as well, which I feel like hasn’t really happened yet. Will be interesting to see if anything comes from that throughout today. Would imagine teams like the Galaxy (and their transfer ban) are looking to try to get some of Miami’s rejects
Interesting that one of the league’s own analysts is so frank about the league’s site being incorrect. At that point , why have the roster distinctions and why not just list the players on the team? If the league doesn’t care to update it then why provide so much extra info.
Also, saying that the official league website is wrong sounds like a lazy cop-out for a self-called up and coming league that wants to sit at the big boy’s table. Give me a break (not you, SweetBuck, that’s directed towards Wiebe).
The thread I was referring to can be found here (scrolling up):
https://twitter.com/cboehm/status/1686546266803560448
I cant find the exact tweet in it that I saw yesterday, but Wiebe was essentially saying something to the effect of “The rosters are complex enough that the person(s) in charge of updating the league site have to pool info from so many different places that its not surprising it starts to become inaccurate.” Then he went on to note that a different conversation can be had about how that whole process is done
I can understand where he’s coming from there. I can’t imagine keeping track of every bit of GAM/TAM, DPs, Internationals, GAs, supplementals, etc can be easy, but I do wish the league would strive to be better about it
I will add, I do share your same sentiment of not liking that a team can seemingly do whatever they want. That’s a lot of the reason that I despise the Galaxy (even more so than the Red Bulls). The league bending to accomodate them never sat well with me, even if I know that it helped the league overall. I suppose Miami will probably be similar. I’m imagining next year, there’s gonna be some roster rule changes that let Miami sign more 37 year olds that will also roll out to the rest of the league, who will be slower to sign anyone to use the new thing (lets be real, it’ll be called BAM or something) since Miami will be the ones pushing for it. Will it help the league in the long run? Most likely, more and better players is never really a bad thing. Does it make me feel any better that it will essentially be SOLELY because Messi wants friends? No.
Funny, I was going to write: Miami is the new Galaxy
Darth Garber is pleased.
Inter Miami are the new Cosmos.
I really don’t want to see what it would be like for Levien to have the ability to sign anyone he wants. Because I suspect it would look a lot like our current roster.
Given how much leeway Beckham received while on the pitch, can’t imagine that changed much in MLS after he stepped off.
Jamaica held Brazil to a 0-0 draw and sent Marta and Brazil crashing out of the World Cup. In doing so, the Reggae Girlz reached the knockout stage for the first time in just their second ever WWC.
Don’t forget to catch the early kick off Loudoun game this morning vs Memphis at 11 AM.
Starting XI for Loudoun:
Fauroux, Washington, Leerman, Turner, Rocha, Zanne, Koanda, Clark, Morris, Garay, and Ryan
I find it interesting that Garay wasn’t brought into DC for leagues Cup. With Canouse and LOB out they could have used midfield depth but it seems like Garay probably won’t be making the jump to MLS.
LUFC could really use Dane Jacomen getting healthy and coming back as Fauroux has a GAA of 2+…also apparently Bill Hamid is injured, so he isn’t starting for Memphis.
LUFC with an early sub in the 33′ Morris went down earlier and now he’s off and Williamson in.
I will give the Red Bulls jerseys praise for not looking like they dipped in a bucket of urine. A step up!
This game has been sleepy and sloppy by both teams….in the 41′ and neither team has managed a shot on target.
0-0 at half
LUFC injury sub for Clark, with Santos coming in in the 54′. That’s now 2 subs due to injury for LUFC.
Loudoun has now used 2 of 5 subs, but 2 of 3 sub windows.
In 57′ first shot on target for either team. Its a header on a free kick for Memphis.
LUFC yet to manage a shot on goal. Memphis now generating shots on goal/target. Looking more and more like Loudoun is about to yield yet another goal…
Zanne and Rocha are now both on yellows. Loudoun fortunate that was shown to Zanne and not Rocha, so they aren’t down a player.
Players being disgruntled with New England because they won’t sell them on is heritage!
Loudoun really hasn’t threatened this game.
0-0 draw between Loudoun and Memphis
Tom Bogert reporting that DC has now fully signed both Panamanian players that they were linked to, Jose Fajardo and Eric Davis
Neither of these moves are earth-shattering, but I think the players give good depth. Davis could even claim the starting role. Erik Hurtado’s goal against Montreal notwithstanding, I think Fajardo allows us to give Benteke a break and still maintain style, strategy, and danger.
Now, just need to find a taker for Taxi.
A taker…and a replacement…which is a lot to ask for in 8.5 hours
If they’ve been looking to move him for most of the year, hopefully they had a replacement or two in mind.
But yes, I would be shocked if – frankly – either of these things happen in that timeframe.
Fajardo is a big roll of the dice actually. He has decent goal totals but he’s played in very low-level leagues.
I imagine Davis is expected to claim a starting role with Palsson moving on, but as the left-sided CB rather than a more advanced role. He could be a good piece to have though at the ready when Najar and Santos can’t go in left wingback role.
Pirani being the least experienced, it will be interesting if Rooney sees him as ready to start. I hope he can. Love the skills he displays.
Poor Robert Kraft – having to put up with a subordinate that allegedly said something insensitive or inappropriate.
Boss might have to go to a “spa” and blow off some “steam”!