MLS Musings

MLS musings, history, trivia, and opinions, formerly the Kitwarz. Run by @Valpix666.

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

Worth noting, at least to me, that Philadelphia and Nashville both fell off after the Leagues Cup.

Both were at around 1.7 PPG paces before it, and have dipped to around 1.2.

The fatigue is real and it's only going to get worse next year.

https://t.co/9J2XTbAEV8

[Jonathan Tannenwald @thegoalkeeper]

New from me:

Andre Blake blasts MLS for having too many games, and calls for players to push for change.

“We’re the ones that are suffering, and the quality of the league is going to go down,” he told me. "It's ridiculous, and players have to speak up."

https://t.co/dvEC4awIqp

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

I feel like letting go of Bradley Carnell and paying Gerhard Struber eleventy billion dollars to be bad is an all-time bag fumble by #RBNY. And a major W for #AllForCity

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

also idk whether to put this in bad or ugly because it's fairly subjective. But as a Union fan, my team's played twice a week basically all season and I'm *mentally* exhausted - can't imagine how brutal it is for the players

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

The good, the bad, and the ugly of LC so far

Good: Quality of play, lots of competitive matches

Bad: Officiating, too many PK shootouts (they no longer feel "big" now that we've seen 21 of them)

Ugly: attendance in certain locales, fan behavior, MIA price gouging

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

guys. guys. we *don't* need to be insecure about "messi is making us look bad".

he's lionel messi. he makes EVERYONE look bad.

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

NHL is lucky to get 1.5M to watch its ASG.

NBA and MLB have both had theirs trending down *badly*, though at least MLB's is watchable.

The spectacle is gone, and players just don't want to get hurt playing another meaningless game.

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

With all the talk about the #MLSAllStar format after the game earlier this week, I have an idea on how to fix it:

Just get rid. All-Star Games are dying, and in the era of streaming, social media, and YouTube, stars are more accessible than ever.

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

Obviously you have to go ahead with next year's bc you already gave out hosting duties.

But let's make it the last, tbh. I don't think anyone would particularly miss it.

If you wanna keep the skills comp? Have it the day before MLS Cup in the host location.

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

Fun fact: Only 8 players who played in the 2016 #MLSAllStar (the last time MLS played Arsenal) are still active in the league:

Andre Blake
Darlington Nagbe
Keegan Rosenberry
Andrew Farrell
Steve Birnbaum
Wil Trapp
David Bingham
Kellyn Acosta

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@IaqDiesel I could actually get somewhat behind that (as a big time LC disliker/critic). Throw in SD as well since they're coming.

This right now has lead to more rotation, more depleted squads, and less flexibility for the handful of reschedulings that've been necessary...

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

The mandatory League$ Cup pause has led to more serious fixture congestion and more games through int'l windows, which has meant a worse overall product

https://t.co/FvDOd4w0cZ

[Ian Nicholas Quillen @IaqDiesel]

And #Sounders vs #orlandocity makes 29 ... only one more to tie the numerical record set in 2021.

It will take 15 more scoreless draws -- or 44 total-- to roughly tie the percentage record of 8.8%. On pace to do so right now but will be close.

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@O_SilverRey_O watch the LC have nowhere near the expected pull tbh

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@O_SilverRey_O As someone who has studied the history of the game in this country the recent about the OC has me genuinely concerned, considering a top league's refusal to play in the tournament essentially killed the sport here for a half-century in the (19)20s

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@skywaker9 Yeah CA will travel well, I'd imagine Chivas will travel well. But no one is tripping over themselves to see NYRB/San Luis or Minnesota/Puebla lol

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

with how much MLS is shit-talking the Open Cup lately I *wonder* if Leagues Cup ticket sales are much slower than anticipated

(it wouldn't shock me)

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@skywaker9 I think oversaturation might actually suppress sales too

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@O_SilverRey_O I was fine with it as the diet Europa League that it used to be. Not fine with pausing the season for it, coupled with the immense fixture congestion and increased in depleted-squad games because of it (since you have to play over int'l breaks more, esp. if you're in CCL).

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

@skywaker9 Heard from someone else that prices for DC/Pumas are basically no different than for any other DC game.

Just seems like MLS totally misread the market and thought more people would be into this than they were.

Will be SHOCKED if this tournament lasts beyond the World Cup

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

(Boxall is half-Samoan)

[MLS Musings @MLSMusings]

Qatar's Gold Cup team includes Yusuf Abdurisag, who is reportedly the player that racially abused #MNUFC Michael Boxall during today's Qatar/New Zealand match.

The match was abandoned when NZ refused to take the field in solidarity with Boxall.

https://t.co/H0Qw73WJec

[Qatar Football Association @QFA_EN]

📋 Our 🇶🇦 national team’s squad for the #GoldCup!

#AlAnnabi 💪