Where To Begin?

So many topics to discuss.  We will deal with them all, no matter how superficially.


MLS All-Star Match

The Powers That Be will need to decide what they want this event to be.  The current format - a team of MLS All-Stars versus a top European club - sounded like a cool idea at first but in reality is fraught with contradictions.  It's a friendly, an off-season one at that for the European squad.  But the MLS is looking to grow its reputation so it's hard to expect the all-stars not to play competitively.  So it's not clear the players are going to be on the same page as to what is an acceptable challenge.  Then there's the financial aspect.  The European clubs are clearly expanding their marketing/merchandising range (as Yogurt would say "Never underestimate the power of the schwartz").    The European clubs are happy to take the money but aren't interested in exposing their players to injury.  I get that but not sure the MLS-European dynamic is going to allow for a relatively riskless all-star contest; no reason to think that tension is going away.  It's probably best to keep up the club friendlies, which are clearly identified as friendlies and are less likely to break out into a competitive match, but drop MLS vs European club all-star format. 

Hard not to be down on Bayern manager Pep Guardiola after clearly waving off MLS coach Caleb Porter for the traditional (mandatory?) post-game handshake.  Maybe he felt that some sort of pre-game arrangement was violated and he blamed Porter for not keeping his players under control.  Not sure that's Porter's fault but still...Guardiola looked like another whiny European manager and my first reaction was "eff him" if he wants to come here and make lots of money for his team while the opposition is supposed to lay down.  Okay, that's not completely fair but it brings me back to my original conclusion - this all-star format is unworkable.

Oh yeah - MLS won 2-1 on a superb strike from Red Bulls Wright-Phillips and determined work in the box from Landon Donovan.


MLS - Talking Union Playoffs

They picked up a very satisfying point on the road last Friday versus Sporting KC.  New loanee Bryan Brown's emphatic header in the 71st minute earned the Union a draw against the division leaders.  Even without the injured Maidana, the Union's play is still attractive and enjoyable to watch.

On the personnel front, one curious and one obvious adjustment.  What do you do when you have two young keepers on your roster?  Why, go out and get a 28 year-old international, that's what. The Union's signing of Algerian Rais Mbolhi has met with reactions ranging from "it was a no-brainer" to "wtf?"  I admit to being a little confused but can see possible logic here.  I was never a MacMath fan and was hoping that Blake was our future keeper.  However, Mbolhi is clearly the number one keeper now.  If he is here for a one or two years as a starter and a tutor for Blake, that makes sense.  MacMath would then be available for loan or transfer to shore up other areas.  Will be closely watching how this plays out.

The other change is the return of Carlos Valdes to shore up the back line.  Except does that mean Edu goes back to midfield?  I thought he has done better as center defender and the team's performance has clearly been better.  Edu has been diplomatic about the switch but certainly sounds like he wants to go back to midfield.  Maybe both Valdes and Edu play on the back line?  We'll find out Saturday when they host Montreal.  Pretty close to a must win situation - a home game against the last place team in the division.

Red Bulls

Saw the end of the Red Bulls 2-1 comeback against the Revolution.  All the more impressive, going down 0-1, then going down a man and still rallied for the win and three points that moved them into 4th place.  They face Chicago on the road Sunday and must be thinking at least a draw. 


EPL - Newcastle Been Having Fun All Summer Long

Just one week before the season starts and Newcastle might not be finished with personnel moves.  Rumors linking the Magpies with French strikers Loic Remy and Alexandre Lacazette continue to bubble up. Either would be fine but at this point I get the feeling it's going to be neither.  Not that this has been a disappointing transfer window.  Not counting two recent signees who were immediately loaned back to the selling club, Newcastle have added seven players who could play a significant role in the coming campaign, shoring up weaknesses in the midfield and front line.  One might have wished for a striker on the level of a Remy or Lacazette and maybe some help for the back line but they have done enough that I am fully confident of another mid-table finish.  That's how the oddsmakers see it too, pegging the Magpies for somewhere between 8th and 10th.

Personally less optimistic about Aston Villa given their relatively quiet summer.  Plus Benteke is out until October.  Still, the oddsmakers/prognosticators don't see the Villans in relegation jeopardy with most predictions showing them somewhere between 10th and 12th.

Earlier this summer I wrote about the apparent dismantling of Southampton after their best finish in club history; their coach is now at Tottenham (Ted Lasso did not get the job), Lallana and Lampert went to Liverpool, and Shaw is at Man Utd .  Surprisingly, the forecasts are uniformly positive for another top 10 finish.  Some specifically cite the club's strong academy program.  Personally I think they're assuming that the money from the sales is going to be plowed back into equally good players but I haven't seen it yet.

Tottenham have got themselves a fine manager in Mauricio Pochettino but have they done enough to crack the top four?  Arsenal look a bit stronger with Sanchez and Debuchy and the return of Theo Walcott.  Man City aren't going anywhere and Chelsea will be competitive.   Liverpool added some quality players but lost the dynamic Luis Overbite Suarez; I wonder how competing in Champions League will affect their EPL performance.  Man United also got a new manager plus some key transfers so the betting is they have a shot at a return to the top four; not sure I see that much improvement but I do expect they'll be more competitive than last year.

And by the time you read this, the season opener will be less than a week away.


Chester Debuts In EPL

The cyber debut of the Chester Blues couldn't have gone better as we scored a mild upset at home over Newcastle.  A close match throughout until a own goal sealed the 2-0 win for the good guys.   Very heartened by the prospect that we appear capable of playing at this level.

The dark cloud continues to be Rui Santos.  The young Portuguese midfielder, our most expensive signing, was having trouble communicating until we inked another player who also speaks Portuguese.  Now I'm getting press reports that he's having trouble adjusting to life in Chester.  I get it but - a young kid (19) in a foreign country; I've never been to Chester England so I can't comment on what it's like there.  But my options are really limited.  I can let him go home for a month but lose him for 3-4 games and there's no guarantee he comes back happier.  I can see if signing someone else from Portugal who my scouts tell me is likely to adapt to the new surroundings but I don't have much a budget to work with at this point.  Or I can ignore it and see if goes away.  Of course I could try to replace him but that looks both a financial and competitive disaster.  The internet forums suggest that the third approach is often workable, especially if you constantly praise the player.  Never expected that issues like this would take up most of the time.


I'm sure I forgot something but that's all for this post.  I have a research project underway looking at the distribution of top four or five finishes in each of the EPL, La Ligue and the Bundisliga to get a sense of how concentrated the power is.  My sense is I'm going to find a glass ceiling of sorts with the same few clubs finishing at the top and everybody else looking up but will wait to see what the data says.