The versatility shown by Justin Morrow, one of two outside backs to leave San Jose and wind up in Toronto, is just one example of why MLS teams are morewilling to use different alignments in the back. The left back in a standard four-man backline could be shuttled forward, a la Morrow, to play the […]
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Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Positional Rankings (Centerbacks, Right): Opara's strong season earns top spot
No team gets very far without a solid, reliable set of centerbacks, and in many cases the abilities of the individuals are not as important as how well they work together. An increasedpopularity of three-man back lines changes the responsibilities and roles of those in that last line of defense in front of the goalkeeper, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Moves: RSL completes permanent move for Brooks Lennon
A Real Salt Lake-Arizona academy product who moved to Liverpool and returned loan, Brooks Lennon has signed a new RSL contract. Lennon, who played for the USA at the2017 U-20 World Cup, returned from Liverpool to Real Salt Lake for the 2017 season. RSL has now acquired him from the English premier League club on […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Power Rankings: Toronto FC finishes in top, Sounders and Crew SC edge into top three
The final season came to a close with a flourish and a flurry of goals — 46 in the 11 matches played Sunday — and by scraping out a point in Atlanta Toronto FC held onto the top spot while setting aleague record for points in a season (69). Strong finishes for Seattle and Columbus […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Power Rankings: Five playoff teams move up, Sporting Kansas City slips
The penultimate weekend of the 2017 MLS regular season produced strong moves for teams such as Seattle, Columbus, Portland, Houston and Chicago, and a steep drop for Sporting Kansas City. Crew SC ran its winning streak to three games by beating Orlando City, 1-0, and Houston took four of six points in a pair of […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
U.S. players return to face the music
Alejandro Bedoya is 30 years old and no longer a starter on the U.S. national team but he is still a sure pick, when healthy, on any squad. He’s already been to one World Cup — heplayed all four games at Brazil 2014 — and hoped to go to one more World Cup. “I had […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Atlanta United, best MLS expansion team ever? Not so fast
Atlanta United is on course to set an attendance record in its first MLS season and is playing some of the best soccer ever seen in the league. But how does it rank among expansion teams? With the additions of Minnesota United and Atlanta United, MLS has grown by 15 teams since the first expansion […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Power Rankings: Surges continue for 'Caps and Atlanta
Four-point weeks for two teams helped jostle the rankings at the top, though the top three of Toronto FC, New York City FC and Seattle stayed pat. Atlanta United delighted combined crowdsof more than 115,000 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium by scoring 10 goals, and Vancouver took over the Western Conference lead by beating Minnesota United […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Jim Curtin, MLS's youngest head coach, on breaking in, coaching players today and Bob Bradley's influence
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) At no time in the league’s history have so many MLS teams employed young American head coaches. Theybring a different perspective to the job, as men who grew up playing in the league — as well as abroad, in some cases — before embarking on a coaching career. Philadelphia Union bossJim […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
MLS Power Rankings Top teams hold their spots
Toronto FC and Seattle continued their impressive runs and Atlanta United ran all over FC Dallas in its new home as teams got back to work after the FIFA international break. TFC’sfive-game winning streak is the second-longest in MLS this season. It won six a row from April 21 to May 13. The Sounders’ run […]