MLS All Star Game

Discussion in 'Prem talk, Those Other Leagues, and International' started by HatterDon, Jul 24, 2008.

  1. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    MLS looking good. Great bunch of passers on the pitch. Three well-taken goals by half-time.

    For my peso, the best MLS players out there in the first half were Joseph, Beckham, Gomez, and Mastroeni. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen Mastroeni play any better.

    Good fun for the Toronto folk
     
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  2. jmh

    jmh New Member

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    I can't decide who I dislike more, the cheaters or the hack.

    (Spam or Shalrie Joseph.)
     
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  3. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    the benefit of NOT having a home-town team.

    Good match to watch. Ashton with two for the Cheats. Gomez, Blanco and DeRo [penalty] for the good guys. Boa looked sharp in the second half and almost got their 3rd. Donovan was a half-step off all night. Angel really impressed me even though he didn't get anything. Where was GBS? I was looking forward to seeing him play.

    I have not been his greatest fan in the past, but for me, the MOM was Mastroeni. I'm sure they'll give it to Beckham, though [who also was great].
     
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  4. Clevelandmo

    Clevelandmo Active Member

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    Hatter, Donovan was no half step behind, he just plain wimped out in my opinion. Looked like he was scared of getting hurt. I only saw the last 25 but that's the way it looked to me.
     
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  5. Optimizer

    Optimizer New Member

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    Aug 22, 2006
    Landon was icing his knee after practice yesterday. So that would probably explain being a half-step slower.

    Still, it was an exciting game. I feel the MLS All Stars should have gotten more, I am confused why Edson Buddle, Juan Toja and Kenny Cooper are getting offers when Shalrie Joseph is still a capable destroyer, and I like the concept of All Star games.
     
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  6. WhitesBhoy

    WhitesBhoy Active Member

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    All Star v. All Star Matches?? Was kicking that idea with some buds earlier today.

    Probably, no DEFINITELY, the most talented MLS All Star Match and Team ever.
     
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  7. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Me too, Op. I laugh when I hear Brits denigrate the concept. But I saw all sorts of all-star games in the 60s and 70s.

    • English League v. Scottish League [also French League if I remember correctly.]
      _____ National team v. "Rest of the World"
      _____ National team v. "Rest of Europe"
      and my fave: "The Three" v. "The Six" or "The Nine"-- When England, Ireland, and Denmark [I think] joined the Common Market

    These matches were hugely popular, but gradually disappeared as clubs started getting more control over their rosters.
     
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  8. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    #8
  9. BarryP

    BarryP New Member

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    I think that question should be what is wrong with ESPN? I kind of get the feeling that when the MLS deals with ESPN it is analogous to a little brother asking a big brother for something he wants. In the end the little brother only gets what the big brother is willing to give him and it usually isn't exactly what was asked for.

    I really enjoyed the match last night. Blanco, Beckham and Gomez were really connecting well. Gomez's flick pass over the defender to Cooper was highlight reel material and Blanco's goal and back-heel to Gomez were both very pretty. I whole-heartedly agree with Don that Pablo played exceptional last night. I lost track of how many times he cleanly picked the ball away from West Ham. Two players that I thought played well last night were DeRo and Borenstien. This format of play was made for DeRo. He made an impact the minute he entered the match and he has such a powerful shot from distance. Borenstien really got up and down the left side well and put in some exteremly nice crosses.

    On the other side Dean Ashton looked very good and Carlton Cole was troubling early on but the West Ham midfield struggled to control play.

    If you missed the match you missed some quality soccer!
     
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  10. Clevelandmo

    Clevelandmo Active Member

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    OMG, I cant believe they didnt play the Canadian National Anthem.
     
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  11. jmh

    jmh New Member

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    They seriously didn't? (I got home late and only saw the second half.) That's weak.

    I can't stand the guy for the diving and whining, but I've gotta say, that was a golazo by Blanco.
     
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  12. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    As long as we're passing out plaudits, this beanpole defender for the Cheats looked solid, and does the little machine that is the Crew's right back ever stop running?

    On the other hand, the most lost-looking player on the pitch was Scott Parker. The Spam's mid-field weakness was primarily down to him. Joseph and Mastroeni completely bossed their midfielders off the pitch. It was only when Boa came on that the spammers regained strength and control there.

    Excellent match. Makes me ready for next month!

    COYW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow; it's been forever since I typed that.
     
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  13. Coog

    Coog New Member

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    The combination of Blanco and Cooper was far more threatening than Landon/Angel. Angel was ok but Landon was hardly noticable. And no matter what one thinks of Shalrie Joseph, he is in the middle of everything and always a positive factor in the match.

    The Canadian anthem was played after the teams appeared. The US and English anthems were played before the teams came out of the locker rooms.
     
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  14. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    It just occurred to me that the 4-5-1 that Nicol played was entertaining, creative, and tough all at the same time. With Joseph and Pablo as defensive mids/destroyers and Beckham, Blanco, and Gomez as attacking mids, and Cooper as the big man up front, MLS looked great.

    Now, I wonder if that's the same sort of 4-5-1 that Roy has in mind.
     
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  15. BarryP

    BarryP New Member

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    I was trying to figure out if Pablo was playing a center back or a defensive mid last night. If he was playing a defensive mid the MLS was actually playing something that resembled a 3-5-1-1 with Blanco not playing much defense. The MLS squad was pressed so far forward most of the night it was hard to tell what the defensive formation was.
     
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  16. MisfitKid

    MisfitKid New Member

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    Sounds like a good match.
    A 4:00 start time out here (real smart), got home in time for Mr. White to be handed a trophy... :x
     
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  17. andypalmer

    andypalmer Active Member

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    National Anthems don't belong at club sports, anyway. There's a reason that UEFA has their own anthem.

    Could you imagine your typical 2007 Arsenal Team getting played the English National Anthem during pre-game? "This is nice and all that, but none of us are English..."

    Keep National Anthems to Natonal teams and just get on with the game. IMO, playing the anthem so much takes away from some of its magic - i.e., it becomes so commonplace it loses its significance. Playing FOR a country means so much more than simply playing IN a country.
     
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  18. SteveM19

    SteveM19 New Member

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    I beg to differ, it's a tradition, I'm a traditionalist. I like seeing them there.

    Although the line about Arsenal is a funny one.
     
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  19. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    besides that, taking the national anthem away from sporting events would only embolden the terrorists.
     
    #19
  20. WhitesBhoy

    WhitesBhoy Active Member

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    andy is a terrorist for even thinking that. How should we torture him??
     
    #20
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