By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Mar 11, 2019) US Soccer Players – The Premier League has become a staple on American television and the steady diet of sports programming on weekends alongside the NFL and college basketball. Club jerseys of England’s biggest clubs, such as Manchester City and Liverpool, have become ubiquitous among even casual fans. What’s less understood by those same casual . . .
Landon Donovan in the MASL
By Clemente Lisi – SAN DIEGO, CA (Mar 4, 2019) US Soccer Players – For a brief moment, Pechanga Arena San Diego has the ability to transport you back to the 1980s. That was a time when indoor soccer was king and the San Diego Sockers were the best team in the country. Originally a franchise that competed in the outdoor NASL, the Sockers would go on to win 10 MISL titles under legendary coach Ron . . .
Counting down to the 2019 MLS season
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Feb 25, 2019) US Soccer Players – Those countdown clocks set to signal the start of the 2019 MLS season are about to hit all zeroes. Three months after Atlanta United FC lifted MLS Cup, here we are again. The start of a brand new season is less than a week away and there’s plenty to look forward to this year. There’s been plenty of action already. The National . . .
Atlanta, Toronto, and the Red Bulls in the Concacaf Champions League
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Feb 18, 2019) US Soccer Players – Here we are again. MLS teams competing in the Concacaf Champions League need to dust off the winter rust and speed up their preseason preparations. At stake is a tournament that has been elusive to American and Canadian clubs. The Mexican clubs that have dominated this tournament for years have a decided edge in the region. Higher . . .
The 4-2-3-1 formation in MLS
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Feb 11, 2019) US Soccer Players – The start of another MLS season is just weeks away and coaches are refining their tactics with the start of the Concacaf Champions League and the numerous preseason friendlies. It’s a good bet that teams will line up in a very familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, which has become the tactical formation of choice for managers in recent . . .
New coaches, familiar pressure in MLS
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Feb 4, 2019) US Soccer Players – Preparation for the upcoming MLS season is in full swing. Players have hit the training grounds and playing preseason friendlies, while the front offices continue to deal for players and sell season-ticket packages. And the coaches? They’re doing a lot of the work, setting tactics and figuring out what formations to use. It’s also a . . .
FC Cincinnati plays the MLS game
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jan 28, 2019) US Soccer Players – The months needed to prepare for a new MLS season are full of nerve-racking intensity. There are players to draft, others to trade, and the logistics associated with staffing and stadium prep. That’s all further intensified when you’re an expansion team. This is where FC Cincinnati finds itself just weeks ahead of the kickoff to . . .
Berhalter mixes MLS, Eredivisie, and Bundesliga experience for the USMNT
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jan 21, 2019) US Soccer Players – January has become synonymous with USMNT camp. This month’s confab stands out among those of the recent past because it’s the first for new coach Gregg Berhalter. What kind of manager will Berhalter be? To examine what we can expect, one needs to look at Berhalter's tactics and coaching philosophy. Ahead of the USMNT’s friendly . . .
Soccer Tactics: Sticking with the 4-4-2
. . .
Seniors in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jan 7, 2019) US Soccer Players – The curtain on the 2019 MLS season unofficially opens this Friday with the SuperDraft. Although an influx of younger players continue to stream into the league without entering the draft, the MLS SuperDraft remains a major source of talent for Major League Soccer. Despite being secondary to the academy system, many college . . .
