By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 23, 2020) US Soccer Players - Coaching a professional soccer club is an often put-upon profession. As a life, it's the antithesis of stability for a variety of reasons, some of them out of any semblance of control. With that in mind, most would see a lot to like in a soccer league where the people in charge of the on-field product get plenty of chances. In an . . .
Depth takes on new importance in the East
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 21, 2020) US Soccer Players - Pushed to the limits of their available resources, Major League Soccer clubs are increasingly turning to squad players. If you want to win in 2020, you're going to need a couple of less-heralded figures ready to step into the void if, or when, the stars go missing. Not all of the players that deserve more recognition are surprises, . . .
Somehow, MLS gets stranger
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 16, 2020) US Soccer Players - There are almost too many places to start when it comes to Major League Soccer's Wednesday night round of games as a signifier of the strange season we're living through together. This is soccer in the middle of a pandemic, so naturally, there was a postponement. Minnesota didn't host Chicago due to a "suspected case" of COVID-19. . . .
The continuing story of the Columbus Crew
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 14, 2020) US Soccer Players - When total redemption undoes deepest despair, it's easy to forget just how bleak the dark times were. There's a trick our minds play on us, something akin to a coping mechanism, that pushes out negative memories in favor of better ones. Columbus Crew fans might know a thing or two about this phenomenon. "It's always darkest before . . .
Is MLS heading towards another Seattle vs Toronto Cup?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 9, 2020) US Soccer Players - Even in a season beset by a pandemic, with the schedule upended, travel more complicated, and home-field advantage chucked out the window, the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC are intent on repeating history. Seattle and Toronto have faced off in three of the last four MLS Cup finals and look to be on a collision course to meet again . . .
The October international window’s impact on MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 7, 2020) US Soccer Players - Rarely does a FIFA international competition window come at a good time for Major League Soccer. If there's been one constant in the league's 25 seasons, it's the awkwardness of its relationship with FIFA's calendar. Ostensibly, MLS loves the international game and the positive impact it has on the league's reputation. When players . . .
DC vs Atlanta is a big game for both Uniteds
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 2, 2020) US Soccer Players - The nom de soccer "United" is not the only thing that the Major League Soccer clubs from Washington DC and Atlanta, Georgia share as they prepare to face off in league play on Saturday. Both teams are mired in dismal periods when the present is bleak and the future is unclear. Also unclear is whether a win for either of them can do . . .
Higuain’s Inter Miami debut
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 30, 2020) US Soccer Players - That's not the way Gonzalo Higuain wanted it to go. Inter Miami's new big-name signing made his MLS debut on Sunday, starting in a downpour for Inter as they took on one of the Eastern Conference's best teams. Higuain made his presence felt early against the Philadelphia Union, acrobatically throwing himself over for an overhead . . .
Is there any chance at figuring out MLS in 2020?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 25, 2020) US Soccer Players - Wednesday night delivered 13 games featuring all 26 teams in Major League Soccer. That's 13 games worth of information to process in a season that has been light on clarity. Thirteen games featuring "new" match ups. That meant a different set of pairings than the monotonous repetition of phase one of the return to play. MLS made . . .
What’s wrong with the San Jose Earthquakes?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 23, 2020) US Soccer Players - When the San Jose Earthquakes secured the services of Argentine head coach Matias Almeyda in October of 2018, it surprised many in the soccer world. Following a stint in Mexico at the helm of Chivas, Almeyda looked to be in high demand. Despite his unconventional style and penchant for theatrics, Almeyda had carved out a niche as a . . .
