By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Nov 11, 2020) US Soccer Players - The strangest regular season in league history has come to a close. Nobody could have ever imagined a season that saw a complete shutdown after two games, a midseason tournament, and games with no fans in the stands. Yet, the league persevered with some not-so-minor setbacks, and now the playoffs are looming. In a season like this, . . .
With te Kloese in place, the Galaxy once again plan a rebuild
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Nov 4, 2020) US Soccer Players - Through it all, the Galaxy had one coach capable of leading them out of the doldrums. That period was not just one of success but also of stability. The reason, in large part, was Bruce Arena. The post-Arena era has been quite the opposite. The Galaxy parted ways with coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto following the Galaxy's 5-1 loss . . .
LA becomes title town
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 28, 2020) US Soccer Players - Los Angeles once again has plenty to celebrate from its sports teams. Turning around a fallow period for titles, the LA Lakers lifted the Larry O'Brien trophy as NBA champions. Yes, it happened in a bubble on the other side of the country. That didn't stop fans from celebrating like things are normal. Last night, the Dodgers won the . . .
The Galaxy’s lost season
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 21, 2020) US Soccer Players - The LA Galaxy has been trying to recapture magic over the last three-plus seasons. While the club has not won an MLS Cup since 2014, the team was still quite competitive in 2015 and 2016. For both of those years, the rosters were quite formidable even if the team's results did not match that potential output. Since the end of the . . .
MLS Power Rankings: East is stronger, but Portland goes top
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 14, 2020) US Soccer Players - MLS is heading full steam toward the finish line, but the realities of life still affect the league. Several matches have been postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks, with Colorado the hardest hit. Empty stadiums are the norm, with a scant few games featuring fans. Through it all, the teams are starting to separate themselves. The . . .
LAFC and the Galaxy vs the LA sports market
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 30, 2020) US Soccer Players - The cover of Wednesday's Los Angeles Times sports section showed two matchups for two Los Angeles teams with the word "Doubleheader" separating them. Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat. Underneath that, Los Angeles Dodgers vs Milwaukee Brewers. The headline read "Two For Prize Of One City." Los Angeles is not necessarily a sports . . .
How can LAFC be out of the playoff spots?
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 23, 2020) US Soccer Players - Los Angeles FC had a magical year in 2019. In its second season, LAFC pieced together one of the finest runs in league history en route to the Western Conference final. LAFC had the most team points and highest goal-differential in league history. They equaled the record for most goals scored by a team in one season. Its star player, . . .
Playing with star power in MLS
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 16, 2020) US Soccer Players - The LA Galaxy likes to remind everyone in Southern California that the team has been around since 1996. The club's "Since '96" moniker was a shot at Los Angeles FC, who joined MLS in the 2018 season and has since shaken up the professional soccer landscape in Southern California. That "Since '96" slogan carries more weight than just . . .
MLS Power Rankings: The league goes regional
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 9, 2020) US Soccer Players - MLS is Back was quite a bit of fun, more perhaps than many expected. Still, the tournament might have been just that, a fun one-off event. What happened in Orlando did not necessarily reveal much of what was to follow in late August and into September. The champions have stumbled on their return to league play while some other . . .
Once again without Vela, LAFC looks to recent answers
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 26, 2020) US Soccer Players - Carlos Vela has quite a lot of talents. He is an outstanding finisher, one of the best in league history with an MLS-record 34 goals a season ago. Vela also has excellent vision as he threads passes and creates opportunities for his teammates. For 2020, his vision might save the season, even though he did not intend it that . . .
