By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (July 13, 2022) US Soccer Players - If the refrain seems a little tired, it's for a good reason. The refrain in question goes something like "Is Austin FC good?" and has been part of the rolling MLS debate since the Texas team started the season with 20 points from its first nine games through February, March, and April. With the standard list of exceptions, . . .
What did we learn from midweek MLS?
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 20, 2022) US Soccer Players - Major League Soccer delivered school night action on Wednesday with ten games spread across the country. Some midweek rounds can slip by without getting the notice they deserve. With games on top of games in a league with 28 teams, it can be difficult to fully appreciate one match night of results. Wednesday's round included a . . .
Austin FC modifies the MLS blueprint
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 19, 2022) US Soccer Players - Expansion into Major League Soccer used to mean years of losses and frustration. Teams like Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake took their fair share of lumps before being consistently competitive. Same with the Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps. With few exceptions, expansion teams were built to fail early on. That was until . . .
Three points for Austin at DC United
Monday's soccer news starts with one example of the kind of situation we should expect to see in the MLS tables. With games played yet to hit double-digits, a few points can remake the standings. Austin's win at DC United highlighted that, keeping them in 2nd-place in a conference where three points now separate 2nd from 8th. Austin has played well enough through their seven games to no longer . . .
MLS tactics early in 2022
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Apr 11, 2022) US Soccer Players – MLS coaches have gotten more tactically savvy in recent years. With better players come better tactics, and MLS teams have experimented with a wide variety of formations. Whether it's playing with three in the back or relying increasingly on intricate passing, MLS coaches aren't afraid to push the tactical envelope this . . .
Ben Bender, Kipp Keller, and first team minutes for SuperDraft picks
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 8, 2022) US Soccer Players - New teams need players. It's a statement as reductive as it is obvious. If you're building a new soccer team from scratch, the players for your new team have to come from somewhere. You can, of course, sign veteran players domestic and foreign, per the rules of your league. In Major League Soccer, those rules are myriad and . . .
MLS retirements in 2021
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Dec 20, 2021) US Soccer Players – Decision Day was the end of the line for the 14 teams not moving onto the playoffs. With that, several MLS stars brought their careers to an end. In the case of the San Jose Earthquakes, there was nothing to play for at PayPal Park. Instead, the crowd was there to see star striker Chris Wondolowski score the final goal of his pro . . .
A big year goes south for MLS in Texas
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 22, 2021) US Soccer Players - Under Major League Soccer's forgiving postseason structure, every instance of elimination from playoff contention is a sobering milestone. Still, it feels quite different when confirmation of that status is certain well before Decision Day. Such was the case for FC Dallas on Wednesday night. In a playoff-race six-pointer, they . . .
Normal expansion realities set in for Austin FC
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 24, 2021) US Soccer Players - "Yeah, well, you can keep blaming Wolff. You're fine, that's an easy narrative." It sounded much more lighthearted in context than it might look on paper. A genial one-liner tossed out with a smile in the midst of a conversation with a well-intentioned journalist. Still, the strain of a difficult season was detectable in Josh . . .
The issues for Major League Soccer’s Texas trio
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Sep 1, 2021) US Soccer Players - As tourism efforts like to remind us, "Everything is bigger in Texas." The phrase is likely rooted in the state's sheer size, but it applies to many areas of life for Texans. Nobody does it bigger than Texas, with "it" standing in for food, football, and much more. Soccer, however, probably doesn't belong on the list. At least . . .
