Major League Soccer 2023: Now With League-On-League Violence

[ThePrideofShiner]

He... did get a real shot? He was a MNT regular from 2015 up through Couva in 2017. A starter through all of WCQ in 2017. 25 caps, 13 starts, including starting in Couva. And then he decided he didn't want to be around the negativity, the travel demands taking him away from his family, all the other nonsense... he basically decided to decline further participation in the national team. Which, especially given the air of the team around then, made perfect sense, even if it was a shame. I don't think less of him for it.

Today, Nagbe wouldn't start for a fully healthy MNT, but he might've made the World Cup roster over Kellyn Acosta or even Roldan, and he'd definitely make some appearances. Some say he's a like-for-like with Musah, I say he'd be more in Tyler Adams' role, but he could do a job for us even today. He certainly would've had a huge role in the team as the new generation got their feet under them in 2018-2020 (Musah's first cap was Nov 2020), and a steady one in 2021-22 as our new-look midfield gelled. But he didn't want to, and that's his right.

I have no recollection of that, probably because I hated Jurgen so much. Thanks for the information and that actually makes me like him a bit more that he chose not to be part of the team.

 

[Titans Bastard]

In terms of his in-game skillset and his overall mindset toward his career, Nagbe is just a very unusual player.

 

[67YAZ]

Nagbe rarely scores, but when he does, it’s a banger.

 

[InstaFace]

I have no recollection of that, probably because I hated Jurgen so much. Thanks for the information and that actually makes me like him a bit more that he chose not to be part of the team.

While we're acknowledging Nagbe, and his unusual skillset, we must mention the classic Nagbe Heat Map, which has become an item of lore among USMNT crazies:

View: https://twitter.com/ronalgringo/status/826105498302873602?s=20

Spoiler: The content

"found this Nagbe heat map I made that has been collecting dust in my docs"

And a coda from the other night:

View: https://twitter.com/cboehm/status/1731134741368217880

 

[67YAZ]

Argghhh. The Fire hired Klopas for another season. They’re just running it back for another year! Why???

Mansueto must be ok punting this year because he didn’t find a director he wanted long term, so we’re in another low-expectation holding pattern for 2024. Arrgghhh.

Despite that, I’m happy for Klopas. Frank IS Chicago soccer. He immigrated here from Greece as a kid. Won the city high school championship as a senior. Played for the Sting and then won an MLS Cup with the Fire. He managed the Chicago Storm and is now on his second go round leading the Fire. Klopas is our guy. He’s lived every chapter of modern soccer in Chicago. So bully for Frank. Maybe he can coax an improbable playoff appearance from the squad. Then he can ride off victorious into a front office gig.

 

[InstaFace]

This is why we can't have Nice European Things:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39060400/lafc-fined-100k-fan-group-suspended-illegal-flares

LAFC gets a six-figure fine and a supporter group is all-but-banned after they... set flares before the start of the game.

Partizan and Red Star Belgrade surely think that supporters group is a bunch of amateur pyro wannabes.

 

[Jimy Hendrix]

This is why we can't have Nice European Things:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39060400/lafc-fined-100k-fan-group-suspended-illegal-flares

LAFC gets a six-figure fine and a supporter group is all-but-banned after they... set flares before the start of the game.

Partizan and Red Star Belgrade surely think that supporters group is a bunch of amateur pyro wannabes.

I'd argue that the flares thing is more of a Stupid European Thing than a nice one and I'm not too fussed that they're gonna take a harder line than the "wink wink" European bans of the practice.

 

[SocrManiac]

I'd argue that the flares thing is more of a Stupid European Thing than a nice one and I'm not too fussed that they're gonna take a harder line than the "wink wink" European bans of the practice.

Co-sign. I’m so used to not seeing it in EPL it drives me nuts when I watch other leagues.