MLS 2022/23 Season: Part 2

Cheers to every single person involved—because thanks to that loser, he actually managed to build something that looks like a real damn squad.

Hannah Myers16 said:Big congrats to the city for finally beating back the darkness! But let’s be real—Hajduk isn't taking home the trophy this season either. It doesn't matter how many penalty kicks they rack up or how much extra time we play; it's just a straight-up failure at this point. And honestly, looking at their chances in European competition? Zero. Which really makes you wonder... where is all the money coming from? Are we looking at a fire sale of players next?

Well, that's just how Dad sends things from America..........😵😵😵

I truly believe

If it weren't for Livoja and those refereeing hacks, we’d actually have an interesting league on our hands. Instead of this mess, everyone from 2nd to 9th place would be fighting tooth and nail over a four-point spread.

briskpanther19 said:If it weren't for Livoja and those refereeing hacks, we’d actually have an interesting league on our hands. Instead of this mess, everyone from 2nd to 9th place would be fighting tooth and nail over a four-point spread.

If we hadn't been completely screwed over by the officiating lately, we’d actually be in the title hunt right now...☕

Honestly, Hajduk is playing so poorly right now that even hearing they lost another game doesn't spark a single ounce of joy in me, even as a rival. It’s just depressing to watch.

Out of the whole roster, I actually feel bad for Leke. This toxic atmosphere and these totally unrealistic expectations are clearly eating him alive. To be fair, he’s partially to blame for stepping into this mess knowing his own limits, but you can tell the pull of the club was just too strong for him to resist.

I’m genuinely worried that this absolute madness is going to ruin a talented kid like Vušković. My only hope is that he finds a way to get out of here as soon as possible.

Yeah, everyone’s a villain except for Leke 🙏

Look, if you look at the player roster after all this time and several transfer windows where we didn't sign anyone like Leka, and it still looks exactly like this, then it’s almost a mathematical certainty that everyone else dropped the ball.
Even Leka himself was incredibly upfront during the preseason, mentioning right away that he was missing five key players. I don't know if there were just no rumors floating around or if the money simply wasn't there to bring someone in, but honestly, he was being very transparent from the jump. He told management exactly what they didn't want to hear: that the squad wasn't ready.

Man, honestly, those teams from the coast—like the guys from San Diego and maybe some squad out of Miami—they’re usually pretty tough competitors, right? But now look at the Miami side, they’re playing without their two absolute superstars, plus the whole roster is just totally gassed after that cup match... I was really hoping things would look a bit better than this up here.

Susan Nelson3 said:I think the ref made the right call here; this isn't the kind of play for another yellow card.

🤣

Nancy Sanchez31 said:Yeah, everyone’s a villain except for Leke 🙏

That’s a stretch. He definitely has his own crimes in this story, but you can't just pin all the blame on him either.

We'll see how next season plays out, but Hajduk really had their shot this year. They came in with all that momentum from last season when they were closer than ever and took home the Cup. They kept a solid core together, whereas Dinamo—not right away, but gradually through the season—basically gutted their spine and ended up dealing with internal drama and constant roster shifts. Everyone loved to pick on Cacic, but he stepped up for Hajduk exactly when it mattered, keeping things steady during those crucial games. If you take the head-to-head matchups out of the equation, the gap between them isn't nearly as wide.

Once again, it’s clear just how much Livaja means to this squad. But his prime is definitely starting to slip, and I honestly wonder what his next move will be. It's not even about his fitness—I'm more curious if he'll actually land a late-career overseas transfer like Adem did.

Next season could actually be interesting since so much is up in the air, but looking at how things are playing out right now, I feel like we'll just be fighting to hold onto second place instead of actually chasing the title.

But hey, that whole "both sides" logic actually makes a lot of sense:

Bring in a new coach—someone like Dambrauskas or Tramontani... get some actual results on the board and finally move the needle for this team. Especially considering the roster we’re working with.

You fire them because they're doing a lousy job, bring in a "better" coach, and then everything just falls apart—the results and the actual gameplay both go straight down the drain.

Sure, blame the roster. They need five new players now, and then you can just call it a success when they inevitably play exactly like the guys who came before them. 🤣

Well then, bring in some heavy hitters from the past too. 🤣

Honestly, after all that negativity surrounding Cacic toward the end of last season and even into this one, I’m feeling really optimistic about Biscan. The guy just breathes and speaks "Dinamo," and you can tell the players are actually following his lead.

I’m with Olivia Taylor2 on this one—it feels like Hajduk is actually closer to second place than first right now. That said, if Rijeka makes some big moves during the transfer window, we could be looking at a dead heat between those two clubs for that runner-up spot.

I’m looking at how Hajduk is basically hyping up Vušković's performances just to facilitate a sale. If there wasn't an angle there, he wouldn't be seeing this much playing time. It feels like a calculated move—sell him off and immediately sink that money back into new signings so they can actually challenge for the title while Livaja is still in his prime.

Christian Ramirez6 said:Look, if you look at the player roster after all this time and several transfer windows where we didn't sign anyone like Leka, and it still looks exactly like this, then it’s almost a mathematical certainty that everyone else dropped the ball.
Even Leka himself was incredibly upfront during the preseason, mentioning right away that he was missing five key players. I don't know if there were just no rumors floating around or if the money simply wasn't there to bring someone in, but honestly, he was being very transparent from the jump. He told management exactly what they didn't want to hear: that the squad wasn't ready.

I’m also missing about $5,000 a month, but you don't see me complaining too loudly or trying to fix the economy. The guy using Melnyak's formation is struggling, and Krovinovic is getting lost trying to create plays from the left because the coach decided we’re playing a 3-5-2 regardless of who is actually on the squad. Of course, it isn't entirely his fault. Lukša needs to move on; he's arguably the biggest reason things went sideways, having cycled through five different coaches in two years, and losing that Super Cup match basically pushed him to let Valdas go.🤣

I don't want to sound like a hypocrite—I was rooting for the coach initially. I just didn't realize he was going to be such a stubborn mule.

The defense at Hajduk wasn't some unbreakable fortress even when they were sitting pretty with a 4-2-3-1 setup—four at the back plus two holding mids. Let’s be real, these guys aren't invincible; they're definitely going to make mistakes. Now that Leko has switched things up to a 3-5-2, we’re playing with one less defender in the backline, and since our fullbacks clearly don't have that Panucci-level stamina to drop back into a 5-3-2 during defensive transitions, you basically just left a pair of center-backs out there catching the wind. It was painfully obvious on that first Rijeka goal, too. You’ve got this 2-on-2 situation in the box, and then some 16-year-old kid fails to track Frigan’s movement, leaving him with about 100 yards of open space to run into. Honestly, the whole tactical idea is just a disaster.

And what exactly would you do if you were sitting in the CEO's chair over at General Motors?

so, the pink slip ☕

They played the only thing this squad actually knows how to pull off, which was that 4-2-3-1 setup. If you’re looking for a deep dive into how I’d actually set the tactics, just say the word.

There are clearly strategic reasons behind wanting to play this way long-term, and it all boils down to tempo. It feels to me like he wants to use pace as his primary weapon to overwhelm the league. Sticking to a predictable, cookie-cutter 4-2-3-1 might net him more points right this second, but it wouldn't provide that essential leap forward in quality.

You can absolutely kill a game with high tempo regardless of which formation you run, but his assessment is that this specific approach is how they reach the next level. That’s just my logic. Don't hold it against me, though—I'm honestly just exhausted from this endless, schizophrenic cycle of hype and heartbreak.

First off, tell me what you actually mean by "tempo," then we can figure out the rest 🙂

When you look at the tempo, I’d say we’re seeing an incredibly high frequency of direct attacks paired with intense pressure to regain possession. It’s exactly the kind of relentless energy that looked absolutely brilliant during the second half against San Diego when we had the man advantage.