MLS 2022/23 Season: Part 2

boldbadger1 said:Where are all those people now—the ones who laughed in my face when I predicted that Osijek and Rijeka would end up facing off in the final round just to decide who grabs that European spot—because, as it turns out, second place was always going to be a scrap between teams like the Portland Timbers or maybe even both of them fighting for it?

Seattle is safe if they pull off a win against Dallas in the next round.

ruggedowl13 said:How much does that Pajač scoring run against Istria even matter now...
We’ve got 4 teams still in the hunt for Europe until the very end.
What kind of league is this even...

Maybe even 5 if you count Houston. Though their chances are basically purely theoretical at this point.

Ivanusec carried most of the weight during Dinamo's spring run. He was the key player and the reason they locked up the title so early.

Total idiot referee
Luckily, the game was already pretty much decided anyway

Olivia Taylor2 said:Ivanusec carried most of the weight during Dinamo's spring run. He was the key player and the reason they locked up the title so early.

Personally, I’d have to go with Ristovski. They had Luka and Miško
and Livaković and Ademi while things were going well this spring, but Ristovski absolutely killed it in every single phase of the game this season.

Olivia Taylor2 said:Ivanusec carried most of the weight during Dinamo's spring run. He was the key player and the reason they locked up the title so early.

He finally stepped up
It took him way too long, though...

Way to go, Cleveland. Those dark clouds hanging over Progressive Field just aren't letting up...

Ethan Jones5 said:Personally, I’d have to go with Ristovski. They had Luka and Miško
and Livaković and Ademi while things were going well this spring, but Ristovski absolutely killed it in every single phase of the game this season.

Then there's Baturina—he struggled a bit in the games leading up to this one, but looking at the big picture, alongside Livaković, Mišić, and Ristovski, he’s easily been one of the most consistent players all season.
I’d even go as far as saying he’s in the league's top three right now.

Ristovski was basically carrying the team when everyone else was struggling.
Honestly, this might be his best season since that championship run back in Rijeka.

Thomas Hayes said:Then there's Baturina—he struggled a bit in the games leading up to this one, but looking at the big picture, alongside Livaković, Mišić, and Ristovski, he’s easily been one of the most consistent players all season.
I’d even go as far as saying he’s in the league's top three right now.

Ristovski was basically carrying the team when everyone else was struggling.
Honestly, this might be his best season since that championship run back in Rijeka.

Hmm, I’d say Livaković really found his rhythm in the second half of the season; I wouldn't necessarily call him "consistent" for the whole year with this team.

As for the rest, I'm with you. Mišić, then Ristovski, then maybe nothing, followed by Ivanušec, Petković, and finally Baturina. That’s my ranking.

Ethan Jones5 said:Hmm, I’d say Livaković really found his rhythm in the second half of the season; I wouldn't necessarily call him "consistent" for the whole year with this team.

As for the rest, I'm with you. Mišić, then Ristovski, then maybe nothing, followed by Ivanušec, Petković, and finally Baturina. That’s my ranking.

He was solid all season, but honestly? He basically had to go out and dominate the World Cup just to get those haters off his back.
He took way too much heat last season when his form dipped—there was this constant hysteria claiming he was washed, even though he was clearly working his way back.
Besides, there wouldn't have been nearly as much hype about that win over Chelsea if he hadn't pulled off those couple of saves right at the end.
But man, people are shallow—they only ever remember the guys who find the back of the net.

Thomas Hayes said:He was solid all season, but honestly? He basically had to go out and dominate the World Cup just to get those haters off his back.
He took way too much heat last season when his form dipped—there was this constant hysteria claiming he was washed, even though he was clearly working his way back.
Besides, there wouldn't have been nearly as much hype about that win over Chelsea if he hadn't pulled off those couple of saves right at the end.
But man, people are shallow—they only ever remember the guys who find the back of the net.

Look, I'm not saying he was bad, but overall, I'd rank him lower than a 5 this season in MLS. He’s more like a player you respect but isn't necessarily blowing your mind. Something along the lines of a solid starter who doesn't quite reach superstar status.

Anyway, fine, we don't have to agree.😁

Man, these small-town types like Sopica... I don't know what he's thinking with these statements of his. 🤦

Ethan Jones5 said:Look, I'm not saying he was bad, but overall, I'd rank him lower than a 5 this season in MLS. He’s more like a player you respect but isn't necessarily blowing your mind. Something along the lines of a solid starter who doesn't quite reach superstar status.

Anyway, fine, we don't have to agree.😁

I totally get where you're coming from.

Obviously, we don't need to agree.

Imagine if Rijeka ends up splitting points with Dinamo—which, let’s be honest, feels like a totally realistic outcome—and then we have teams like Istra and Varazdin pulling off wins. It’s not an impossible mission either, considering they're facing off against Gorica and Lokomotiv. If that happens, the final round is going to be an absolute spectacle. Those two will be entirely in their own hands when it comes to qualifying for Europe... though, I can't quite remember their head-to-head record or who has the edge right now.

how on earth is that not a penalty
https://streamable.com/p5o01c

wiredfalcon2 said:how on earth is that not a penalty
https://streamable.com/p5o01c

I mean, I’d blow the whistle there too—but honestly, I’m pretty sure they have those specific guidelines now where if it hits a part of the body and then bounces into the hand, they don't call it. Just one of those annoying little technicalities, I guess.

It’s honestly hard to believe—though perhaps I shouldn't be surprised—that people don't seem to grasp the nuances of what constitutes a penalty anymore; whether it’s a handball or not... I guess the rules have become a bit of a moving target.
Even the players from the local club stood there just waiting for the whistle on the penalty call.

stormyangler32 said:I mean, I’d blow the whistle there too—but honestly, I’m pretty sure they have those specific guidelines now where if it hits a part of the body and then bounces into the hand, they don't call it. Just one of those annoying little technicalities, I guess.

Yeah, well—what about when the ball slips off your head and clips your arm, or you're trying to block it and it takes a weird bounce?
Honestly, though... I’d play this one in a heartbeat.

stormyangler32 said:I mean, I’d blow the whistle there too—but honestly, I’m pretty sure they have those specific guidelines now where if it hits a part of the body and then bounces into the hand, they don't call it. Just one of those annoying little technicalities, I guess.

If that ball had actually gone in the net, they probably would have called it—just like that messy situation the Atlanta Braves dealt with a few games back.

But did they screw up with how they handled that arm contact and the rulebook? Absolutely.

They might as well just scrap the penalty altogether. This whole thing is a joke—it makes zero sense.

With 2,312 people watching the broadcast on Gaengka, it honestly feels like nothing we do is making an impact.