MLS Talking Points: Coaching Difficulty on Unstable Ground in Week 9

Major League Soccer is entering the second quarter of the 2019 season, which means that enough matches have been played to give an idea of ​​the direction teams are taking, and an idea of ​​the teams likely to fail in their quest for improve their disappointing performance in 2018. campaigns.

While some teams, like the Houston Dynamo and the Montreal Impact, have shown a clear improvement after failing to reach the playoffs in 2018, others have not been so lucky and these struggles have some coaches on unstable ground.

Although it is not surprising to see teams like New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids fight, the New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United are two other teams that could have been imagined at the bottom of the standings. Eastern Conference at this point of the season. Frank de Boer has no chance to reach the stadium in Atlanta soon, and Chris Armas seems safe despite recent rumors Binder Thierry Henry at his job, the defending champions of the MLS Cup and the winners of Supporters' Shield are embarking on this weekend with important home matches that they need to win to begin to climb back into the part of the ranking that they had to live.

Two teams are exactly where we expected in early 2019 face Next weekend, Los Angeles FC, the leader of the US championship, faces the Seattle Sounders in a clash between Western powers and rematch of the 4-1 demolition of Seattle last week by Bob Bradley's squad. The Sounders will be at home this time, but injury and rest after a mid-week battle against the San Jose earthquakes will make things difficult for the Sounders.

Here are some key points for the ninth week of the MLS 2019 season.

The New England Revolution and the Colorado Rapids are among the teams that have seen the slightest improvement in the new season, and it is this lack of progress that explains why Rev. Brad Friedel's coach and the Rapids boss Anthony Hudson should be at the top of the list of MLS coaches. danger of being replaced.

The Revs' 3-0 home defeat against the Montreal Impact on Wednesday seemed to be a new bottom for Friedel, who saw his team make the most goals in Eastern Conference and record the most. defeats in the league (six) up to now. The season seemed to be a step back for the sophomore coach, who led the Revs to a record of 10-13-11 in 2018, despite the addition of international rookies Carles Gil and Juan Caicedo .

The Rapids had an even worse start to the season with a record-breaking 0-6-2 record, making the league the league's only remaining non-league win. This catastrophic start came after Hudson led the Rapids to the third MLS record in 2018, despite the Rapids. having has been busy reorganizing its roster this winter, bringing in several established MLS veterans.

Hudson and the Rapids are heading to Atlanta looking for that first elusive win, and it will not be easy against a team from Atlanta United who are desperate to get a decisive result. The defending champions still have to win a home game in 2019 and could make things ugly against a Rapids defense which allowed 23 astronomical goals in eight games, far and a way the worst defensive record of the MLS.

The Friedel Revs are also facing a difficult journey on the road. They go Saturday to Sporting Kansas City looking for their first win on the road of the season. A defeat against Sporting KC is unlikely to cost Friedel his job, but if New England stumbles into his next three-legged bend on the road, the Revs office will have to think long and hard about changing.

When the Seattle Sounders left the Banc of California Stadium after a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Los Angeles FC, the consolation was that they would not have to wait long to get a refund. What they did not know at the time was that they would start revenge even stronger than they were at the first meeting.

Chad Marshall returned to the game in a 2-2 draw in Seattle against San Jose in the middle of the week, but Victor Rodriguez and Gustav picked up new strikes. Svennsson This will complicate things for Brian Schmetzer's team on Sunday. Svensson will miss Sunday's game because of a thigh injury, and Rodriguez's availability is questioned after suffering a violent shock that caused him to leave Wednesday's game and suffer the concussion protocol. Raul Ruidiaz and Will Bruin both missed the San Jose match and are questionable on Sunday.

The potential absences of Rodriguez, Svensson, Ruidiaz and Bruin would once again leave the Sounders shorthanded against the best team in the league, although the return of Marshall is a major badet because his absence was one of the most big problems last week's game, saw Roman Torres fight badly in his place.

LAFC goes to CenturyLink Field with a rest advantage after not having to play Wednesday. Bob Bradley's men will once again be looking to win the battle in the middle of the field, as they did last week. Mark-Anthony Kaye and Eduard Atuesta will make remarkable changes to help LAFC dominate Seattle and neutralize Nicolas Lodeiro and Cristian Roldan.

The LA Galaxy has six games unbeaten and is on the LAFC track for the league's best record, but the road to first place will be a little tougher after the star midfielder's announcement Romain Alessandrini will be put away until September after knee surgery. The French winger was part of the success of the team at the beginning of the season, but the coach of Galaxy Guillermo Barros Schelotto will have to turn to Ema Boateng and Chris Pontius at PLCK take over. These are more short-term solutions however, with the Galaxy still having room to add another player before closing the current MLS transfer window.

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The Philadelphia Union is on the right track, having won four of its last five outings, but keeping this run it will be difficult to go to their trip to Vancouver. Goalkeeper Andre Blake came out with a groin injury, while Marco Fabian is unlikely to play because he is recovering from the ankle injury that has already forced him to miss a match. To the left return Kai Wagner suspended and Mark McKenzie After a recent appendectomy, the Union will be extremely reduced on its journey across the continent to face the Whitecaps.

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Bob Bradley If the prize was voted today, he would probably have left with the MLS 's year – round coaching vote, but one of the coaches who is organizing a pretty awesome season is there. FC Dallas coach. Luchi Gonzalez. The first-year coach is enjoying success with a young team, competing with several teenagers and a team with victories against LA Galaxy and Atlanta United, while introducing young talents like Paxton Pomykal and Jesus Ferreira. Gonzalez will face Matias Almeyda, another MLS freshman, who is even more scared of his San Jose Earthquakes after a tough start to the season. The tactical battle between Gonzalez and Almeyda will be one of the best battles to follow this weekend. Gonzalez will face the challenge of preparing his young team to the unique man-to-man style of San Jose.

(* Best bet)

NEW YORK CITY FC 2, Orlando City 1. With Heber well adjusted to the attacker, and the pbadage of Dome Torrent to three center The back works well, the NYCFC should win three straight victories against a team from Orlando City who beat the results, but does not play too well.

TORONTO FC 2, Timbers 1. The absence of Jozy Altidore will hurt, but the CFC still has Alejandro Pozuelo looking for slots in Timbers defense this at been fragile this season.

FC DALLAS 3, Earthquakes 1. This one will be a good back and forth case, and could go down to which team defends the best. Michael Barrios played a key role in the FC Dallas attack, but Nick Lima can contain it, while Reggie Cannon will have to slow Shea Salinas.

WHITECAPS 2, Union 1. Marc Dos Santos had a tough start in Vancouver, but the Whitecaps seem to be getting closer form, and have a strong defensive performance to slow down the Union, which will be without injured goalkeeper Andre Blake.

* ATLANTA UNITED 4Rapids 0. A bloodbath is written on this one. Josef Martinez is in crisis, but who better than the worst would break out defense in MLS?

Red bulls 3FC Cincinnati 0. The Red Bulls are another surprising wrestler who should bounce back home against a fragile opponent. Bradley Wright-Phillips is expected for a big game, and this should be it, even with the Kaku playmaker suspended.

DYNAMO 2, Crew 1. Two teams that have disappointing losses face off against Houston, where Dynamo has been very hard at home. The crew has the midfielder to match well, but Waylon Francis will be fight with Alberth Elis.

SPORTING KC 3, Revolution 1. The winless three-game slip of Sporting KC can be attributed at least in part to its run in the CCA, but now the injuries are testing the depth of the SKCs. Fortunately for the Peter Vermes side, the Revs are an ideal solution.

IMPACT 2, Fire 0. Montreal's victory in New England midweek, after a well-documented travel test, should allow the Impact to feel confident Sunday at home facing a team of fire at the 39; allure dull against NYCFC.

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Minnesota United 1, D.C. UNITED 2. The loons defense played well in Wednesday's 0-0 draw with LA Galaxy, but can we count on another good match against D.C. United's dynamic attack? Wayne Rooney says no.

Sounders 1, LOS ANGELES FC 2. The Sounders have too many injuries to give LAFC the challenge of winning, especially after playing a midweek game.

GALAXY 3Real Salt Lake 1. RSL has won two consecutive victories, but stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be asking too much.