By Tony Edwards - San Jose, CA (June 19, 2012) US Soccer Players -- In Tuesday's column, Tony studies the effect coaching changes had this weekend in MLS, asks if Salt Lake can lift the Supporter's Shield, and gives sartorial advice to the Whitecaps.
Did the recent coaching changes have any effect on results this past weekend?
Take Paul Mariner saying in his introductory press conference that he was “sick of hearing about systems,” for what it’s worth. His debut as Toronto FC head coach looked a lot like any other TFC game this season. Toronto was out-passed, out-possessed, and out-shot comprehensively by Kansas City. That Toronto averaged 2.7 passes per minute, compared to 4.4 passes per minute for Kansas City, does not even begin to highlight the dominance Kansas City enjoyed. Philadelphia did look better against DC United, but finishing remains a problem for the Union.
Can Salt Lake run away with the Western Conference and win the Supporter's Shield?
Their comprehensive defeat of Chivas USA this weekend means RSL currently has the most points in the League. Salt Lake plays the Galaxy on Wednesday and San Jose next weekend, both in Utah, giving them an opportunity establish themselves as the class of the Conference before their schedule gets complicated with the CONCACAF Champions League.
Last season in the CONCACAF Champions League, FC Dallas made news by becoming the first MLS club to defeat a Mexican club in Mexico. Which was the first American club to do so?
NY Hungaria SC, which defeated a Mexican club called CD Oro during the first-leg of the 1963 CONCACAF Champions' Cup opening round game at Guadalajara's Estadio El Pedregal in March 1963.
For a region that does such a poor job of telling the many compelling stories about its rich history, CONCACAF Retro on the CONCACAF website, is a welcome step towards correcting this oversight.
What color, exactly, is Vancouver's third jersey, worn for the first time this past weekend?
According to the team's website, the uniform is “arbutus brown, with sky blue accents,” which “reflects the unique land full of deep roots and the high-reaching arms of the Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Mountain Hemlock, Pacific Dogwood, Lodgepole Pine, and Sitka Spruce.”
Those are trees and the uniform is brown. If your team nickname isn't “Padres” or “Browns,” you have no reason to wear brown.
Which player leads the League in most assists on the road?
San Jose's Martin Chavez, with the odd stat line of five assists on the road and none at home this season. Chavez already has more assists this season than in any of his previous three seasons with FC Dallas.
More Questions:
“If your team nickname isn’t “Padres” or “Browns,” you have no reason to wear brown.”
This makes no sense. Following this reasoning, every team on the planet would be nicknamed after the color they wear. It works in a lot of cases, but sounds silly as an absolute.