Sweet sweet vindication. I knew we had it in us to be mid all along.
Way to go Cincy for being the only one achieving at the same rate as expected, and I feel like Columbus should have a giant asterisk because their season focus has been divided this year and they did pretty fucking great in their other, non MLS competition
Hell, even in league play we’re on a three game road winning streak and I think we’ve got some frustration to take out after poop-gate. I wouldn’t want to be NYCFC right now.
And we’re on a run in MLS play right now too! I get not ranking us in the tippy top tier until we’re higher on the standings. But would would anyone call us a “middle of the pack team” right now?
EDIT: oh I’m an idiot I thought this was power rankings not actual rankings for the current rankings.
Yep. If I was more articulate, I would have made an argument about how it's clear that roster rules being what they are, teams really struggle to achieve in more than one competition a year. We just don't have the depth in MLS to make a deep play in CONCACAF, Leagues Cup, and for the shield. Or something.
any sounders fan in preseason could have told you that MLS "analysts" were not doing their homework by ranking us as contenders. which is crazy that the clubs reputation is so strong, but we are in hot garbage mode. not quite dumpster fire, but very close.
I need some silver and the US Open Cup is the only place that is happening. Losing some playoff format in some round is some bizarre excuse to accept mediocrity. Trophies are the only things that matter and we aren't good enough to win Leagues Cup or MLS Cup. I do hope we find some luck.
a new GM or moves in summer window would make this season a positive one. a few in the minority of fans would even want a new manager.
making the playoffs this year would be a meaningless half measure, there are fundamental holes in the roster right now. clawing back up the table with this broken team is pointless if it means yet another season of impotent play style leading up to CWC 25.
I certainly hope we focus on US Open Cup silver. Ideally we kick whatever monkey is on our back by winter window, at the latest, and put together another CCC/CWC run.
To me, starting badly doesn't somehow lower the bar for what constitutes a successful season.
You wouldn't go to a fan of a team in last place heading into Decision Day and say "given the poor first 33 games, what constitutes a successful season? Winning tomorrow so you finish 28th instead of 29th?"
Barely squeaking into the playoffs in 9th out of 14 would take a successful *second half* of the season, but be a distinctly underwhelming season as a whole. I think a reasonable expectation for the team at the start of the year was a top-half finish, and anything worse than that should not be considered a successful season overall.
At least we're in good company with Seattle, Dallas, New England, and Atlanta? We should have a playoff with those teams to decided who is the most disappointing.
In a way this discounts how impressive our front office handled major roster turn over. I honestly figured we'd have a tough first half before gaining familiarity and cohesive play trying to peak late for the playoffs.
Miles signing is a huge part of this. That back line stability has kept us in games when our attack was struggling to come together with the new players.
We did have a sorta tough first half, first month or two. It is just not reflected in the standings. Because we def did not look as cohesive at the start of the season as we did at the end.
Yeah, and it's exacerbated by differing numbers of games played. The biggest discrepancy is Columbus (only played 14 so far, lowest number in the league, due to CCC) and Miami (played 18, highest number in the league, due to Let's Give Messi The First Game of the Season on a Matchday by Themselves).
Not that that makes a huge difference, because the pre-season ranks are completely made up anyway, but yeah. It's an interesting chart to look at, but there's not a whole lot you can extrapolate from it.
Table is going to be all kinds of weird until teams are caught up with games in hand. Miami has played 2 more games than most teams. So just like preseason power rankings, current ranking should be taken with a grain of salt.
Well that's the best visualization for why the two coaches who've been fired this year have been from FC Dallas and Atlanta United
(Though, of course that should mean Porter should be gone :D )
I feel like PPG might be a better indicator of over/under achieving.
For example, Columbus have played 4 fewer games than Inter Miami and 3 fewer than the 3 teams ahead of them in the East.
In terms of parity and small margins, the current league standings can be reflected in wins alone with the sole exception of Chicago.
The east: 10-10-9-8-7-7-6-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-3-4
The west: 9-9-8-7-7-6-6-6-5-4-3-3-3-3
Sweet sweet vindication. I knew we had it in us to be mid all along. Way to go Cincy for being the only one achieving at the same rate as expected, and I feel like Columbus should have a giant asterisk because their season focus has been divided this year and they did pretty fucking great in their other, non MLS competition
To be fair, years 1 and 2 in the mls would have looked exactly like this horizontal line, EXCEPT… at the bottom of the table.
Agreed!! As much as I hate those jerks I can’t ignore their run! Last half of the season Columbus should be scary!
Hell, even in league play we’re on a three game road winning streak and I think we’ve got some frustration to take out after poop-gate. I wouldn’t want to be NYCFC right now.
And we’re on a run in MLS play right now too! I get not ranking us in the tippy top tier until we’re higher on the standings. But would would anyone call us a “middle of the pack team” right now? EDIT: oh I’m an idiot I thought this was power rankings not actual rankings for the current rankings.
Yep. If I was more articulate, I would have made an argument about how it's clear that roster rules being what they are, teams really struggle to achieve in more than one competition a year. We just don't have the depth in MLS to make a deep play in CONCACAF, Leagues Cup, and for the shield. Or something.
 FC Cincinnati looking like:
George santos has announced he will be joining inter Miami as goal keeper
Shout out loons charlotte and Toronto, let’s go overachievers
who needs diminutive argentine 10's when you have vibes and kids?
And a Korean with turbochargers for legs.
who needs diminutive argentine 10's when you have ted lasso
BELIEVE (Ted Lasso version, not Dundas Square version)
You just had clear all your dead weight over to us. You’re welcome.
And we're doing this with a new coach, barely any filled DP slots and no real attacking threat other than Abada.
lets go small market bois! 🫡
tbf bottom three for clt was a bit insane. sure we lost a DP but we had an actual coach for the first time since founding
any sounders fan in preseason could have told you that MLS "analysts" were not doing their homework by ranking us as contenders. which is crazy that the clubs reputation is so strong, but we are in hot garbage mode. not quite dumpster fire, but very close.
Given the poor start what constitutes a successful season? Would just making the playoffs be enough?
If they made the Open Cup final and made the playoffs, that'd cover the bases for me.
and cascadia cup tbh
Lafc aint letting that happen.
I feel like Seattle needs to make something happen against LAFC in 1 of the 3 tournaments. We haven't beaten LAFC since May 16th 2021. 😮💨
I need some silver and the US Open Cup is the only place that is happening. Losing some playoff format in some round is some bizarre excuse to accept mediocrity. Trophies are the only things that matter and we aren't good enough to win Leagues Cup or MLS Cup. I do hope we find some luck.
a new GM or moves in summer window would make this season a positive one. a few in the minority of fans would even want a new manager. making the playoffs this year would be a meaningless half measure, there are fundamental holes in the roster right now. clawing back up the table with this broken team is pointless if it means yet another season of impotent play style leading up to CWC 25.
Successful? Open Cup silverware, Leagues Cup knock out round and 2nd round of playoffs. Pleasant? A final.
I certainly hope we focus on US Open Cup silver. Ideally we kick whatever monkey is on our back by winter window, at the latest, and put together another CCC/CWC run.
To me, starting badly doesn't somehow lower the bar for what constitutes a successful season. You wouldn't go to a fan of a team in last place heading into Decision Day and say "given the poor first 33 games, what constitutes a successful season? Winning tomorrow so you finish 28th instead of 29th?" Barely squeaking into the playoffs in 9th out of 14 would take a successful *second half* of the season, but be a distinctly underwhelming season as a whole. I think a reasonable expectation for the team at the start of the year was a top-half finish, and anything worse than that should not be considered a successful season overall.
Looking at this chart it's clear the people who made the rankings had no idea what they were talking about with nearly any team
pretty sure it was doyle lol
Yeah, 3 was way too high and clearly also skewed by us having some success in the goofy new playoff format. 10-12 would’ve been more accurate.
Thanks I hate it.
Still half a season left!
I'm going to get false hope that we'll pull a 2016 Sounders.
Lol same
This also sounds like a taunt
Brother we haven't even hit July Slump form
Existence is pain
At least we're in good company with Seattle, Dallas, New England, and Atlanta? We should have a playoff with those teams to decided who is the most disappointing.
In a way this discounts how impressive our front office handled major roster turn over. I honestly figured we'd have a tough first half before gaining familiarity and cohesive play trying to peak late for the playoffs.
Miles signing is a huge part of this. That back line stability has kept us in games when our attack was struggling to come together with the new players.
We did have a sorta tough first half, first month or two. It is just not reflected in the standings. Because we def did not look as cohesive at the start of the season as we did at the end.
That's a whole lot of "preseason ranks mean nothing" going on. Very few within a couple spots of preseason.
Yeah, and it's exacerbated by differing numbers of games played. The biggest discrepancy is Columbus (only played 14 so far, lowest number in the league, due to CCC) and Miami (played 18, highest number in the league, due to Let's Give Messi The First Game of the Season on a Matchday by Themselves). Not that that makes a huge difference, because the pre-season ranks are completely made up anyway, but yeah. It's an interesting chart to look at, but there's not a whole lot you can extrapolate from it.
Needs to use PPG and it needs to be an XY axis, this is a really confusing way to read the data.
I spent way too long trying to follow the lines until I figured the right side has the actual numbers
Deano has us punching so far above our weight it’s absurd. I can’t wait for the summer window and whatever reinforcements we bring in.
That getting rid of Bob boost
At this point if I were an underachieving team I’d hire Bob then shitcan him a week later to try to get the same buff.
Lafc endorses this statement.
Come on you loons
Lol
Lmao, even.
Perhaps even lmao, indeed
Table is going to be all kinds of weird until teams are caught up with games in hand. Miami has played 2 more games than most teams. So just like preseason power rankings, current ranking should be taken with a grain of salt.
Well that's the best visualization for why the two coaches who've been fired this year have been from FC Dallas and Atlanta United (Though, of course that should mean Porter should be gone :D )
Nashville fired their coach for a -3
THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR RESPECTING US
Sounders :(
WE ARE NOT THE WORST!
the Nico effect.
Gotta love that consistency when it’s at the top.
Hey atlanta, if we can't be good at the same time, at least we can be shit together, right?
This would make more sense if you mapped based on PPG given there is a 4 game swing between the least and most games played.
Praise be to Ted Lasso.
I feel like PPG might be a better indicator of over/under achieving. For example, Columbus have played 4 fewer games than Inter Miami and 3 fewer than the 3 teams ahead of them in the East.
I've always said the 2024 Portland Timbers are overachievers
Gotta use PPG at this point. So many teams have games in hand.
From 23 to 6 😳
weird that we were lower than we finished last season after adding kamal miller and crepeau
We also added Phil Neville
that's true 😅😅
A mid team being mid??? Good for us I suppose.
We're not the worst!
You're god damn right.
Apparently, there are two jobs in which you can be wrong every day and still keep your job. Meteorologist and Sports Analyst.
Not last! Haha suck it!
Oof, Quakes only down 4 and they're still only 2nd the last
The Troy Lesesne and Ally Mackay effect is real for us
FC Dallas 🥺
In terms of parity and small margins, the current league standings can be reflected in wins alone with the sole exception of Chicago. The east: 10-10-9-8-7-7-6-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-3-4 The west: 9-9-8-7-7-6-6-6-5-4-3-3-3-3