Unnamed Trialist

I think this is close. I also think that Pasquotti has been excellent, he has a high degree of presence on the pitch when he plays. I am not sure about Chung. He's a good player, but Pacific is no a solid team defensively, and that has to be on him as well. I saw HFX more earlier in the summer, so have not seen Langwa lately. Cannot judge Samuel either, I guess I don't watch backs that much, at least not on tv (live I do).

MLS is a clearly superior league, thought that was obvious. From CPL to MLS is a step up. I am sorry but IMO there is not a single CPL player who clearly rivals for a starting spot on an MLS team. I am not pro MLS or want to be disparaging towards CPL or anything, I just think this is a fair assessment.

Ok so not entirely on topic but related to Borges. He is one, for sure: who are the other CPL players who would be best bets for transfers up to clearly superior leagues? I honestly think there are not that many out there. Most of the better guys in CPL are pretty solid CPL material, as I see it.

What is happening this year with the youth at Barça really demonstrates that you have to take your chances and move quickly. You get chances, they care for you and you train (Ballou went on the US tour and played 2018 summer, he trained with the first team), but you cannot stagnate. Especially if you are coming in from the outside, as your window is more limited and you do not have a relationship with the team. Ok, he had bad luck with the loan to Albacete, he did not play so it was a lost 4 months. This year, of his last year's teammates: Oriol Busquets is on loan at Twente, where he is playing; Miranda, another 2000, is on loan at Schalke 04. Both were first elevated to first team status before the loans out. Carles Pérez is playing for the first team while Messi, Suárez and Dembele get over injuries. About 8-9 others of Ballou's age are being allowed to continue with the B team, some have even gotten contract extensions, so they are being patient with them. Have to say, some of Ballou's peers are on worse loan deals, like McGuane the English-Irish player, is on loan to a team in Dutch 2nd tier, or Mújica, who is with Leeds u23. And so with another half dozen, loaned to worse set-ups. Then you have Ansu Fati, who is 16 and has never played with the B, but he has taken his chances and is with the first team, he may play tonight vs. Dortmund even. Conclusion: I have no frigging idea what they'll do with him in January, though I imagine he might play a bit that month to show him off, and they'll set up another loan for later in the transfer window.

I am not sure about Canada, as the market has yet to turn into a dogfight, but in Spain certain channels do not show highlights, they show silly still images. Because I suspect they are unwilling to pay for highlight packages. I am talking about MediaPro controlled rights. You would imagine in a country where it would benefit you to grow the product that highlight reels would be made available at a lower cost.

One factor I think is that at home teams come out with the idea they have to dominate the visitor. It is a natural tendency, and then it is understandable since this is the first season in front of the fans, and you want to show them you can boss the rival. This is fine if you have the play for it, most teams do not. And then, most teams, regardless of how weak they are at possession play or in attack, do not want to sit back and defend at home, since that sends a negative message to the fan base. If we got a few years down the road and everyone was saying, yeah well, its Cavalry, you better sit back since they are the top team in the league, then fine. Like what happens in top leagues, you respect the powerhouses and the fans accept it when they come to visit. But we are not there yet, every team feels it is equal to every other, and 5 months of soccer has not changed that. After all, the fans are just the 12th man, if that. So it is an 8% addition to the team, which is not a lot, it is not enough of an edge if you are not clear about how to use your home field to your full advantage. And from what you say, that is currently the case, not even the rival's travel has been a clear factor so far.

Exactly, it is like communications companies in Canada, they are all forged in the CRTC regulatory web and are basically gifted near monopoly status by our system. My brother, who is a communications expert of sorts, once told me way back that the Griffiths family could not run a hockey team effectively (the Canucks at the time) for success because communications sector was all about getting licenses and maintaining a status--there was no winning involved. Maybe this has changed slightly, but still. The commment always stuck with me since he hates sports, he was just analysing what kind of business person is most appropriate for the ownership of an entity whose goal is to win over rivals and show leadership. You'd need to have someone at Bell who really wanted to think outside the box, or someone at TSN allowed to, but then: what benefit would that give to the business?

Talking about guys playing the wing and coming up through the Barça ranks. Ansu Fati, a goal and an assist in 7 minutes last weekend. I think it is a bit a question of luck and being in the right place at the right time. But also mentality. Fati has come in from the academy to play for Barça now, on the left wing being a right footer. He three years younger than Ballou: https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/videos/1345656/goal-ansu-fati-vs-valencia-1-0

For me he is one of maybe a half dozen players who deserve to move on to a stronger league. Of those who should probably not be kept with a better contract. I'd put Carducci on that list, though I think he won't move, not yet. For keepers it is tougher. Teran Campbell, as a goal scorer, should probably be picked up as well, though he too would be fine as the starter for Pacific next year if the team gets rid of some of their more pricey veterans. He's young enough to hang on for now. Other than that there are not too many more cut and dry transfers up out of CPL.

Wait a second, Rob Gale is one of the best in the league at defending a 2-goal lead! How did that happen?!😉 Take it from there Valour fans...

I really do not know how I got here, but was looking at the perpetual Moldavian rep in European football, Sheriff Tirspol, and read it was based in a region that has declared independence, Transnistria. I half recalled that from decades ago. Here is a great article on the subject, with football bridging both sides of a military front. Some good pics of fan culture as well. https://www.calvertjournal.com/features/show/11180/moldova-transnistria-football-union

Following the Valour supporters is rather entertaining, the only group on this board I consistently appreciate reading on game threads. Maybe it is the combination of extreme fatalism with the team, over-analysis, and go from there, take it where you may. I am pleased that Valour got out of that hole, it would be bad for the league for a ship to sink so easily and stop competiting.

I have him blocked but I do occasionally look at his posts, as he does often just post links. I am much happier having blocked a few people and I am sure other posters feel the same about me.

She started on the bench for their Champions League match at Braga today, and came on for Katoto m. 62 with the score 0-5, Katoto with the hat trick by then. Ashley Lawrence played the whole game. And Jordyn scores in extra time as I write, their 6th and her first Champions League goal! EDIT: oh crap that was fast: a double in one minute from Jordyn! Last week their league match subs played a friendly in Roma, Jordyn with a brace as Roma came back to tie 2-2.

I was just editing my previous post (one word error) and thinking, does anyone else ever want to do this: after you get a few likes change your post into something obviously stupid and totally brainless, the opposite of what you first said? Since you can keep the likes you already have, you make everyone liking you look ridiculous and confuse those who come to read your post later on. Now no one is going to like anything I post in case I change it into a defense of child-snatching or something like that.