The MLS is not an easy league to play in. Asked Gerrard about that.
You know what makes it hard? the overwhelming number of players whose only asset is to run and be strong but can't read the game or trap a ball
MLS needs to get more technical. Too many fit laborers, not enough technicians. It takes too long to put the ball on the mat in the MLS and defenders lack composure to play the ball out the back when pressed. The best part of the league is the goalkeeping, if you ask me. Loads of talent!
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Agreed but every week you see Goalkeeper mistakes that seem out of one of those collections. Just think of 2015 MLS cup for instance.
MLS clubs don't take CCL seriously. Its calendar doesn't help and most times they don't play with their best players. It's hard to be competitive playing with a mix of your A/B or sometimes B/C teams, in a league that the cap is so strict that is hard to build a solid roster with all 28 quality players. Soccer is too dynamic guys, there's a lot more complex stuff than comparing results, everything can change quickly! There's culture, training, fitness, calendar, travel, roster, injuries, salary cap. All involved.
"Pirlo is 37", yeah, and he was playing UCL final when he was 36. Only one year isn't enough to a player drop his level like that. It's not fair to blame only his teammates. Pirlo messed up in a lot of matches, missed easy passes and didn't score FKs like he used to do.
Gerrard was useless in MLS, 10x worse than Pirlo. De Jong was ok. Cole is ok. Those 3 I mentioned played on the same team with Keane and some other talented players, and still couldn't be too much above average.
Don't buy those easy excuses like "MLS is so intense that good players can't play". Pirlo criticized the league because he couldn't accept the fact that he simply can't fit in, even playing with stars like Lampard and Villa (the last 2 could play well without depreciating the league).
It's necessary to watch the league more, because those stereotypes are useless. Just like saying there're huge goalkeeper mistakes weekly, because it isn't true. There are some mistakes sometimes for obvious reasons, because it constantly happens in the biggest leagues too.
A good point to observe too is that Panamá is getting stronger in CONCACAF recently, and there's a strong flux of Panamanians to MLS, and it's not just the "strong centerbacks from Panama" like Roman Torres and Harold Cummings, it's the talented ones like Quintero, Miguel Camargo and Godoy.
I could find a lot of examples of players coming from bigger leagues and failing or even succeeding in MLS. Gilberto, for example, scored 14 goals in the Brazilian 1st division in 2013 and then struggled in Toronto, scoring only 7 in 2014. Failed. David Villa was 2016 MLS MVP.
A team from Ascenso could win against an MLS club, Murcielagos could come to US and beat Houston Dynamo, for example. But my point is that in an imaginary league mixed with MLS clubs and Ascenso clubs, MLS clubs would do a lot better. The best clubs in MLS are also better than the best in Ascenso, just compare FC Dallas roster/quality with any club in Ascenso MX, it's almost unfair competition.
This debate is kinda useless, but I respect all your opinions. Have a great day people. Peace!