That's So MLS

After a few busy weeks of MLS action, we are finally back to review the first four game weeks of the season. We take a look through the lens of the Canadian MLS clubs and well, it's not so great.

MLS is coming up in a couple of weeks and as the (not streamed) pre-season games get underway, we look at some of the big moves across MLS but first we go back and break down the Canadian Men's National Team dominance as of late. We also give an update on the situation at Portland Timbers/Thorns.

As preparations begin for MLS 2022, we talk about some possible wrenches to a smooth start and go over all the big transfers, including some Super Draft news! We recorded earlier in the week so will be back for our Crepeau emotional processing next time.

We finally get to tackle the final game! We talk about what it all means for Portland and for the new champs, New York City FC. We put a stamp on the year, talk some of the more recent interesting moves. We'll catch you in 2022! Take good care <3

This week we wrap up the conference finals and what finals they were, or almost were. We discuss the ins and outs of PORvRSL and PHIvNYCFC, discuss the final, and take a look at your new CanPL champs, PacificFC!

And then there were four! Joins us as we talk all the drama, heartbreak, and golazos of the MLS Cup Playoffs. We also talk some important roster updates!

This week we have a rundown of all the MLS Cup Playoff games including some surprising results! We look at Minnesota's sputtering performance against the Timbers, SKC's dominance of the Whitecaps but why we're not worried, some nervy close calls for other teams, and who we have picked for the next round. We just missed the Colorado-Portland game, which we'll talk about in detail next time! This week's episode is brought to you by goalkeeper antics

This week we review the big results from across MLS on #DecisionDay. We talk about the handball that wasn't a handball until days later, the Whitecaps crossing the finish line, and some retirements, including the GOAT: Chris Wondolowski. We also look ahead to the playoffs and make a few early predicitions.

As we approach decision day in MLS, we turn our attention to the teams still in the race just above and just below "the line." We talk about New England clinching the Supporter's Shield, the new investigation into the Whitecaps, and the mystery foul that lead to Orlando being wrongfully denied three points.

After an in house bye week, we're back with a look at how the Canadian clubs in MLS are faring, as well as the big news, including two more coaching departures. We also talk about the ongoing developments within NWSL and US Soccer.

This game week, we look at all the action across MLS, the Leagues Cup Final, and the new *greatly* expanded Leagues Cup format and its implications for clubs and players. We look around the league at the big winners and losers and some rare return to form for a couple of clubs. And remember, Giovinco is always watching.

Nick and Bates talk the action since the international break, with some goal-filled games, the curious path of RSL, a brilliant hat trick (that didn't win the game) and more.

It was Rivalry Week and the first meeting of MLS All-stars vs LigaMx All-stars, so we have a lot to cover here and that's before we get to the battle of the headless (or coachless) teams in the West as the Whitecaps took on RSL, both of whom had lost their coaches for very different reasons. We also squeeze in some World Cup Qualifing action and butcher some last names because it was late. Be safe out there!

After a bit of an unplanned hiatus we are back! And though it makes no difference to you, we were in person! We talk about the Whitecaps triumphant return to BC Place, reflect back on the Canada Women's National Team Olympic gold, and have a look around the league at some of the big results and transfers.

This week we talk about the unceremonious sacking of Atlanta United's head coach Gabriel Heinze after her violated player safety protocols (among other things). We also talk about Chicago Fire's rough day, the Cincinnati-Montreal goal blowout, and catch up on some Olympic and Gold Cup action.

This week we take a look at TFC's shocking loss to DC, their immediate dismissal of Chris Armas, and their huge result against Eastern Conference leaders New England. We also look at the big upsets of the week and spend some time talking about a much rejuvenated Chicago Fire and what's next for the Whitecaps, who are their own worst enemy.

We're back after the break and are catching you (and ourselves) back up with MLS action. There's been a flurry of results, some interesting news, and a whole host of goals. We look at where the table sits and then do a deep dive on everyone's favourite "oh yeah, they play in this league" team: the Vancouver Whitecaps.

In a slightly abbreviated version of the show this week we talk about wild scenes in NYCFC vs TFC, some more Chicharito magic, Cincinnati putting in a shift (and still coming up short), and Nani pushing a ref.

A busy week of games including mid-week action had some big results that changed the fortunes of some struggling clubs, like San Jose, who just continue to look much, much better. We talk about the unnecessary Columbus SC rebrand, the struggles of some of the top clubs and even a little bit of NWSL's Challenge Cup.

Week 3 felt like a bit of a weird one but we saw some great results from Dallas and San Jose while a couple of teams really left us scratching our heads. It was all going so well for Galaxy and it remains well for the Sounders, and some CCL action seemed to throw off MLS play. Also Jim Curtin had some words for his Atlanta counterpart.

Week 2 brought many results that flipped last week's results, save for the LA Galaxy, who stormed past everyone through Javier Hernandez's hat trick. We talk about how fortunes favoured a lively San Jose side, TFC's ongoing ok-ness, and some splendid golazos.

It was an eventful weekend of games in the kick off of the 2021 MLS season and we've got all the results, the drama, the opening of accounts, the messed up subs, the missing subs, and absurd goals. We talk about how fortune favoured the brave in Montreal-Toronto, how dangerous a Galaxy side that can defend will be, and also got our first glimpse of a very serviceable Austin side. Who lost.

It's hard to believe that MLS is already here, despite a historically long break. We preview the teams going into the season and talk about how so many things could change during this season, as we saw last season. We also go through all the CCL action, including some dominance by MLS clubs. And, as ever, we have some NWSL news as well.

The MLS season is still a couple of weeks away but wow has there all of a sudden been a lot of soccer. We talk the She Believes tournament, Olympic qualifiers, World Cup qualifying, and of course, MLS as well. We go a little in depth into our favourite maligned team and ask "have the Whitecaps really changed?"

The off season continues to churn and we've got a lot of story lines. We talk about Henry to Bournemouth (which is now confirmed to NOT be happening), Miami and Cincinnati making moves, and Greg Vanney's master plan to make LA, and Chicharito, good again. We also get to fill in a bit more of the Canadian youth development story with a chat with Younes Bouida, who heads up Soccer New Brunswick. After taping, we heard about the awful Jordan Morris injury, we wish him well as he begins another long road of recovery.

There has been a lot of player movement and club news since we last talked- so we run down all the big transfer news, new coaches, old coaches, rebrands and more. Then we bring in our guest, Mike Ayyash, head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps Atlantic Canada Development Centre to talk about how youth development has worked in the past and how it might work in the future.

And just like that, it was over. The Seattle Sounders were neatly dealt with by Caleb Porter's Columbus Crew in a final no one predicted. We break down the game and what we liked about both teams and where things went wrong for Seattle. And of course because there's no rest for anyone, we dive right back into Champion's League action, including a ridiculous red card, even by MLS standards.

This week we dive into the debacle of whether the 2020 Supporter's Shield will be awarded, look at how the playoffs are shaping up, and look at a few familiar names getting on the scoresheet.

This week we look at the two dominant teams emerging in MLS (bet you can't guess who), talk about the sea change at DC, and a really unfortunate incident in USL involving San Diego Loyal and Phoenix Rising.

In another busy stretch of games we take a closer look at Montreal's discipline issues, some wild Whitecaps results, the struggles of LAFC, and Seattle's annoyingly good form.

Since the conclusion of the MLS is Back tournament, the schedule has been very busy so we take you through every single MLS club, some of their recent results, and offer our thoughts about where they are and where they're going. And if that's not enough, we also catch you up on Canadian Premier League. Put the coffee on and put your feet up, there's lots to talk about!

Despite a Cinderella run, Orlando City SC lost out in the final to Portland Timbers and we have a full break down of what went so right for Portland and what went wrong for Orlando. Then we dive into the first glut of MLS games, which are happening now at breakneck speeds, as well as the re-launch of the Canadian Premier League.

Just like that, MLS is Back is almost done! We run down all the knockout games, and look at a preview of the final between Portland Timbers and Orlando City. We also talk about the return of Canadian Premier League and the rest of an MLS season.

Among a slew of MLS action this week, we turn some of our attention to NWSL where a somewhat unlikely champion was crowned. We break down all the knockout stage games and the major story lines from Chill Socce... I mean MLS Is Back. We talk about Hasal's nervy debut with the Whitecaps, the sleepy Sounders, and a few surprises that truly we could not have predicted.

This week we catch you up on the NWSL Challenge Cup, which saw the defending champs easily picked off by a struggling Portland Thorns. We also give you a breakdown of all the big games in MLS is Back, which saw red cards, golazos, and a lot of huffing and puffing. And an Adidas logo.

This week we take a look at the NWSL Challenge Cup, with a breakdown of all the games and some really good soccer. We also look at the still developing Fyre Festival-esque conditions in Orlando, as #MLSisback looks further and further away from being a reality.

Just as MLS is announcing its return, so too are we. We catch up on what's been going on in our lives, talk about some more head scratching changes at the Whitecaps, and the planned (emphasis on "planned") return of NWSL and MLS. As we publish this, Orlando Pride have pulled out of the tournament they are hosting and Florida's Covid-19 infections continue to rise. We also talk about the response by players, teams, and the league to the killing of George Floyd by police and the ongoing work of others to catch up to an ongoing and systemic system of racial violence.

While there may not be much soccer action...anywhere, Andrew got Halifax Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart on the line to talk about how the team is doing, what his plans are, some MLS legends, and looking back at different eras of soccer for inspiration.

Nick and Bates return to talk about the suspension of MLS, and most of live sports, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including what teams are doing, what an eventual season would look like, soccer fans drawing strength in community and the challenge of not having the answers. Plus, Bates' FIFA journey and brainstorming what MLS quarantine content we want to see.

MLS is finally back and there's SO much to cover in Week 1. We talk about the teams that surprised us (and everyone), terrible news from Atlanta, Colorado's strong start, and clubs where we think "what exactly is the plan here?" We also talk about the bizarre play that somehow resulted in just a yellow card for goalkeeper Joe Willis.

This week, we break down every single MLS team and where we think they will be four months into the season. We talk about the clubs that have made big moves in the off season, as well as the one's who seemed to not know they could make transfers, and of course: the clubs who are brand new.

Nick and Andrew are back as the countdown to the MLS season ticks down, with discussion of Christine Sinclair breaking the goals record, Canada's Olympic qualifying tournament, the new CBA, Atletico Ottawa and more.

Nick and Bates talk the MLS Draft in its newer, streamlined form, comings and goings in silly season and tidbits from the NWSL and CanPL.

Nick and Bates come back for the final episode of 2019, featuring a bevy of offseason news! Lucas Cavallini and Alan Pulido make their appearances, Charlotte joins the party, and the Reign got bought. Also, we talk the Whitecaps' Safe Sports review with Dina Bell-Laroche, partner in the Sport Law and Strategy Group firm who conducted it. Read the review: https://vancouver-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/2019/safesport/SLSG_REVIEW_Findings_and_Recommendations_Report.pdf

This week we take a look at all the moves with the expansion draft, the re-entry draft, some future space money transactions and a slew of news that includes a shock move for Luis Robles and Montreal bringing in Thierry Henry to coach. We also take a look at some

And just like that, it's all over. Bates and I break down Seattle's pretty dominant display over Toronto FC, despite the latter's valiant effort. We go deep on this one, looking at the tactics and what's next for each team.

In what few could have predicted but none could really be surprised by. we break down the conference final results as we get ready for ANOTHER Seattle Sounders/Toronto FC MLS Cup Final. Apart from all the MLS drama and heartbreak, we also take a look to the very odd Canadian Premier League Final and the NWSL Cup final that we think might have been more interesting than the result. This week's episode is brought to you by Jozy Altidore playing a full 90 on crutches if he has to.

This week we look at Canada's historic victory over the US Men's National Team, as well as go in depth to setting up all of the MLS Playoff games. We ties up a few loose ends with CanPL and NWSL to round out the show and make our predictions for who will be this playoff round's victors.

Nick and Bates talk all the MLS action from Decision Day and reflect on the regular season that was, Carlos Vela's historic performance and how teams are shaping up heading into the playoffs.

In a weird week of 0-0 draws, we look at how things are shaping up before the playoffs. We also talk about some of the teams who won't be in the playoffs and how their fortunes look going into the off-season, as well as another week of Ibra skill, bizarre calls, and even a red card to the all time leading MLS goal scorer, Chris Wondolowski... from the bench.