Fern Mc Costigan: February 2016

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

The Red Bulls Up for the Challenge and the Glory

Those New York Boys from Harrison, NJ, is one serious and competitive squad that always making all sorts of headlines in all of the confines of Major League Soccer.

Their unfortunate side is how their luck always takes a bad turn at the end…

Still for second year, Manager Jesse Marsh will be business as usual, being among of his accomplishments winning the Eastern Conference pennant coming in first place and netting the Supporters Shield at the same time.

Not bad for the Bulls Boss, being in his first year at the helm of the Red Bulls and taking this squad all the way to the Eastern Conference finals, just to succumb to the Columbus Crew by the minimum of differences in the overall scoreboard.

For the Red Bulls Boss- will be back to the drawing board and without making any big name signings but betting on the future of his academy and his drafts, were he has deposited all of his trust and one day all of these chaps will deliver.

The future of this squad is looking bright once again, very well fighting for their chance to shine all campaign long and be as always the driven initial eleven that many are accustomed and familiar with- because of their magnificent and spectacular game.

With a good majority of its original roster returning and the new prospects, this squad seen as a competitive entity and seen as a total favorite to take it all in this edition of Major League Soccer.

Its why this club is aware of the upcoming campaign and its Manager making all the preparations of building once again a contender and a squad to front all the challenges included their international compromises in the CCL.

Not alone in the league internal competitions as the US Open Cup and other shields in play with their cross the border rivals alone the Derbies with new rival from across the Pike in those hardened NYCFC.

One serious task is up ahead for Manager Marsch, who really is poised to bring a boatload of shields to the halls of Red Bull Arena as well write down history as one of the elite squad’s in all of MLS.

At the end, for this squad making a significant campaign and run for the league postseason very well the shield and competing in the finals, is something impossible to conceive their absence from the big picture.

At the end the New Yorker's or Jersey Boys whatever you want to call them, they can stir things up in all of MLS as well be played with lots of respect by the other squads, these chaps can do it and with style.

Crest Credit and Property of New York Red Bulls 2016

Monday, February 22, 2016

Is Seattle Fit Enough to Compete for the MLS Cup?

Indeed they are, with a squad and roster the Seattle Sounders currently have to front a very competitive campaign- as well a squad known to be making all sorts of headlines, due to the magnificent football always displayed in the field.

Many experts will ask this time, the million-dollar question as...

Will this be the year for the Rave Greens, since this squad inception to Major League Soccer, Seattle continually at all times been a fighting entity and putting the Cascadia name very high.

Still their arrival to the postseason always been received with sheer disappointment after disappointment- after always coming short to the grand finale.

After seeing their south of the I-5 rival in the Portland Timbers lifting the MLS trophy, after having a tough campaign that at the end, they prevailed with a strong fellowship and the results speak for them.

A year filled with many challenges and a bit of peer pressure for the Sounders Manager Sigi Schmidt, a man that since this club debut in Major League Soccer has won important shields, but not the league Cup.

That always is being so close and yet so far from the big dance, this time the Emerald City is fighting for far more achievements as well representing the US in the always-slippery CCL Cup that in this new edition no MLS squads have won it.

So far seeded in Quarterfinals in this important event and making a run against Mexico’s top rated and important squad in Team America, the Rave Greens will have a small advantage as they play host in the first round.

Something they need to take advantage of this situation and net an important result, as the second leg played in always-difficult Azteca Stadium in Mexico City will be shocking for the Emerald City Boys.

At the end, this squad is determined to obtain a positive result and very well advance in this important tournament, trying their best in their efforts in becoming the first ever-American squad from MLS to win this important event.

This 2016 will be all about the Seattle Sounders trying to net the big one and once in for all display it in their trophy room already cluttered with other silverware product of their achievements.

Despite many of its important players leaving and recently Oba Martins going to the Chinese football, the man at the helm will indeed have a tough time in getting the pieces of the puzzle together and assemble one more time a contender.

Seattle is once again ready to front this campaign as well its fans base cannot wait to see its Rave Greens in the field and causing all sorts of havoc to its rivals and for its followers it does not end up as another disappointing campaign.

With an interesting squad in newcomers and veterans, the Sounders look very fit to front a much-competed pack in this edition of Major League Soccer as well front a tough competition in the Western Division as well in Cascadia.

Still this squad will prevail and will make its way to the league postseason one they never have missed since their inception in league play, is this the year of the Sounders, this campaign will deliver the results.

Crest Credit and Property of Seattle Sounders 2016

Vancouver Seeking its Chance to Write History as a First Canadian Squad

To win it all and write history as a first Canadian squad to win the MLS Cup and the bragging rights from the Boys up north.

These awesome Caps can write their own history; after all last campaign saw a squad that almost won it all and dominated the league. With its indisputable game and elegant style, one thing this initial eleven always displays in the field.

After a terrific run for the Supporters Shield and being in the Western Conference top for some time, the Caps were victim of those infamous injures that some of its key players had and hence the results.

Still a squad accustomed to net a shield or two in every campaign- especially considered as a dominant entity in its internal competition over its Cascadia foes and so far, the Canadian Boys dominate it with an all-around authority.

Very well, the optimism shown by its man at the helm in Manager Carl Robinson, who is very excited for his new talents identifying with its veterans and their game, is somehow looking very positive on the eve of another campaign.

In the eyes of the Welsh Boss, much work is seen ahead for his initial eleven looking very impressive and with some absences, the moment this squad is all complete, they may have another brilliant and successful campaign ahead.

Something that the Whitecaps top man known for his creativity in each one of his lineups- filled with lots of thrills and electrifying plays along a reputation of not going down that easily.

As mentioned one thing the Caps Boss is betting on his youth and with three new players, being two of them a couple of two promising strikers in Christopher Hellmann and Thomas Sanner along of Centre back Cole Sieler.

No, wonder the joy for his squad bright future ahead, that the Welsh Boss cannot hide after seeing some positives in his squad preseason and his new Boys delivering and adapting so far to his scheme.

The arrival of consummated veterans in Costa Rican Christian Bolaños, Japanese Masato Kudo, Canadian Fraser Aird and Blas Perez to add to its armada.

By far this squad may look complete, but in the eyes of its Manager details are needed and those corrected, after that, look out league as the new Vancouver Whitecaps are one solid squad and ready to cause havoc in all of MLS.

With a game hard, to predict and decipher by the opposing defenses as well tough for the strikers to penetrate a not so easy defensive backfield as well a top of the line keeper in David Ousted, delivering when most needed.

At the end the Vancouver Whitecaps not only will aim for the league title but for all of the league trophies and maybe more as this squad can do it and with style and a good fighting stance from its top of the line roster.

Indeed, this will be the year of the Vancouver Whitecaps, as many situate this squad on the top, with no doubt about it and lots of confidence!

Crest Credit and Property of Vancouver Whitecaps 2016

Sunday, February 21, 2016

After a Modest Campaign Left Behind, will RSL Rally

That is the idea for second year Manager Jeff Cassar, who after his promotion at the helm of the Royal Army, last campaign debut was not a very memorable for him and the fans of the RSL.

With a record of 11 wins, 15 losses and 8 draws, the Claret &Cobalt saw a modest campaign and finishing a rare ninth place in the Western Division.

Leaving them out of their division playoff spot and for many in MLS circles was seen as a rarity from a squad known for its hardened stance and always participating in the grand fete of the postseason.

That was then and now is time to focus on a new campaign and make this entity one competitive group of individuals as well display in every match that touch of class and all around spectacle, that the RSL known for.

For the RSL Boss his stance and direct goals are to make this squad a force not to be mess with, playing as a home team , very well making such important improvements in their away record, if they want to become a contender.

It is where the think tanks at the Royals front office really went in the task of netting important players to make a stand to what many are seeing ahead a much-competed Major League Soccer.

Here come the new faces recently acquired in the league draft, very well a new attacker in Yuve Movsisyan from Spartak Moscow, who will add a new depth to the new offensive attack of Manager Cassar.

That for sure will adapt quickly to the talents of Plata, Morales and Martinez in what many foresee a 4-3-3 formation it used by the newcomer in his Old Russian squad and for sure will deliver lots of fear to its opponents.

Alongside many of the followers of the Salt Lake squad who are seeing a positive outcome of this squad recent draft and deposited their trust in these new prospects to shine in an immediate future for the Royals.

Another bright and hopeful outlook seen in their preseason, it is the ability to show off many good results and some not so great, still the imminent success seen in this group is one bright one at the end.

Nobody told Manager Cassar that this was going to be a walk in the park or the level of easiness was going to there, not at all, because the challenges for this RSL squad will be all campaign long and to deliver to that loyal fans base.

That last campaign saw its disappointment in its Claret & Cobalt, who played above mediocrity and many of what many saw a lot of indifference from its initial eleven, in what many expect a better performance and much greater game.

At the end, this Real Salt Lake squad is poised to make a good stand, compete for position, and return its almighty reputation and position as all around contender lost in last campaign fiasco, will this squad return.

There will be one way to find out, for now the RSL is up and ready for a much-disputed 2016!

Crest Credit and Property of Real Salt Lake 2016