Matthew Doyle
@mattdoyle.bsky.social
“If something on the internet doesn’t spark joy, mute it.” All views are mine and should be yours. Chaotic good tbh.
Buying Things Is Optional
Buying Things Is Optional
Pinned
There’s no team I hate more. They had the power to spare me from last night’s abomination and opted not to.
They have lost the Mandate of Heaven.
They have lost the Mandate of Heaven.
Do you ever talk about the Sounders?
November 25, 2025 at 12:49 PM
There’s no team I hate more. They had the power to spare me from last night’s abomination and opted not to.
They have lost the Mandate of Heaven.
They have lost the Mandate of Heaven.
Imagine thinking I hadn’t made that point a bajillion times this year.
Jesus Christ, man.
Jesus Christ, man.
I’ll make a point that @mattdoyle.bsky.social won’t about the East: it was a brutal conference this year with hyper parity vis-a-vis regular game day match.
November 25, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Imagine thinking I hadn’t made that point a bajillion times this year.
Jesus Christ, man.
Jesus Christ, man.
San Diego finished 1st in possession and 2nd in field tilt.
Miami finished 3rd and 6th.
NYCFC finished 5th and 11th.
Vancouver finished 6th and 10th.
Soccer won.
Miami finished 3rd and 6th.
NYCFC finished 5th and 11th.
Vancouver finished 6th and 10th.
Soccer won.
November 25, 2025 at 5:25 AM
San Diego finished 1st in possession and 2nd in field tilt.
Miami finished 3rd and 6th.
NYCFC finished 5th and 11th.
Vancouver finished 6th and 10th.
Soccer won.
Miami finished 3rd and 6th.
NYCFC finished 5th and 11th.
Vancouver finished 6th and 10th.
Soccer won.
Satan.
November 25, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Satan.
Completed passes in the first half:
San Diego: 358
Minnesota: 68
San Diego: 358
Minnesota: 68
November 25, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Completed passes in the first half:
San Diego: 358
Minnesota: 68
San Diego: 358
Minnesota: 68
The Post-Mortems continue!
This time we're looking at the Shield-winning Union, who need to look in the mirror, and a Cincy team that never quite managed to put together a whole that was equal to the sum of its parts.
www.mlssoccer.com/news/what-no...
This time we're looking at the Shield-winning Union, who need to look in the mirror, and a Cincy team that never quite managed to put together a whole that was equal to the sum of its parts.
www.mlssoccer.com/news/what-no...
November 24, 2025 at 10:14 PM
The Post-Mortems continue!
This time we're looking at the Shield-winning Union, who need to look in the mirror, and a Cincy team that never quite managed to put together a whole that was equal to the sum of its parts.
www.mlssoccer.com/news/what-no...
This time we're looking at the Shield-winning Union, who need to look in the mirror, and a Cincy team that never quite managed to put together a whole that was equal to the sum of its parts.
www.mlssoccer.com/news/what-no...
Setting the Crew's o/u at like 45.5 points next year and smashing the under.
Sources: Celtic finalizing deal to name Wilfried Nancy their next manager.
Columbus Crew will get compensation. Now, Crew need to find new head coach.
W/ @paultenorio.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...
Columbus Crew will get compensation. Now, Crew need to find new head coach.
W/ @paultenorio.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...
Crew head coach Nancy in advanced talks over Celtic appointment
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Setting the Crew's o/u at like 45.5 points next year and smashing the under.
Reposted by Matthew Doyle
this dumb shit is what i mean when i say this is a purely aesthetic “politics.” yeah man, why can’t we have a fusion of cosmopolitan social democracy and revanchist hierarchies of wealth and privilege? tough question.
Matt Stoller: “..Trump & Mamdani defeated establishment in their own way, representing hunger of voters on the right & left who want something different. If those sides cd come together.. that would be a sea change in how we organize our political economy”.
www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-r...
www.thebignewsletter.com/p/monopoly-r...
Monopoly Round-Up: Why the Establishment Freaked Out Over a Mamdani-Trump Press Conference
Meta wins its antitrust case, there are now two fire truck antitrust claims, the stock market got wobbly, and Larry Summers was exiled from the establishment, at least for now.
www.thebignewsletter.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM
this dumb shit is what i mean when i say this is a purely aesthetic “politics.” yeah man, why can’t we have a fusion of cosmopolitan social democracy and revanchist hierarchies of wealth and privilege? tough question.
Reposted by Matthew Doyle
You know. This voting really makes you think.
Bradley Carnell wins coach of the year. Sorensen won media vote (barely) but Carnell dominated among players and clubs.
November 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM
You know. This voting really makes you think.
The 2022 Union team did not play a high-pressing system.
That team drew a much lower line of confrontation & had a negative (46%) field tilt. The 2025 team had the highest line of confrontation by a mile and were fourth in field tilt (56.5%) behind only three pure possession sides (CLB, SD, VAN).
That team drew a much lower line of confrontation & had a negative (46%) field tilt. The 2025 team had the highest line of confrontation by a mile and were fourth in field tilt (56.5%) behind only three pure possession sides (CLB, SD, VAN).
They lost in a PK shootout in MLS cup not too long ago after a last min tying goal by Bale. Way overblown take
November 24, 2025 at 2:40 PM
The 2022 Union team did not play a high-pressing system.
That team drew a much lower line of confrontation & had a negative (46%) field tilt. The 2025 team had the highest line of confrontation by a mile and were fourth in field tilt (56.5%) behind only three pure possession sides (CLB, SD, VAN).
That team drew a much lower line of confrontation & had a negative (46%) field tilt. The 2025 team had the highest line of confrontation by a mile and were fourth in field tilt (56.5%) behind only three pure possession sides (CLB, SD, VAN).
Philly were 7W-7L-5D with a -2 goal differential against playoff teams in regular-season play this year.
They were 13-1-1x +24 against non-playoff teams.
They won over and over again against bad teams. Against good ones they were mid.
They were 13-1-1x +24 against non-playoff teams.
They won over and over again against bad teams. Against good ones they were mid.
just a hideous sample size. Philly didn't take their chances. It happens in soccer. It doesn't prove anything about the relative level of those 2 teams. Philly won over and over again this year with their "bunch of good but not elite players" roster.
November 24, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Philly were 7W-7L-5D with a -2 goal differential against playoff teams in regular-season play this year.
They were 13-1-1x +24 against non-playoff teams.
They won over and over again against bad teams. Against good ones they were mid.
They were 13-1-1x +24 against non-playoff teams.
They won over and over again against bad teams. Against good ones they were mid.
It's not just Euro teams that could take a run at Makhanya. If you're Cincy and you know Philly's approach to selling you make the call, right?
My biggest question now is how many players does Philly lose in the off-season there are the pencilled in contract ones but than you also have guys like Makhanya who does a team in Europe take a run at.
November 24, 2025 at 3:35 AM
It's not just Euro teams that could take a run at Makhanya. If you're Cincy and you know Philly's approach to selling you make the call, right?
One of the reasons I'm high on the Wray hire is that he comes from teams (Toronto under Vanney, Crew under Nancy) that played actual soccer. Which suits a market that's produced so, so many real soccer players over the past 100 years.
I think you guys will ball.
I think you guys will ball.
Is this the same system St.Louis is wanting to use or hopefully with a new coach and Wray we move away from it.
November 24, 2025 at 3:28 AM
One of the reasons I'm high on the Wray hire is that he comes from teams (Toronto under Vanney, Crew under Nancy) that played actual soccer. Which suits a market that's produced so, so many real soccer players over the past 100 years.
I think you guys will ball.
I think you guys will ball.
Yes. I'd long been a "Shield is the best team" guy but the past three years have really forced me to rethink that.
If Philly'd played Vancouver or Miami's schedules, do they win the Shield? No chance.
If Philly'd played Vancouver or Miami's schedules, do they win the Shield? No chance.
Last year they had the worst luck (schedule, fixture congestion, injury, XG differential, etc), and this year that pretty much flipped.
Do you think the unbalanced MLS schedule coupled with the unbalanced cup schedule is making the Shield...not less meaningful but maybe differently meaningful?
Do you think the unbalanced MLS schedule coupled with the unbalanced cup schedule is making the Shield...not less meaningful but maybe differently meaningful?
November 24, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Yes. I'd long been a "Shield is the best team" guy but the past three years have really forced me to rethink that.
If Philly'd played Vancouver or Miami's schedules, do they win the Shield? No chance.
If Philly'd played Vancouver or Miami's schedules, do they win the Shield? No chance.
It remains an incredible robbery that he won it over Sørensen or Varas.
Wonder if any of the people that voted for Brad for coach of the year might want to rethink their vote.
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 AM
It remains an incredible robbery that he won it over Sørensen or Varas.
The Shield-winning Union just lost at home to a team starting a left back and a child in central midfield, and their No. 10 as their No. 9.
The answer re: Philly's game model, once again, is "no."
www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/202...
The answer re: Philly's game model, once again, is "no."
www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/202...
November 24, 2025 at 2:58 AM
The Shield-winning Union just lost at home to a team starting a left back and a child in central midfield, and their No. 10 as their No. 9.
The answer re: Philly's game model, once again, is "no."
www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/202...
The answer re: Philly's game model, once again, is "no."
www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/202...
Fair enough!
1-4 maybe 2-4 loss? FCC had -6 GD these playoffs including two 4-0 losses. With that amount of talent. Noonan is a decent coach but clearly has hit his ceiling. Carried by roster talent and rarely, if ever tactical savvy. Based on the last 3 years anyway. No team has lost more knockouts w a 2-0 lead
November 24, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Fair enough!
Four fouls by the Union in the first 3.5 minutes of the second half. Tone set.
November 24, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Four fouls by the Union in the first 3.5 minutes of the second half. Tone set.
I been sayin'...
Everyone's talking about Inter Miami's attack, and rightfully so. But in four playoff games so far, they're allowing 1.01 xG against per game and just 0.75 goals against. Both would have been good for by far the best defense in the MLS regular season.
Incredible job by Javier Mascherano.
Incredible job by Javier Mascherano.
November 24, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I been sayin'...
Johnny Shore is fucking balling.
November 24, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Johnny Shore is fucking balling.
As per Opta Messi's 0.88 xA tonight was the most of any player in any single game this postseason by... 0.01 xA over Ali Ahmed in Vancouver's first leg 3-0 vs. Dallas.
November 24, 2025 at 1:29 AM
As per Opta Messi's 0.88 xA tonight was the most of any player in any single game this postseason by... 0.01 xA over Ali Ahmed in Vancouver's first leg 3-0 vs. Dallas.
One thought on Cincy for now: between Miazga (1.575m), Hadebe (1.1m) and Kubo (8.25m) they have $3.5 million in decline-able options to EASILY open up a bunch of cap/budget space next year.
November 24, 2025 at 12:17 AM
One thought on Cincy for now: between Miazga (1.575m), Hadebe (1.1m) and Kubo (8.25m) they have $3.5 million in decline-able options to EASILY open up a bunch of cap/budget space next year.
Anyway, I said on This is MLS and @soccercooligans.com this past week that I thought Miami was gonna kill this Cincy team.
Thought the Garys did well to keep it close in the first half, but as soon as Messi solved the shape this was inevitable imo.
Thought the Garys did well to keep it close in the first half, but as soon as Messi solved the shape this was inevitable imo.
Lopsided back 4, Gidi as a single pivot, Bucha man-marking Busquets, Echinique pushing up to try to pin Alba (or get behind him), Denkey a lone 9 with Evander & Brenner trying to get into gaps and combine underneath.
Don't think I've seen this from Cincy this year. Really interesting!
Don't think I've seen this from Cincy this year. Really interesting!
November 23, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Anyway, I said on This is MLS and @soccercooligans.com this past week that I thought Miami was gonna kill this Cincy team.
Thought the Garys did well to keep it close in the first half, but as soon as Messi solved the shape this was inevitable imo.
Thought the Garys did well to keep it close in the first half, but as soon as Messi solved the shape this was inevitable imo.
Cincy definitely playing a lopsided back 4 more than a back 3. Look where Hagglund is getting on the ball, and how high Echinique is playing.
I think it gave Miami some trouble the first 15-20 mins, but they seem to have settled in a good bit.
I think it gave Miami some trouble the first 15-20 mins, but they seem to have settled in a good bit.
November 23, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Cincy definitely playing a lopsided back 4 more than a back 3. Look where Hagglund is getting on the ball, and how high Echinique is playing.
I think it gave Miami some trouble the first 15-20 mins, but they seem to have settled in a good bit.
I think it gave Miami some trouble the first 15-20 mins, but they seem to have settled in a good bit.