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Lion Links: 4/19/20

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5 years ago

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Happy Sunday, everyone. Sorry for the later-than-usual start. For me, motivation seems to be at an all-time low and just keeps getting worse the longer I feel trapped. I was able to get outside for about a 40-minute walk yesterday, so that was a nice pick-me-up after rain wiped out much of my ability to get outside during non-work hours this week.

It honestly feels like we’re living in the first few lines of “Band on the Run.”

Stuck inside these four walls,
Sent inside forever,
Never seeing no one
Nice again like you

It’s day 32,341 of our stay-at-home mandate, or at least it feels like it. I haven’t quite bought the entire internet yet, but I have been doing way more online shopping than is healthy since this all started and I’ve even been contemplating buying a turntable over the past few days. Since I’m a person who couldn’t wait to get rid of vinyl because of the pops, cracks, and skips that come along with that format, this illustrates a real problem and maybe I should seek some virtual counseling.

It’s been about a month and a half since Orlando City played at Colorado and since the shutdown we’ve missed the beginning of the OCB season and today was the day the Orlando Pride were supposed to start their 2020 NWSL campaign against Sky Blue FC. I remain hopeful of a 2020 season but not especially optimistic given the lack of a vaccine. We’ve done a decent job of flattening the curve with our social distancing efforts but to abandon those efforts now would be a bit like abandoning a parachute after it has done a decent job of slowing our descent toward the ground. Let’s keep doing what we’re doing for now and hope the rest sorts itself out soon.

In the meantime, here is the news of the day.

Miggy on Benji

Orlando City broadcaster, former goalkeeper, and friend of the PawedCast Miguel Gallardo took some time to break down the explosive attacking movement of Homegrown forward Benji Michel in his latest analysis video. Nobody looked as dangerous in the attack at the end of last season as Benji did and, if he can continue to develop, Michel could end up being an outstanding pro for the Lions for years to come. I’m excited at the prospect of seeing him on the pitch when this whole mess is over to see if he can continue to build on the form with which he finished 2019, when he scored three goals and added an assist in his final three matches of the year.

Skinner Pushing Pride Leadership

Without the ability to get together with his players, Orlando Pride gaffer Marc Skinner is leaning on veterans Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger for leadership. The two USWNT veterans hold regular Zoom meetings with their teammates — which include several new faces in 2020 — to get to know them and bond a bit. The Pride coaching staff checks in on players regularly and uses survey feedback to tweak training programs. But so much of maintaining proper fitness and nutrition is up to the players themselves at this time and leadership is critical during this pandemic.

“Ash and Ali are absolutely looking at the leadership style that they want to implement as captains,” Skinner said. “They’ve been touching base and talking about professionalism. They’re looking to themselves and their teammates to be accountable for each other and part of what Ash wanted to do is take control of that.”

…

“The part that we can’t give them at the minute is the feeling of them being part of something bigger than themselves,” Skinner said. “When we get back into it, that’s what the aim will be.”

Separated from his family during this shutdown, Skinner has had to resort to Facetime to stay in contact. This thing has been hard on everyone, but I couldn’t imagine how much more difficult it would be if I were isolated from my wife and daughter.

USMNT Names in the News

As we continue on without soccer games to watch, a couple of young USMNT players are able get healthier and hopefully will be ready to help the Yanks with their World Cup qualifying efforts — whatever those end up looking like — when all this is over. Midfielder Tyler Adams was just getting back onto the field for Red Bull Leipzig. Now the young midfielder is trying to catch up to his teammates fitness-wise and is treating this like it’s a brand new preseason.

“For me, being injured in the beginning of the season and not really being able to participate in preseason, I’m almost having a preseason right now,” Adams said in a Bundesliga conference call on Friday. “For me, this is varied to other players where I’m building up to my full capability now, and getting that full length of fitness, the four weeks of what everyone else had at the beginning of the season, and then a run of games, I’m getting it now.”

Meanwhile, over in England, Christian Pulisic and his Chelsea teammates are in talks with their club about taking pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to numerous reports Chelsea’s players are discussing a 10 per cent pay cut along with other measures to help with the Blues’ response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia is in talks with captain Cesar Azpilicueta over the issue. Despite a suggestion of a league-wide 30 percent pay cut, there is no general directive from the Premier League who are letting all 20 clubs deal with pay cuts or wage deferrals on their own.

Former USWNT Star Discusses Living with Autoimmune Illness During COVID-19

Shannon Box, a World Cup and Olympic star with the United States Women’s National Team, has not one, but two autoimmune illnesses — lupus and Sjogren’s Syndrome. Both diseases individually could put her at greater risk if she were to be infected by COVID-19. The former USWNT start discussed how she’s been dealing with her health during this pandemic and about the drug hydroxychloroquine — used by lupus sufferers to manage joint and muscle pain, but which is suddenly in short supply after President Trump recommended Americans take it for COVID-19.

In my case, it has always been a medication that I use in combination with another medication. It’s pretty much, as far as I know, the main medication that is given to a lot of lupus patients and RA — rheumatoid arthritis — patients, because it doesn’t have a lot of side effects and it works really well for patients.

There are definitely times that I have missed going back and refilling, and I’ve been off my medication for a couple of days, or I thought I had refills and I didn’t and I had to go to the doctor and it took a couple days. It just sets off an immediate flare. And so it has made me realize that it is controlling my flares a lot more. And even when I do have a flare, it’s making it more minimal.

I encourage you to give this piece a read. Boxx was a pivotal player for the USWNT and it’s sad to think of her barely being able to walk a mile just a few years after retiring as a player.

Free Kicks

  • An MLS guide to soccer analytics.
  • The NWSL season’s delay has cost the league some of its momentum.
  • Those born on this date include Jayne Mansfield (1933), Dudley Moore (1935), Tim Curry (1946), racing’s Al Unser, Jr. (1962), Ashley Judd (1968), James Franco (1978), Kate Hudson (1979), Hayden Christensen (1981), football’s Troy Polamalu (1981), basketball’s Candace Parker (1986), goalkeeper Joe Hart (1987), and tennis star Maria Sharapova (1987).

That’s all I’ve got for you today, folks. Don’t forget, Nani and Abe Valbuena will be taking on Atlanta United today in FIFA 20 in a televised match. (Edit: Sorry, that’s not happening until May 10, apparently, as they drag this out.) It could be interesting if you’re into that sort of thing. Me? Personally, I can’t get into watching other people play video games.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

December 18, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

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