FiftyFive.One
• Voices From Soccer's North •
Author: Alex Schieferdecker
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#SJvMIN Open Game Thread
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: #SJvMIN Open Game ThreadWhen? – 9:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday, March 3 Where? – Avaya Stadium, San Jose, California How to Watch? Fox Sports North How to Listen? 1500 ESPN Social: Official Hashtag: #SJvMIN Follow us at @FiveFiftyOne! Team Accounts Minnesota United FC – @mnufc San Jose Earthquakes – @SJEarthquakes Live Updates MNUFC Gameday – @mnunitedgameday Pre-Match Reading: Match Preview: San…
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The Case For Optimism
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: The Case For OptimismFiftyFive.One’s staff almost all live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, or in close proximity to it. I am the notable exception. Since the summer of 2015, I have lived in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a big, cosmopolitan city. Depending on how you measure it, the urban area has a population similar to that of the…
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Preseason Game Three: Minnesota Provide Bodies For Columbus Crew Training Exercise
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Preseason Game Three: Minnesota Provide Bodies For Columbus Crew Training ExerciseFor about thirty minutes on Saturday evening, Minnesota United looked like a team that was figuring some things out. Against ball-dominant, attacking-focused Atlanta on Wednesday night, the Loons (probably smartly) attempted to bunker and to counter. Against a more balanced Columbus Crew SC side, they committed to building out of the back, passing on the…
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Preseason Match Two: Loons Get Lucky Early and Often Against Atlanta
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Preseason Match Two: Loons Get Lucky Early and Often Against AtlantaAfter a failure to launch in their first match of the Carolina Challenge Cup, Minnesota United showed a much improved effort in their second game of the preseason tournament, gutting out a 1-1 draw against Atlanta. But just as the 0-1 loss to Charleston last Saturday didn’t properly reflect the balance of play (which favored…
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Preseason Match One: Loons Lack Imagination in Preseason Loss to Charleston Battery
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Preseason Match One: Loons Lack Imagination in Preseason Loss to Charleston BatteryYes, it’s preseason, and yes it was just plain fun to see live Minnesota United soccer again. But for anyone hoping for inspiration and excitement, Saturday’s match against the USL’s Charleston Battery on the first match day of the Carolina Challenge Cup offered neither. The Loons slumped to a 0-1 loss to the tournament hosts…
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The Three Tactical Questions the Loons Must Answer
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: The Three Tactical Questions the Loons Must AnswerMinnesota United is now halfway through the 2018 MLS preseason. After a couple weeks in Melbourne, Fla., the Loons briefly returned to the Twin Cities on Sunday to model the club’s new kits. Now, they’re off to Charleston, S.C. to continue their training and play in the annual Carolina Challenge Cup, against the local Charleston…
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A Fresh Start for the Loons, and for Fans, if They Want It
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: A Fresh Start for the Loons, and for Fans, if They Want ItEvery year, as the soccer season winds down, I find a part of myself wishing for the offseason to begin, because it means the recruitment of new players, the reveal of new jerseys, and the hope that next year will be better. But once the actual offseason comes, boredom settles in like a fog. Even…
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Loons Pick Early And Often In Busy SuperDraft
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Loons Pick Early And Often In Busy SuperDraftMinnesota United FC were expected to have a fairly eventful SuperDraft, with the fifth overall pick and two picks in the second round. But few could’ve anticipated just how busy it would turn out to be, as the Loons made three trades and ended up with a remarkable haul of five new players. Listen to the…
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A Loons SuperDraft Strategy? Hope For Defense.
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: A Loons SuperDraft Strategy? Hope For Defense.The 2018 MLS SuperDraft will kick off Friday starting at 10 A.M. CT, with the first two rounds coming from the floor of the Philadelphia Convention Center. It will be a big occasion for the (up to) 92 players who will be selected. Many picks will not ultimately sign with the clubs that pick them,…
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Fiftyfive.One Best of 2017: Minnesotan Men’s U-23 Player of the Year
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Fiftyfive.One Best of 2017: Minnesotan Men’s U-23 Player of the YearNow that 2017 has come to a close, FiftyFive.One is honoring the best Minnesota soccer players. This week, we’ll release the shortlist of nominees across six categories. Readers can vote for their favorites with the winners announced next week. To open our annual award voting, we’ll start with the best Minnesotan men under the age…
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U.S. Soccer Is Divided Against Itself
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: U.S. Soccer Is Divided Against ItselfThe shocking failure of the U.S. men’s national team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup continues to reverberate around the U.S. Soccer scene. There is a malaise, as everyone knows, and change is needed. The most visible and possibly impactful outlet for the angst of the American fanbase has been the wide open election…
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As MLS Offseason Roars to Life, the Loons Are Keeping Quiet — Let Us Pray They Know What They’re Doing
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: As MLS Offseason Roars to Life, the Loons Are Keeping Quiet — Let Us Pray They Know What They’re DoingJust over a week into the 2017-2018 MLS offseason and the silliest time of year is already shaping up to be a barn-burner. With a few million dollars of discretionary allocation money added to the pot, the league’s “Haves” are flexing their muscles. But will Minnesota follow suit? Atlanta United, not satisfied with its impressive…
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Another Year, Another Crop of White Men in MLS Head Coaching Positions
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Another Year, Another Crop of White Men in MLS Head Coaching PositionsFor any struggling or under-performing team, the first order of business is usually to get the coaching right. This offseason, a handful of MLS teams parted with their on-field management and all but Portland have filled their vacancies. The hires are a mixed bag. Some moves, like Montréal’s recruitment of former Lyon and Aston Villa manager…