FiftyFive.One
• Voices From Soccer's North •
Tag: Collin Martin
-
Matchday One: Offseason Upgrades Shine In Opening Win In Vancouver
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday One: Offseason Upgrades Shine In Opening Win In VancouverAre the Loons good? Yes, I know it’s only week one. Yes, I know Vancouver are a team who are so thoroughly rebuilding that they more resemble an expansion side than this year’s actual expansion side. But on a Saturday afternoon in the Rain City, Minnesota United did something I haven’t seen in over three…
-
After Productive Offseason, Loons Look Set For 2019, But Not Beyond
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: After Productive Offseason, Loons Look Set For 2019, But Not BeyondA couple months ago, after Minnesota United announced their roster cuts, I surveyed the wreckage of two years of a “soft open” approach to team building. The team’s roster had massive holes, especially in midfield and defense. Although the club did not move as swiftly and confidently as I expected, they have made five big…
-
As Their Expansion Partners Lift The Cup, Loons Face Critical Third Year
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: As Their Expansion Partners Lift The Cup, Loons Face Critical Third YearThe 2018 MLS Season is now officially over. The Damned United are holding the cup, reaching the pinnacle of league success within just two years of existence. While the newly minted champions now face an uncertain offseason, with their coach and a number of star players leaving, this has been a moment that nobody can…
-
News in Brief: #SavedTheCrew, CONCACAF Women’s Championship, and More…
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: News in Brief: #SavedTheCrew, CONCACAF Women’s Championship, and More…The Crew is Saved On Friday afternoon, Ian Thomas and others reported that a deal was close to done to keep the Columbus Crew in Columbus. Roughly one year ago Crew owner Anthony Precourt announced plans to relocate the storied club to Austin, Texas. The news was received with joy for many MLS fans who…
-
Matchdays Twenty-Seven and-Twenty Eight: Loons’ Long National Road Trip Nightmare Is Over
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Seven and-Twenty Eight: Loons’ Long National Road Trip Nightmare Is OverIt’s easy to forget that Minnesota started their recent stretch of seven games, six of which were on the road, riding high on a crest of optimism. They had just pulled off an incredible week with nine points in three home games, and the playoff line was in touching distance. That was nearly two months…
-
Matchdays Twenty-Five and-Twenty Six: Horrible Road Trip Continues, With Losses In Frisco And Kansas City
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Five and-Twenty Six: Horrible Road Trip Continues, With Losses In Frisco And Kansas CityThe late summer stretch of five straight away games was always going to test the Loons. With three down, it’s been a failing effort so far. A two week break to recoup and get healthy before the road trip’s two most winnable (on paper at least) matches is welcome. But what evidence do we have…
-
Match Preview: FC Dallas vs. Minnesota United FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: FC Dallas vs. Minnesota United FCCoach Adrian Heath will have some difficult lineup choices to make in the Lone Star State on Saturday. It is easy to overlook how relatively stable the lineup choices have been over the last two months, with few additional injuries, suspensions, and other outages to contend with. Player swaps have largely been by choice rather…
-
Photo Essay: MNUFC vs. Toronto FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Photo Essay: MNUFC vs. Toronto FCMNUFC Captain, Francisco Calvo, makes his first appearance for the Loons sice competing for the Costa Rican national team at the 2018 Men’s World Cup. This was Calvo’s first game for the Loons since the May 26th bout against Montreal. Ibson and Christian Ramirez look visibly frustrated after leaving Justin Morrow all alone in…
-
Matchday Twelve: Minnesota Escapes With Home Point Against Sporting KC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twelve: Minnesota Escapes With Home Point Against Sporting KCMinnesota United rebounded, in a fashion, from their awful loss last weekend to San Jose, with a gritty draw against Sporting Kansas City. An early Khiry Shelton goal was canceled out by Darwin Quintero’s early equalizer, and neither side could break the deadlock in the seventy minutes that followed. Is a point at home a…
-
Matchday Ten: Minnesota’s Defensive Errors Continue in Loss to Los Angeles
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Ten: Minnesota’s Defensive Errors Continue in Loss to Los AngelesMinnesota United had allowed fewer goals in the past two games, but had still made plenty of mistakes in defense. On Wednesday night, they met a team who actually had the ability to punish errors, and that’s exactly what happened. But forgetting about this game ought to be easy for the Loons. With a massive…
-
Match Preview: Houston Dynamo vs. Minnesota United FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: Houston Dynamo vs. Minnesota United FCIt was fun to see the faint glow of long-forgotten optimism in the eyes of Minnesota United fans this week. The club has played spoiler in each of its last two games, both coming against teams desperately needing a win to keep their playoff dreams alive. Instead, the Loons have heaped on misery. They’ll have…
-
Match Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. FC Dallas
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Match Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. FC DallasMinnesota stunned fans twice against Montreal. The first stunner came when the club trotted out a lineup that essentially mirrored what objective reality suggested they should have — with strugglers sitting on the bench and just about the best available 11 players starting. The second stunner came when it worked. Despite an embarrassing opening 15…
-
Trust the Process?
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Trust the Process?As Minnesota United has been building its roster before MLS and now as a team in MLS, there has been a frustrating lack of results. If fans are going to “trust the process,” just what is that process? One of the unique aspects of American sports is the process of “tanking,” by which a team…