The Sunday night MLS wrap-up is back next week – and every week thereafter for a long, long time. For the first time in 15 years it won't be on MLSsoccer. Make sure you subscribe to TacticsFreeZone.com.

The Kicker Monday headline is “Born to be a boss.” “Nico Schlotterbeck steps forward with BVB. We tell the exciting story of a loud leader.”

Love this. #BAONPDX www.oregonlive.com/portland-tho...

It’s good they are doing the obvious thing here. Labeling single stall bathrooms with a specific gender is staggeringly inefficient for everyone. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Clubs prioritising young players in the market are wasting their money and time unless they’re built to actually develop those players. It’s not just mins - it’s culture, opportunity, specialisation in certain areas. It’s why some clubs buy prospects who stall and others actually advance careers.

I’ve listened to both of the preview pods and the DC United one is just riveting. Definitely worth a listen.

If I thought I were a deserved winner (with a massive 0.06 more xG), I would simply make my penalties and win the thing

it’s finally here! preseason matchday in Palm Springs 🌴 🆚 Angel City ⏰ 1:00pm PT 📍 Coachella Valley Invitational 💻 stream here: youtube.com/live/s0P5RTC... 📺 Watch on Fox 12 Plus

But war is pain, and hate is woe.

Bonfire. Prost! Tomorrow. Noon. #BAONPDX

Disappointing from a Thorns manager search POV

A second half barrage with a Pipe Mora brace tops Chicago to finish preseason. “I look at attitude, the competition, performances and Gage Guerra is ready to play.” Report with highlights, analysis, quotes (Neville, Berhalter) plus a transfer update. #RCTID www.patreon.com/posts/late-w...

Roses are red, Violets are blue DCL has eight goals in a line Plus another two

Just stationing 5 players at the midfield stripe, forcing SJ to take attackers out of the box and defend against a potential counter. Done it three times now and unfortunately all 3 corners have been shit – hasn't generated an attack on either end, and the service was nowhere near Freese.

I still have my concerns, but winning your final preseason game at the death is a pretty good way to take some momentum into the regular season. #RCTID

This is the only Olympic medals table we care about @mattdoyle.bsky.social @joeclowery.bsky.social @benbaer.bsky.social

Every year the MLS punditerati are asked to pick their MLS standings, every year they get smoked. @paulharvey.theoutfield.nyc decided to look into who is the best prognosticator, and who deserves the hatemail. www.americansocceranalysis.com/home/2026/2/14/the-prognostication-power-rankings

A Joao Ortiz ball over the top is collected by Antony, whose breakaway effort is snuffed by Brady BUT FELIPE MORA IS THERE TO SMASH HOME THE FOLLOWUP AND THE TIMBERS HAVE A 3-2 LEAD IN THE 74TH MINUTE #RCTID

Gage Guerra goal! Break out season coming? #RCTID

Antony! A lung-busting run onto a Guerra flick creates a golden chance that gets slotted past Chris Brady. 1-1. #RCTID

Antony goal. LFG! #RCTID

Talking with Timbers owner Merritt Paulson at Coachella - the Timbers are pushing to have two new player additions in the coming days. #RCTID

Great piece about how Gegenpressing is being reformed and reconceptualized due to "fixture congestion, player welfare concerns, and tactical sophistication." Even the Red Bull teams have moved away from the old version. callumtanton.substack.com/p/is-gegenpr...

Kelsy isn't going to get service if every play is manufactured towards getting the ball wide right for Brandon Bye crosses. Swap the wingers so Antony and Lassiter can cross the ball with their dominant feet. #RCTID

A totally unbiased kit ranking of the games in ESPN’s quad screen: 1. St Pauli 2. Bremen 3. HSV 4. Freiburg 5. Union Berlin 6. Leverkusen 7. Hoffenheim . . . 8. Bayern’s bleach kit

I’ve tried, but it’s impossible to take Bayern seriously in those kits. Somebody tell them the laundry people spilled bleach on the shirts.

The Portland Timbers add two new coaches to their ranks including a data analyst. Full details ✍️ #RCTID www.patreon.com/posts/150608...

On Pelé and Timber Jim Serrill and us #RCTID open.substack.com/pub/greenist...

INBOX: Rep. Thomas Massie, who has enraged Trump for his insistence on blocking tariffs and releasing the Epstein files according to the law, just issued what is widely known among Chinese dissidents as "a declaration of no suicidal intent" (不自殺聲明), a sign of extreme distress.

Soccer Fan Only A Few Weeks Away From Giving Up On The Season www.thenutmegnews.com/current/2026...

Last call for a thing I wrote about American soccer media. jason-davis-soccer-eagle.ghost.io/american-soc...

Did you miss out on the Q&A with Thorns GM Jeff Agoos? No problem! Watch the whole thing here: youtu.be/TJK-DNiOzXo?... Many thanks to Jeff for coming out and spending time with us. #BAONPDX

The difference between pre and post Leagues Cup DDC is quite noticeable even in this data set. (Without or without the two game outliers—also known as great games) I hope to see an improved version of the pre-League Cup DDC when he’s back #RCTID

www.france24.com/en/live-news... Well well well, what do we have here? My report from Dortmund's most comfortable win of the season.

You may laugh, but the Macbeths are a much better role model for a marriage than Romeo and Juliet. They discuss their problems (killing the king of Scotland), share their hobbies (killing the king of Scotland), and resolve their conflicts (by killing the king of Scotland).

Recently came across this old email, from 2014, from a DC United employee to my editor at MLSSoccer. The club had just been eliminated from the playoffs & I had just ripped some sick donuts at RFK. Dude tried to get me fired, more or less. Absolutely incredible relic right here. Framing it.

Borussia Dortmund extended their winning run with a comfortable victory over an in-form Mainz side.

It's coming out later this year...

Dortmund meat wall goal

I don’t want to jinx anything, but I’m enjoying this BVB match

One of the most powerful books ever written, highly recommend, and my subject for next week’s episode of Past Lives

My ESPN German football column with the focus on Bayern and their treble quest. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

good piece by @abelmeszaros.bsky.social on Igor Tudor's tactical approach the results of this style of play, as he says, have been mixed but they definitely add up to a recognizable tactical vision analyticsfc.co.uk/blog/2023/03...

This is a landmark year in American soccer, and I don't think the Timbers have had a season with this much pressure and expectation since they entered MLS. #RCTID

An unconventional season preview (again). #RCTID