Ryan Raposo attempts the SIUUU | Josef Martinez rolls back the clock | LAFC's snow day | MLS in Review, Week 2
Did you know there was more that happened in Major League Soccer in Week 2 beyond Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez doing to Orlando what Cavalry FC and CF Montréal could not?
Here are a few observations from Week 2 – our 3 key (Canadian!) takeaways:
What does being 'experienced' really mean?
There's no shortage of talk about the incalculably valuable growth accelerant that is playing time and on-field experience. You learn by doing, after all, but it's a lesson that applies to more than things like passing, defending, and scoring.
It also applies to celebrating goals.
Take, for instance, young Ryan Raposo's attempt to hit Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic SIUUU after scoring the Vancouver Whitecaps' first home goal at BC Place for the season. Notice something missing?
Ryan Raposo with the equalizer right before half-time!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 3, 2024
It's all level in Vancouver. ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/LhzoX21LfO
My colleague Alex Gangue-Ruzic, at the scene in BC Place, confirmed what we all suspected from the broadcast – the player and the fans weren't quite on the same page for the cellie, and Raposo's attempt at drawing a guttural roar out of the nearly 30,000 supporters in the stands fell just short.
This, I think, is where one has to be bolder. Was it a goal worthy of the cellie? Eh... Was it worth following up with the shoe-shine cellie, too? Double eh... But, to Ryan, a word of advice: Hone in on one, and try it again. Don't shy away now. Because when, not if it catches on, the reward will be absolutely worth the early growing pains. Whitecaps fans are some of the best in the league. You got this. Here's some inspo:
Now, as for Lorenzo Insigne at Toronto FC? Amazing goal, but you can go ahead and never, ever do this cellie again, cheeky as it was!
Cheeky chip, that 😍 @Lor_Insigne pic.twitter.com/dYDs8hAhRq
— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) March 3, 2024
Age is truly just a number
Speaking of experience, Josef Martinez rolled back the years and reminded FC Dallas that he remains an elite finisher in front of goal, and issued a clear signal of intent to his new fans at CF Montreal that he is nowhere near the finished product that some suspected he may be at Inter Miami last season.
Now, maybe Miami supporters needed to justify the idea of letting Martinez walk in order to bring Luis Suarez into the fold, but in any case, it seems everyone wins here, as Martinez works his way back to full fitness, Montreal have a new No. 9 with high scoring potential, and Miami?
Let's just say 37-year-old Suarez is far from the washed-up, legless striker the rest of the league was secretly hoping he'd be. MLS is a weird league in that respect; the adage that form is temporary, class is permanent very much applies.
It's why I was a little confused why some factions out of Montreal weren't too thrilled about picking up Martinez; when news first broke, I expected significantly more hype and excitement around his signing. Instead, celebrations were slightly muted. A handful of comments of "too old," or "fraud" or "washed up" left me a little confused too, especially considering just how damn good Montreal is at drawing out the best from their strikers in the latter stages of their careers.
The idea that Josef Martinez, at 30, is too old to start for #CFMTL when this is who started up top in the club's #MLS history is definitely... interesting ✨
— Armen Bedakian (@ArmenBedakian) March 3, 2024
2012 - Marco Di Vaio (36)
2013 - Marco Di Vaio (37)
2014 - Marco Di Vaio (38)
2015 - Didier Drogba (37)
2016 - Didier…
It's true that Montreal has plenty of younger options, with Sunusi Ibrahim, Kwadwo Opoku, Mason Toye and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint – great goal, by the way, and also... was every single Canadian striker told to score this week or something?
And Matias Coccaro promises to be another important piece up top as well.
But if Montreal can do for Josef Martinez what they did for Marco Di Vaio and Didier Drogba and Dominic Oduro and Kei Kamara and Romell Quioto (all while keeping him healthy and fit, of course)? That's your starting striker.
Hey LAFC? A quick suggestion
Los Angeles FC used to love Canadians: Max Crepeau, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Raheem Edwards, Dejan Jakovic, Doneil Henry, all have worn the black-and-gold. But these days? LAFC has zero Canadians on their roster. Which is probably why* a trip to Salt Lake City ended so poorly.
Andres Gomez has a brace in the snow. 🥶
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 2, 2024
📺 #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/a509f963d2 pic.twitter.com/XZ2Uoc9IMN
Am I saying that LAFC would have won if they had more Canadians on their squad? Not necessarily.
But, I mean... I'm also pretty certain every Canadian has played a handful of these games before while coming up, too. And, as we discussed earlier? Experience matters!
* but not actually
