Tom Lawton
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startwitheasy.bsky.social
Tom Lawton
@startwitheasy.bsky.social
100 followers 180 following 430 posts
Soccer, video/board games, structural engineer. Come On You Loons!
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startwitheasy.bsky.social
This is the biggest lesson I hope Khaled El-Ahmad learns this season.

MLS is a selling league, and we need to have a back up plan so we don't have to take a big step back when a sale inevitably happens.
And that’s on Khaled El-Ahmad. Overall, I think he’s done a fantastic job: Romero, Pereyra, and Nectar are great signings and the rest have been decent (except perhaps Yeboah, but I don’t think he’s been a bomb). But as much as I can say, “what can you do?” about Tani leaving the club, there is an actual answer to that question: *highlighted* you can prepare for your best player to be poached. *highlighted*
November 12, 2025 at 11:32 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Great tifo tonight, and a good win from #MNUFC! Let's do it again in Seattle!
The Wonder Wall with a tifo of a loon with "YOU BETCHA" written in red below it.
October 28, 2025 at 4:25 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Here's my conferences:

West is short a team. Not sure I should split up Nashville and ATL.
Map of the US with all 30 MLS team logos. Red lines are drawn over the top to divide the teams into 3 conferences.
October 26, 2025 at 10:27 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Reminds me of one of my favorite bits from run of play (@brianphillips.bsky.social) comparing basketball to soccer:
One takes something so difficult that a practiced adult can’t do it reliably and makes it so easy that we see it done dozens of times, acrobatically, in a game. The other takes something so simple that my two-year-old niece can do it and makes it so hard that seeing it done once in a match is a cause for wild celebration.
October 22, 2025 at 1:28 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
This is an interesting article about the extreme application of a trend across an entire league.

Also contains a good description of a way I enjoy thinking about soccer:
This, too, seems obvious. Every open play goal is a small miracle -- each one requires so much technical and physical and mental precision from the team in possession. They're not running a play; they're creating a solution on the fly, and they have to do it without using their hands. The defense doesn't know what the attackers are doing, but the attackers also don't know what the other attackers are doing.
October 22, 2025 at 1:24 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
You could see all this in the 2nd half against the Rapids. #MNUFC go to 4 in the back and immediately look more dangerous and take control of the game. But after KDP and Yapi sub on for the Rapids, the weaknesses of the formation start to show. Especially KDP attacking Diaz at RB.
g+ GameFlow chart from ASA, showing MNUFC taking control of the game in the first 30 minutes after half time.
September 30, 2025 at 3:30 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Glad #MNUFC have an easy schedule heading to the playoffs. Although the Loons earlier results against the Galaxy and SKC left a lot to be desired. Hopefully they can break out their funk.
12. Minnesota United: Sure looks like the air went out of them with that US Open Cup semis loss. The good news: their final two games are home vs. Sporting KC and at the Galaxy. Couldn’t ask for a much softer landing. Scores from the Loons games against Galaxy and SKC from earlier this season. Both scores are tied.
September 30, 2025 at 3:04 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
And this is a great quote about Boxall. I'm not surprised he's always trying to bend the rules.
“He’s always about it, always leading, always giving some energy — and always trying to figure out the game as well,” he said. “Like if there’s a way he can cheat the game — he’s always one that loves it.”
September 27, 2025 at 1:15 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Fun article from Jon! I always assume field players may not be great at throwing a ball. #MNUFC
It can be confirmed that some of the Loons, wizards with the ball at their feet, are, let’s say, less accurate when attempting to wing a dodgeball at their opponents. “It’s a steep learning curve with that,” Bell said.
September 27, 2025 at 1:12 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Disappointed #MNUFC lost tonight, but it was a beautiful night for soccer. And the @mnwonderwall.bsky.social was in great form all night!
Photo of the Wonder Wall at Allianz field just before kickoff.
September 18, 2025 at 4:49 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Most importantly, he is the Aussie Rodri!!! #MNUFC
YouTube thumbnail titled "Nectar Triantis The Aussie Rodri Europe Needs to ..."
August 22, 2025 at 9:10 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
This is a very cool technology, and it's good to see it being noticed and invested in, but I'm worried Sublime is shooting themselves in the foot, because Microsoft gets all the carbon benefits. (1/x)
If deals like the one the company signed with Sublime proliferate, the clean cement industry will need to prove that the certificates it is offering are verifiable and avoid carbon emissions that manufacturers would have generated otherwise, according to a 2024 report on structuring demand for lower-carbon materials co-published by RMI and Microsoft. *highlighted* That includes ensuring that the products’ environmental benefits aren’t double-counted, or claimed by multiple entities as a reduction on their emissions ledger. *highlighted* For this deal with Microsoft, *highlighted* other customers who buy Sublime’s cement won’t be able to lay claim to its environmental benefits *highlighted*, Ellis said.
May 23, 2025 at 1:14 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Not gonna lie, @joeclowery.bsky.social had me in the first half.

Why's he got to do them ravioli boys like that?
Winner: St. Louis City …because no one is laughing at them.
May 19, 2025 at 4:15 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Me too Matt ... me too.

#MNUFC
Ranked 9th: Minnesota United: Long-balls, long throws, counterattacks… it’s fine. They needed this win. But I’m still eager to see them add some variety.
May 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Great coverage from Jon and I expect Gressel to be a great signing for #MNUFC. But I don't want to remember this game any more.
And it’s not like he hasn’t experienced Minnesota’s weather before. Gressel’s first MLS assist came in one of the most infamous losses in Loons history — Atlanta’s 6-1 snow-bowl drubbing of Minnesota in the Loons’ first home game in MLS.
April 29, 2025 at 9:58 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
I've been thinking about posting this exact thought about Pereyra. I'm now a big fan.

#MNUFC
I’d been critical of the Argentine midfielder since he arrived from his native top flight last summer, but Pereyra has been excellent over the last month. Between set piece service and open play distribution from his left-sided No. 8 spot, the 26-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile among his positional peers in non-penalty xG + xAG per 90 minutes.
April 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Had a real remember that guy moment reading @andygreder.bsky.social's #MNUFC vs NYCFC preview.
www.twincities.com/2025/04/04/m...
Recent matchups: The Loons haven’t played the Pigeons since 2023, a 2-0 Minnesota win at Citi Field. Former players Jan Gregus and Mender Garcia (name highlighted) scored for United.
April 5, 2025 at 5:31 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
I've just assumed it's bad chemistry, that would get better (have either played in a two striker system before?). But it would be interesting to see Ramsay questioned about it.

#MNUFC
I think it’s interesting that the Loons are playing with two strikers, but rarely do the strikers interact. Rarely, for example, do you see a ball put forward to Tani and then he releases Yeboah (and vice versa). Instead, each tends to operate in his own vertical silo. It happens so much that we have to assume it’s intentional. That each striker has their own set of geometrical partners: Yeboah with Rosales/Pereyra and Tani with Bongi/Lod.
March 31, 2025 at 1:31 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
This is well described by Wes, and the overlapping CB is one of my favorite #MNUFC tactical wrinkles.
In the build up to the first goal I really like that Bongi bounces the ball off Tani back to Trapp who then plays wide to Diaz. This buys Bongi and Tani time to get 3 attackers in the box.
I’ve pointed it out with Harvey before, but this is one of the hallmarks of Ramsay’s tactics: the right CB will make a marauding run and either allow Bongi to overload the center with a run or they’ll be the late run into the box themselves. It’s really worth watching the game and training your eye on that Diaz/Harvey role for a little while to see what and how they’re doing.
March 31, 2025 at 1:25 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Matt points out a big concern of mine here. #MNUFC is capable of playing nicer soccer (they showed it the last 30 minutes after Shashoua came on), and we will need to start showing more of it. Otherwise, that high variance style might keep biting them, especially against better teams.
They’re becoming a frustrating team to watch because I think they’re capable of playing very good soccer, but too often default into a deep shell. And I think that’ll become less effective – and more prone to variance-related goals – as teams get sharper on the ball (which starts to happen every year around this time).
March 24, 2025 at 6:34 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
I think this is an interesting rhetorical way to describe what possession can mean. The difference between control and affect provides some nice nuance.
"[Possession] is important,” Sorensen said over the offseason. “When you have the ball, you can control the game. When you don’t have the ball, you can affect the game, but you cannot control what’s going to happen…if we want to be a team that should end up in the top, we have to play as a team that also is the top team. We have to be in more control of the game than our opponents.”
March 18, 2025 at 1:31 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Nice summary by Jon on last night's #MNUFC game. This quote has me wondering what it means for the players on the field to absorb the subs.
"There is not one part of me that puts that entirely on the players, nor individually on the players that came on,” Ramsay said. “It was a combination of my decision-making, our decision-making, the way in which the players on the pitch absorbed the subs, and of course the way in which they performed as they came on. We as a collective have to look at ourselves in a really harsh way there, because there’s almost an inexplicable drop-off.”
March 17, 2025 at 1:30 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Seems like good news for #MNUFC. I have no idea what the plan is, but I'm looking for the Pereyra buy down and a new DP (maybe a 6?) this summer.
Minnesota United Available GAM: $3,897,595 Minnesota United are just trending in the positive direction once again. The way they’ve managed their cap situation has been excellent and they’ve built out a solid team. Kelvin Yeboah seems like a hit and the rest of the team has had solid outings so far, to finish 2024 and to start 2025. Joaquin Pereyra is eligible to be bought down from his DP spot, and with all their GAM, they can potentially bring in players that can elevate them come the summer of 2025. Or, they can roll over this money and come in with a bigger war chest come 2026.
March 7, 2025 at 5:21 PM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
It's also nice to see a profile of Hoyeon's skills. Hadn't seen much before. But if he can do that kind of ball progression for the Loons he'll be a fantastic signing.
Hoyeon Jung, CM: Named the K League’s Young Player of the Year in 2023, Jung adds dynamism to Minnesota United’s midfield group. The 24-year-old is right footed, can carry the ball through midfield, is comfortable evading the first pressing defender, and debuted for South Korea last March in a World Cup qualifier.
February 21, 2025 at 2:42 AM
startwitheasy.bsky.social
Had a great time at the #MNUFC game last night. Pulled off another great shootout win.
The field at Allianz immediately before kickoff. #MNUFC vs RSL The Wonderwall after the #MNUFC vs RSL playoff game at Allianz. Dayne St. Claire is on the jumbotron and signs say "Loons Win".
November 3, 2024 at 1:49 PM