29Jul/100
Landon Donovan Could Leave This Summer
It is arguably the biggest transfer that has not happened besides Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona. The move I speak of is Landon Donovan to Europe. Having been the best player in MLS the past several seasons, and after some incredible performances recently with the United States national team, Donovan has attracted clubs from all over the world. In 2009, it was Bayern Munich, where he spent 10 weeks on loan, but failed to break into Germany's greatest squad. This year changed everything. Donovan had always been doubted when it came to playing outside of MLS, having had miserable spells at Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. This year, he gained the attention of David Moyes and Everton of the English Premier League. Ten appearances produced two goals, three assists, and wins over Manchester United and Premier League winners Chelsea, as well as a draw with Arsenal. He also played very well in a loss in the Merseyside Derby against Liverpool. Not many players can say they were able to lead their club to seven of a possible 12 points against the Big Four, especially with all those games during a span of less than ten games. Donovan can. He was a star at Goodison Park, as ...29Jul/100
MLS Right To Reject Bids for Landon Donovan Even if It’s Wrong for the Player
In the weeks after MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced that Landon Donovan was not for sale at any price, he's stuck to his guns. Donovan remains, the right choice for the MLS. There's been an uproar of protest from fans, as Donovan's prime melts away with each passing day. It's difficult to argue against the Donovan supporters. Few big fish reach their potential in a small pond. All one has to do is watch Donovan play an MLS game to realize he's well beyond most of his teammates and opponents. European competition would challenge him much more. Still, some further explanation on Garber's part could have softened the sting of Donovan's squandered talents. Instead all he has said is, "MLS needs soccer heroes, and we have a great American soccer hero playing for us in LA, holding the torch for our sport in this country, and that's very important. I don't believe that's something we can do without." But there is a method to his madness. Garber is too media savvy to make his reasoning plain though. The U.S. doesn't need Donovan in LA. American fans will watch Donovan here, overseas, or with the national team. It's the MLS that needs Donovan. Thierry Henry, ...29Jul/100
EPL Defenders Be Fearful, Manchester United’s ‘Chicharito’ Is Here
The first Mexican to wear the red and white colours of Manchester United and only 22, Javier Hernandez joins one of the great clubs of European football with so much expectation and promise. For many who don't follow Mexican domestic football like myself, the first time we heard his name was when United revealed him as their latest signing. Then came the World Cup, where he performed quite honourably when called upon, and now he joins his new boss and teammates in the US. Hernandez has already got the eye of many, he has brought some ease and satisfaction to the hearts of many faithful fans who gear up for another long season in the Premiership. While local rivals Manchester City splash millions on quality players, United, who are financially burdened, reveal the depth in their squad by unearthing some of the most promising youngsters. Hernandez, who made the move for only £ 6 Million, which could be defined as change in today's world of multi-million pound transfers. A lucky catch many might say, as Ferguson and his men secured the deal prior to the World Cup. United faced the MLS All-Stars in a capacity crowd stadium, and won the match with a convincing score ...28Jul/100
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire: Anybody Up for a Rebound?
Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy have to be hurting from their embarrassing 4-1 loss to the Puerto Rico Islanders. The good news for the team is that they won't have to deal with that sham of a match known as the MLS All-Star Game (which I am putting my money on Manchester United to run away with) for the rest of the season. It's back to league play as they take on Carlos De Los Cobos's Chicago Fire at the Home Depot Center, where they have been struggling to get results the past few games. The Galaxy have not registered a win at the HDC since July 4, and will look to shake off what can be described as a nightmare of a contest that registered more like the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Borrinqueñapocalypse (a.k.a. Dan Gaudette, David Foley, Nicolas Addlery and Josh Hansen). Los Angeles has a record of 12-2-4 (40 points), good for the best record in Major League Soccer and the MLS Western Conference. But the Galaxy have had a nagging habit for squandering home field advantage as of late, and face a Fire like looking for a spark. Chicago are ...28Jul/100
Have the Los Angeles Galaxy’s Wheels Fallen Off?
Home cooking be damned! Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy must not be taking the CONCACAF Champions League as seriously as they should be. They say that they are, but I seriously doubt that they are being honest with themselves. It is a disgrace that they have no wishes to be the best team in the confederation, and it's a shame. Tuesday night's 4-1 loss to the Puerto Rico Islanders—a team that only qualified through a minor sub-confederation tournament and is not even in contention for the playoffs in their own league—epitomized this depressing fact: they are taking the CONCACAF Champions League lightly. The biggest loser among the G's has to be the most unlikeliest of units: the back line. They picked the wrong time to play their worst football of the year (although it's not completely their fault, see INS and OUTS for a better explanation). You can't let unknowns like David Foley and Nicholas Addlery get open on the front and not get any help; it's criminal and it will make you look like a fool 100 percent of the time. In fact, this back line played like a bunch of amateur, over-the-hill deadbeats ...28Jul/100
New World v. Old World: The MLS All-Star Game’s Significance
Think back to when you were 15 years old. You had already lived a good chunk of life and were somewhat established as a person. Yet, you also had not finished your development and probably not known where you were going to end up. Tonight is the 15th All-Star Game in MLS history. And from it, we can learn a lot about where the MLS came from, what it is, and maybe a little about where it is going. The premier American soccer league is strikingly cosmopolitan. Twelve of the 25 members of the All-Star team are from outside the United States. Still, the structure of the league is very American. The All-Star game is an American invention. The success of the All-Star team against Premier League competition is a testament to the quality of the league. And players such Jaime Moreno as well as buildings such as the future Houston Dynamo stadium reveal the stability of Major League Soccer.Begin Slideshow28Jul/100
LA Galaxy vs. Puerto Rico: A Play-By-Play (and Other Miscellany)
T-180 minutes to kickoff: So now we begin what we hope to be the first part of a long run for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions League. This will be the very first time the Galaxy compete in this tournament under its current incarnation; the G's last took part in the CCL in 2006, when it was called the CONCACAF Champions Cup. T-170: Let me go ahead and give you a little background on how this was drawn up. The competition's former format, called the Champions' Cup, had eight teams competing - four from the North American zone (two from Mexico, two from the United States/Canada), three from the Central American zone, and one from the Caribbean zone. T-160: Since 2005, the champion of the competition also gained entry into the FIFA Club World Cup, giving clubs an added incentive for a strong participation and greater interest from fans. Also the Champions' Cup Runner-up would be one of the three CONCACAF invitees to the Copa Sudamericana. T-150: The CONCACAF Executive Committee at their 2006 November meeting decided to "act upon" a proposal at their next meeting by the CONCACAF Secretariat to develop the ...28Jul/100
Keller, Montero, Ljungberg Named To MLS All-Star Team
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller, midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and forward Fredy Montero of Sounders FC have been named three of seven inactive MLS All-Stars, MLS announced Tuesday. All three aforementioned Sounder choices played in last year's annual All-Star game. This season they will be inactive and not play in the Wednesday, July 28 All-Star classic due to Seattle's CONCACAF Champions League play-in with Metapán that same evening on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. First kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT. All three reflect different aspects of the Seattle playing experience. Keller at 40 remains one of the stellar performers of the game at goalkeeper. His value extends beyond the statistics column in determining his overall value as captain of the team who supplies a spark with his presence as he continues making great saves. Swedish star Ljungberg is in his glory in the midfield area leading charges goal ward and shooting passes to strikers. Colombian Montero continues to impress not only with his scoring punch, enhanced by his superb kicking prowess, but with his constantly developing talent as an alert feeder who has generated assists. Montero has a knack for knowing when to pass when opponents, fearing his scoring practice, have over-committed in an ...27Jul/100
Sounders Prepare For Foreign and Domestic Matches
International competition commences for the resurgent Seattle Sounders FC this week, with an important MLS match sandwiched in between the two legs of the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round series. Unbeaten in its last four matches in all competitions, Sounders FC hosts El Salvador's AD Isidro Metapán on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PT. That interesting international test will be promptly followed on Saturday night by an important MLS test. Seattle moves back into league play, visiting the San Jose Earthquakes at 7 p.m. PT. The outcome of the Champions League series will be decided in San Salvador on August 3 at 7 p.m. PT. Both games against Metapán will be nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel. The Sounders with a 6-8-4 league mark and 22 points, continue to close ground on the eighth and final MLS Cup Playoffs position last week, beating Colorado, 2-1. Seattle has won two in a row and has not lost in its last three league starts dating back to July 11. The four-game unbeaten run in all competitions commenced with a 2-0 win over the L.A. Galaxy in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal on July 7. Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid following Tuesday’s practice focused on Metapan and the challenge of international ...27Jul/100