11May/130
Lack of Midfield Stars a Problem for the MLS and Chicago Fire
It's evident that Major League Soccer is missing something.As the Chicago Fire take on the Philadelphia Union in a league matchup, with both teams fighting for their playoff lives, the missing ingredient in the MLS is becoming slowly evident.The oldest argument in the book about the MLS is that the players are lower quality, so the games lack the excitement of European leagues.What's lacking, however, is not excitement. It's a game that is controlled by the middle of the field. Certainly in today's matchup, it's impossible to ignore the gaping hole in the middle of the field. This is evident when you view a game from the press box, as opposed to watching it on TV.If you're into tactical observations, the press box is the place for you. A birds eye view is how soccer is meant to be viewed.The recent world football era of small, attacking midfielders (mostly in Spain) may appear to have "ended" with Barcelona and Real Madrid getting worked into submission by the taller, air-attack heavy Bayern Dortmund sides. Maybe, though, America is just a few years behind Europe when it comes to properly utilizing our midfielders. What the MLS is missing—and what every major European league has—is ...21Jul/120