2May/130
Ranking the 20 Best Players in MLS Right Now
There is no easy way to determine who the best 20 players are in Major League Soccer right now. The gravity of the task, though, should not stop the pursuit. Therefore, the following list looks at 20 outfield players currently plying their trade in MLS and ranks them from 20 down to the best player in the league. It does not include goalkeepers. No quantitative method employed here, just hours upon hours of watching, studying and analyzing the league led to this ranking.There are lots of strikers and midfielders in the mix. A few backs, although not as many as the other positions. The outside fullback spot might well be the weakest of all in Major League Soccer.Enjoy! As always, thoughtful commentary is always helpful in ironing out the finer points of this debate. Begin Slideshow24Apr/130
Breaking Down the Red Bulls Victory over the Revolution Using the Chalkboard
In their most recent MLS match, the New York Red Bulls dominated the New England Revolution 4-1. A brief look at two statistics and this would appear to be a more even game than the score suggests. In terms of possession and duels, these teams were similar. They each won 49 individual battles and held the ball nearly 50 percent of the time. These metrics are misleading, though, as New York was the clearly superior side.Advanced study is required to determine why New York was able to win so soundly. So rather than using pure numbers, this analysis examines the MLS Opta Chalkboard from the match. The Opta Chalkboard displays nearly every touch of every game and reports exactly where it happened on the pitch. A deeper look into the Opta Chalkboard in this match explains three key tactical elements in New York’s victory. All Chalkboard data gather directed from MLSSoccer.com and powered by Opta. Dax McCarty and Winning the Midfield Since arriving via trade from D.C. United, many believe Dax McCarty to be New York’s best and most consistent player over the past two seasons. Marred slightly so far this campaign in trying to figuring out spacing with Juninho, ...22Apr/130
MLS Weekend Wrap: Goals, Recaps and Stats
Week 8 of Major League Soccer was book-ended by two 1-1 draws in which a late goal earned a point for the San Jose Earthquakes and the Houston Dynamo. None of the other matches ended in a draw. The New York Red Bulls scored the most goals and had the largest margin of victory of any team in Week 8 with their 4-1 drubbing of the New England Revolution.Landon Donovan, the legend, opened his 2013 scoring and assisting accounts by setting up the game-winner for LA in the first half and finishing with an insurance goal late in the match. Welcome back, Donovan.FC Dallas continued to roll with another victory over a Western Conference opponent.Obafemi Martins scored his first Major League Soccer goal and helped the Sounders collect three points for the first time during the 2013 MLS campaign. Philadelphia's Jack McInerney netted two in a Union road victory against D.C. United. That makes it six on the season for the young American. He now leads MLS.There was plenty of drama to speak of. All that and more in this weeks' edition of the MLS Weekend Wrap. Begin Slideshow14Apr/130
MLS Weekend Wrap: Goals, Recaps and Stats
There were 14 goals in nine total games in Major League Soccer in Week 7 of MLS action. The biggest margin of victory came in the form of a 2-0 New York Red Bull victory over DC United. Exactly one third of the 18 teams that competed failed to find the back of the net.Houston was the only other team along with New York to score more than one goal.FC Dallas, the Houston Dynamo and the Portland Timbers each collected three home points. Two away teams grabbed their first road victories of the season in New York and Colorado. Meanwhile, Robert Earnshaw for Toronto FC tied Mike Magee with five goals for the league's scoring lead.Rookie goalkeeper Clint Irwin collected his second straight clean sheet for the Colorado Rapids. He faced another penalty in the effort as well. Landon Donovan played his first full match of the season Major League Soccer season and was persistent throughout.The Timbers continued their winning ways, grabbing their second straight three points against the 2013 debut of Alan Gordon and Steven Lenhart for the San Jose Earthquakes.All that and more on this week's version of the Major League Soccer Saturday wrap. All data is gather from ...8Apr/130
Why Juan Agudelo Will Become a Star for the USA at World Cup 2014
Chivas USA midfielder, Juan Agudelo, is the youngest ever player to score a goal for the U.S. national team. The Colombian-American arrived on the international stage during a friendly against South Africa in which his late goal was the game-winner. He has been a topic of great interest among U.S. soccer fans and media ever since. A product of the New York Red Bulls academy system, Agudelo has experienced many of the highs and lows that come with being a young prospect considered to have a special sort of potential.Under Hans Backe, former manager of the Red Bulls', Agudelo struggled to find a solidified starting spot in the team's first 11. When he did get minutes, his play was inconsistent.There were occasions when he dazzled. Like opening New York's 2011 scoring account against the Seattle Sounders. Or netting this ridiculous effort against D.C. United. It is awe-inspiring moments like these that get U.S. fans so excited about the player he might some day become. Like Freddy Adu, Eddie Johnson and Jozy Altidore before him, Agudelo faces unwarranted pressure to become the sort of dynamic, world-class striker the country has never produced but are so desperate to have. High expectations, coincided with injuries and scant ...7Apr/130
MLS Weekend Wrap: Goals, Recaps and Interesting Stats
There were seven total games played in Week 6 of Major League Soccer this weekend.Of the seven three ended in shared spoils while three teams gained a win for the first time this season. There were 16 total goals scored by 14 different players for an average of over two goals per game. Ryan Johnson and Maicon Santos led the weekend in goals with two each. Johnson's brace was enough to help the Portland Timbers earn their first three points of the season over a physical Houston Dynamo side. Chicago, too, got their first victory of the year.One of the better back-to-goal strikers in the league, the forever controversial Steven Lenhart, took the pitch for the first time this season in San Jose's 1-1 draw at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Vancouver utilized a lineup switch in which stars Kenny Miller and Darren Mattocks were not in the starting 11.The Colorado Rapids also got their first win of the season against rivals Real Salt Lake in the second edition of this campaign's Rocky Mountain Cup. They are now in the drivers seat to win the regional competition with just one match left between the two clubs. Here are more details about each of the games ...1Apr/130
MLS Best and Worst of the Weekend
This was a Saturday in Major League Soccer to be remembered because Landon Donovan, the best player in league history, returned to the Los Angeles Galaxy.A lot more went on during the eight games that took place on Saturday. Chivas USA continued to prove that it is indeed for real this season. Thierry Henry notched his first goal of the season and subsequently ensured the New York Red Bulls’ first win. Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee scored his league-leading fifth goal. The Montreal Impact dropped their first points of this campaign at the hands of Sporting Kansas City. Once again, there is a lot to discuss: Nothing more important, though, than the return of the legend, Landon Donovan. The Best Landon Donovan is Back There are multiple reasons to be happy about Donovan’s comeback to soccer. Be it from the perspective of having quality players plying their trade in MLS, the prospect of Donovan joining the US men’s national team in June, or simply the fact that the best player in the history of America is playing. All are worthwhile. All of these reasons and more came to mind during Donovan’s 30 minutes on Saturday. Most notably might ...31Mar/130
MLS Saturday Wrap: Goals, Recaps and Interesting Stats
There were 22 goals in eight total games in MLS this weekend. Two of them ended in 2-2 draws: the Los Angeles Galaxy against Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids against the Portland, which were also the highest scoring affairs of the weekend. FC Dallas was the only road team to gather all three points in their 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution. Mike Magee tallied once again for the Galaxy and continues to lead the league with five goals. Toronto FC striker Robert Earnshaw also scored in the match for his fourth of the season. He is one behind Magee in the race for the Golden Boot. The Montreal Impact dropped their first points of the season on the road against Sporting Kansas City. It continues to be a week to remember for Graham Zusi, who scored his club's second goal after returning from international duty with the U.S. national team. Thierry Henry got his first goal of the season. Coincidentally, or perhaps not so much, New York also picked up its first win of the season. His 21 shots lead MLS. The New England Revolution remained stuck on just one goal this season. Chivas USA posted another win ...25Mar/130
MLS 2013: 10 Things We’ve Learned so Far
Four weeks into MLS 2013 and there is a lot to learn.To date, the league boasts 74 goals scored on 789 total shots. Just around a goal every 10 shots. 282 of the 789 shots have been on target. There have been 885 fouls conceded. That adds up to about 14 fouls conceded per team per match.307 corner kicks so far in MLS 2013. In the race for the Supporters' Shield, the Montreal Impact look the side to beat right now. They have won all four of their games for 12 points. No other team has won four games. The Chicago Fire has scored just one goal. Same goes for the New England Revolution. Hendry Thomas of the Colorado Rapids and Bobby Burling of Chivas USA are tied for the lead in most yellow cards so far with three each.The team with the most points, Montreal, leads the league in being caught offside. The team in last place for the Supporters' Shield, Chicago, is second.The former having being caught 20 times and the latter 17.Here are 10 more things we've learned so far about the MLS 2013. All statistics recovered from MLS Soccer, powered by Opta. Begin Slideshow24Mar/130