David Beckham came into the league over two years ago to much pomp and circumstance; he was awarded the highest salary ever given to a player in the MLS and was given the captain's armband without playing a single match with the team.
Two years later, however, Beckham has given little back to the American soccer community and has polarized some fans into believing that soccer is nothing more than a fringe sport that tarnishes the good names of athletes in North America. Beckham's seemingly detached attitude towards the Galaxy started in his first year, where he was injured for a majority of his inaugural season but continued to sellout stadiums because of his star power. Regardless if he made the trips or not, the Galaxy fought valiently their first year with Beckham. However, the reason many went to the games was to see the star of Europe, and not what the best of America has to offer.
Beckham blew onto the world soccer scene back in 1994 when he made his first contribution to Manchester United during Champions League play. Since that point up to the time he moved from the team, he was an everyday player, scoring 62 goals in 265 appearances and winning six Premiership titles and one Champions League title. With Real Madrid his pacing slowed and now has become a more methodical player, especially in his role now with L.A.
Here's a look at his glory days:
Since being with the Galaxy, fans of the MLS have learned to both love and hate Beckham. He has created the idea that many stars could end up in the United States in the future, but he also implies that these stars will be in the twilight of their careers. David has made soccer a talked about sport in America, but he also brought bad publicity when he went out on a loan in the middle of his contract. Beckham is truly an interesting subject, full of a rich soccer history in Europe, and an overall negative influence in the U.S.
Why he deserves a case study:
Beginning in match number one, David Beckham has failed to be what many had believed he could have been in the MLS. Instead of being the offensive spark for the Galaxy, he serves an outside role, playing balls into the middle, providing a foot to free kicks and being the subject of fans ire across the league. In the past three seasons, Beckham has played in just 35 matches and scored 5 goals. But he has assisted on 13, which proves that he still has the touch on the ball that MLS clubs are looking for. But is it worth the yearly salary of $5.5 million (not including bonuses)?
Beckham is not one to slidetackle to get a ball that is in the midfield, nor is he going to stick out his neck to help on defense. He is merely a player that uses his gifted abilities in free kick situations and provides little else in terms of helping out new guys or allowing them to learn a few tricks. He is the Cuauhtemeco Blanco of L.A.
As fans of the MLS can attest, a player has to be willing to sacrifice their body, be willing to try hard everyday to better yourself and others around you, and play a physical brand of soccer that can win the hearts of the fans. Finesse is not a word you hear often in American soccer, and so you should not expect to win by the grace of your free kick, nor your perfectly weighted pass. It's all about working hard and being true to your team.
Since leaving Manchester, I think David has forgotten about loyalty, where the fans that need him most are, and that he can't mess with the fickle hearts of American sportsfans that need an icon. We have moved on, and we will await the second coming of a David Beckham. This one is just not good enough.
He is a great player. He's just not a great MLS player.
It's the SuperClassico for this week's game of the week. Both teams are excited for a match that matters at the Home Depot Center, and both should hold strong with their defensive strengths. The Galaxy and Chivas are tied with the least goals allowed in the league (23) and are 2nd (1.00) and 5th (1.10) respectively for goals against average.
L.A. Galaxy
The Gals have a lot to lose this week: a loss could mean surrendering the series and Chivas jumping into second in the conference. Last week L.A. played to a scoreless draw, where D.C. ran most of the game but came up empty on all their chances. This week the Galaxy will again be pressed to score against one of the leading defenses and leading goalkeepers in the league.
Another difficulty the Galaxy will face is playing at home. While others relish it, the Galaxy have suffered a 3-4-4 record at the HDC, and have not won at home since July 4th. On the other hand, Chivas USA has a 7-2-1 record and will have one of their largest fan contingencies ever pulling for the Goats to come up with a big win.
Of course David Beckham will play a large role in the match, but it should be mentioned that Landon Donovan, who has been away on national team duties and has played in only 18 games this year still amassed 10 goals, 2 in this month. Look for Donovan to add to his total and to keep the ball in the attacking third for much of the match.
Chivas USA
Chivas USA is coming off a tough road loss to Real Salt Lake, where they saw their goal pelted with 11 shots to their own 2. While the stats make Zach Thornton appear to be like swiss cheese, without his stellar defense in the first half of the game, the result could have been much different. He is probable to start the match, but look for more Lance Parker to make a start.
Jesus Padilla, who has now played two matches for Chivas, has not been the offensive catalyst they had been hoping for. Now, however, it seems that his offensive prowess might be hightened this week. With the probable exclusion of Paulo Nagamura, Padilla will most likely be thrust into a more offensive position, looking to increase the presence in the box and pushing to put a 'W' on the board.
The offense for Chivas could be rolling this week just because of their home field: while on the road the team suffers a -8 goal differential, but at the HDC they are +8. They can only hope they will match the star power of the Galaxy to make a run at Houston for the top spot in the West.
In 2009 the MLS overlords decided to get rid of the Reserve league, effectively reducing the amount of players seeing real game situations and the elimination of several roster spots. The idea that these players would never get a chance to impress right away at the highest professional level made many players seek positions on clubs at the USL-1 and 2 levels. While there is not direct affiliation with the groups, the truth is that the MLS constantly seeks new talent from these leagues, and they are already perceived to be the MLS's 'minor league.'
Major league baseball boasts hundreds of minor league affiliated clubs, ranging from small town A clubs to the medium-sized city AAA. Talent moves through the clubs and eventually makes its way to the big show, giving chances to players coming out of high school or college a chance to develop before plying their trade.The big qualm a lot of American fans of international soccer have with domestic soccer is the fact that there is no relegation; clubs cannot move up, move down and they are secure in their league no matter how crappy they do (ahem, New York). There are reasons why this will never work in the U.S.: owners have too much at stake to lose by basically become a minor league franchise, sponsors sign up thinking they are going to be represented with a high level of play, and fans believe that their teams should only play the best and not Miami FC. These reasons, although sound, are missing the point: Americans don't believe in relegation the way that other nations do.Think about it: America boasts top leagues in sports that do not allow teams to drop off the face of the earth and into obscurity by sending them to inferior leagues. If you shoved the Detroit Lions into semi-pro ball, do you think people would show up? Hell no. If the Sacramento Kings were sent to play D-League basketball, would the team show up? Hell no, they'd all be looking for work on other NBA squads or abroad where they can play at the highest level of their abilities.Americans don't care about being boosted up, because there is nothing to boost. Teams in the lower leagues across the U.S. are all owned BY THE TEAMS IN THE PREMIER LEAGUES! It's simple, and if you want to make a case for promotion in U.S. soccer, you sir, are ridiculous.But there is a reason why the MLB model can still be used in soccer in the U.S. and still have an impact on the way we play the beautiful game. Baseball utilizes the system that many in Europe use, namely lower level teams that play and compete as if they were players on the upper squad. These players are effectively the reserves that can replace reserves on the major club at any time. For example, in Germany many clubs have their reserves play in the Regionalliga or 3rd leagues, which is in the fourth and third tiers of the soccer pyramid. The biggest clubs in Germany use these teams as feeder clubs to increase the likelihood of fielding a more youthful and impressive league. For this upcoming year, for example, Werder Bremen, Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV and VfL Wolfsburg will have teams in the Regionalliga Nord (north) and Bayern Munich's second division team will play in the 3rd League.Of course, this is simply not feasible for the MLS: the league is too new, there are not enough investors, the league is obsolete to many, and the USL doesn't exactly get along with the MLS. But I do imagine a league in the next 20 or so years that looks to develop like this. The Chicago Fire and the Portland Timbers have teams in the Premier Development League, or the fourth tier on the American soccer pyramid (when not thought of as a relegation/promotion procession) and they are esentially their academies for future players. Besides the academies, these teams could provide reserves that would otherwise not play with the top club the opportunity to develop their talents.Give it time, and this idea could blossom.
Bob Bradley has chosen the 24 men that will meet El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago in the upcoming weeks for World Cup qualifying matches. It is a mix of the core team and some faces that turned heads during Gold Cup play. The roster in full is...
GOALKEEPERS (2):Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 12/7 SO)
DEFENDERS (8):Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 22/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 19/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford: 3/0), Clarence Goodson (IK Start: 1/0), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew: 2/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 17/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8):Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake: 0/0), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 11/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 6/0), Clint Dempsey (Fulham: 18/4), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 2/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 1/0), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 5/0)
FORWARDS (6):Jozy Altidore (Hull City: 9/5), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 16/6), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 3/2), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 31/11), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake: 0/0)
Notable MLS players:
Chad Marshall, who had a wonderful lead up to the Gold Cup finale will get another chance to compete with the USMNT and could possibly play in the later stages of both matches that are must wins for the U.S.
Who would have thought Stewart Holden would be the mover and shaker of this year's MLS rumored transfer market? Holden has his forward/midfield position locked down as a come off the bench player that is looking to make some noise with a squad of mostly regulars.
Robbie Findley will make his debut in World Cup qualifying if he is chosen to dress, but with an already stacked lineup it would be a miracle if he saw the field. Clearly a move to give him another look with the USMNT.
Others that will get their first qualifying looks will be Kyle Beckerman and Robbie Rogers. Same rules apply for them at midfield: if the team is up (and I mean UP) they might see the pitch.
Players that got snubbed:
Kenny Cooper: if Connor Casey is on the roster, why not include a taller, more intimidating player?
Brad Evans: performed well during the Gold Cup, could have gotten the call rather than Robbie Rogers.
Frankie Hejduk: recovered from an injury and still can't make the cut. Sheesh.
Heath Pearce: yes his career is on hold, but he is more than capable to hold off a couple floundering Central American teams.
Houston ties Arabe Unido 1-1
You win some, you lose some, and if you are the Houston Dynamo, you lose a lot of players. In a game full chock-full of fowls, Houston scraped a tie in the ever rowdy nation of Panama. To see just how ridiculous it was, check out the misconduct summary:
HOU -- Danny Cruz (caution) 4 DAU -- Omar Camargo (caution) 10 DAU -- David Daniels (ejection) 11 HOU -- Andrew Hainault (caution) 35 DAU -- Francisco Castañeda (caution) 42 HOU -- Corey Ashe (ejection) 55 DAU -- Andres Santamaria (caution) 62 DAU -- Omar Camargo (ejection; Second Caution) 67 DAU -- Manuel Mosquera (caution) 74 HOU -- Andrew Hainault (ejection; Second Caution) 81 HOU -- Bobby Boswell (caution) 82 HOU -- Stuart Holden (caution) 86 HOU -- Stuart Holden (ejection; Second Caution) 86
It looked like Houston was going to come away from Panama with a win, but with minutes left in stoppage time, a timely goal by Orlando Rodriguez left the Dynamo without a full three points and shutting off the light at the end of the tunnel. Literally. The game suffered a power outage in the last minutes of the match (they played the rest with half of the floodlights working) that could be seen as timely error by the Panamanians. Regardless, Houston wanted to come away for their first ever win away from the U.S., but will have to wait until they face Pachuca on September 16th.
D.C. United loses 3-1 to Toluca
At RFK, D.C. United lost their second match in the League, falling to Toluca early and often. In just the fifth minute Vladimir Marin made a mockery of the D.C. defense when a ball swung in on the ground made it's way to Marin's foot. The miscommunication between Wicks and Habarugira allowed the Colombian international to easily place the ball in the back of the net.
After an equlizer by Chris Pontius in the 47', Toluca took the lead in the 79' and sealed it in the 85' with both goals scored by Hector Mancilla. D.C. will have to wait a month before they host another match on their home grounds, but they will have a chance to right their wrongs against San Juan Jabloteh on September 15th.
Cruz Azul cruises past Crew 5-0
Continuing the play experienced by the other MLS clubs, the Crew ffell hard against Cruz Azul in Estadio Azul. After an early lapse in judgment led to the first goal for Cruz Azul, Marvin Nunez struck a beauty from range, sneaking it to the far post past William Hesmer. After Eric Brunner was sent off after two very childish tackles in a two-minute span, the defense buckled down for the time being.
After the first half, Chad Marshall had a game he would like to forget: he created an own-goal by deflecting a ball off his leg that was headed for the keeper, and did not properly clear a ball that was just seconds later deflected off his back and into the goal. That goal was the third for Jaime Lozano, who converted a questionable penalty just minutes before. The Crew will look to right the ship September 16th in Mexico against Saprissa.
Tonight the MLS takes on a couple Mexican sides as well a Panamanian. Let's take a closer look at tonight's action:
8pm: Toluca v. D.C. United
D.C. United seeks to avenge their loss last week against Marathon while Toluca looks to continue their campaign with another win away from home. Last week Toluca beat San Juan Jabloteh 1-0, and D.C. United lost 3-0 to Marathon in a one-sided match. In a game of uncertainties, one thing is certain: coach Tommy Scoen will not start Greg Janicki.
8pm: Houston Dynamo v. Arabe Unido
Both Arabe and Houston came away from their first 2009 CONCACAF League match with a win last week. Arabe made fools of Pachuca with a 4-1 win at the Estadio Armando Dely Valdes and will play host to the Dynamo who come off a 1-0 win against Metapan. Houston comes off a tie against Seattle on Sunday, and will face Colorado on this upcoming Sunday. It should be an interesting lineup for Houston that will need all their starters against a rising Rapid club.
10pm: Columbus Crew v. Cruz Azul
In the group of death, both Cruz Azul and Columbus came out winners, 2-0 against Saprissa and the Puerto Rico Islanders respectively. Columbus is coming off a well-rested week, as they had off from their league play, and Cruz Azul lost to Club America in league play. The runner-up in last years tournament, Cruz Azul will put their challenging schedule aside and seek to keep Estadio Azul a fortress to away sides. Both teams will seek to claim first place in Group C before the playoffs continue in two weeks.
Aston Villa, who sorely needed to get the taste of defeat out of their mouth from their EPL opener against Wigan, scored three at Anfield to collect their first win of the season. While Liverpool has already lost two of their first three, the defeat of the Reds comes as a surprise to the EPL community, as Liverpool did not lose once last year at home.For Friedel, the victory was more than just a road win. This win provides room to grow for a team that has aspirations of breaking up the Big Four, and win on the road they must if they wish to play in the Champion's League next year.
The Lakewood, Ohio native is now in his second year with Villa, and in his thirteenth season in the EPL. Friedel also holds the record for consecutive games played in the league, and is quickly approaching number 200.
This year, the MLS has struggled to maintain sales at the door during tough economic times. As a fringe sport that may or may not be the sixth most popular in the United States, the average attendance of 15,584* is respectable. But as fanboys of the MLS can attest, it's not good enough for those clubs that are trying to make a living in the caverns of the Meadowlands or Gillette Stadium. While New York is banking on the new stadium to draw in fans to increase their worst draw in years, other clubs are struggling to keep the idea of a new stadium in their future plans.
The clubs in the MLS that draw the least (besides the previously mentioned RedBulls) are San Jose, Kansas City and FC Dallas. While San Jose and Kansas City are playing in what they consider to be temporary homes, Pizza Hut Park sits mostly empty, averaging only 9,347*. With a stadium that holds 20,500 people, sitting without half of the stands full can make it difficult to continue to go to games, regardless of the product on the field.
Even the MLS champs have a problem drawing: the average of 13,659* ranks 10th in the league and Columbus has had great opportunities to market and to advertize their product as the best in the league. Their season this year has also been a memorable one, and yet they still struggle in a sports-crazed city.
While others can't seem to figure it out, the MLS's newest franchises have had easy success finding people to sell their team. Toronto and Seattle have people begging to give them a ticket, and could probably expand their stadiums in ten years times towards increased demand (or in Seattle's case just take a couple tarps off the upperdeck).
But what are we to make of this situation? The idea of selling out stadiums in the MLS is the obvious ideal, but no sport in America seems to do it, and even looking at the most profitable soccer leagues in the world, it is impossible. In their season debuts, Wigan Athletic has averaged 17,412* in an over 25,000 capacity stadium, which included a match hosting Manchester United, a natural attendance drawer. Aston Villa, which took huge steps last year to becoming a contender in the league, pulled in only 35,578* in a 42,640 stadium. Even Burnley F.C., newly promoted and excited in the season are still drawing a couple thousand under capacity.
Ok, the numbers are better than the MLS, and it doesn't prove that the EPL is a struggling league. What it does prove, however, is that the players on the field are clearly not in the upper-echelon and do not 'wow' the crowd into coming to games.
When you think about population sizes, the U.S. should be outdrawing English leagues in our NFL sized stadium without blinking, but the realistic situation involves the MLS being a sub-standard league when compared to the EPL or Seria A and therefore unable to put a product that warants those numbers. The league, although based on parity, is much more likely to draw according to their abilities, and when the league hits its stride in say 10 or 15 years, the numbers will increase. Also, we can expect a boost in attendance as the league enters it's 2010 campaign, as World Cup fever will hopefully be primed by the additional TV offerings on cable networks.
Until the MLS can put something on the field that warrants the numbers created by the Bundesliga or the Eredivisie, we will put up with goofy give-aways and advertisements in the most obscure places. Besides, it's better than no soccer at all.
*=ESPN figures as of August 22nd, 2009
Every once in a while I would like to do what I call a case study: I will take a player that has profound success in the MLS and look how his style of play affects the way the United States plays soccer, and how the U.S. is perceived in the soccer world.
Our first case study is Clint Dempsey.
As an attacking midfielder for Fulham of the Premiership, Dempsey has had much success that has led him to be a regular on the U.S. National team and a star at this year's Confederations Cup. While his style of play no doubt has improved by his new experiences, his humble start in the MLS led him to improve his play with the New England Revolution.
As a college player, Dempsey played for Furman University, a small private university in South Carolina, where another U.S. player, Ricardo Clark, also got his start. His rough style of play with great finishing served notice to the MLS and he was drafted in the 2004 SuperDraft at the eighth pick. He quickly became the team's catalyst on offense tallying seven goals in his first year and became the MLS Rookie of the Year.
In the same year, Clint made his first appearance with the senior national team against Jamaica. After two years with the team he was chosen for the world cup squad and scored the only goal for the U.S. in the tournament.
In 2005, Dempsey assisted the game winning goal in the All-Star match against his future team, Fulham F.C. Two more years with the league resulted in hot heads and a fight with a teammate during a practice game. Finally after a failed attempt by Charlton Athletic to transfer for Dempsey, Fulham put together a $4 million transfer fee to move Dempsey to the EPL.
Now in his third full season with the team, Dempsey has become a regular with the team, making 35 and 36 appearances with the club in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons respectively.
Why he deserves a case study:
Clint Dempsey has had quite a year. In early qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup, it seemed that Dempsey was going to fall off the radar of coach Bob Bradley due to his poor form and ability to remain competitive as a striker. Coach Bradley gave him the opportunity, and Dempsey had the best Confederations Cup for the U.S., scoring three goals, including this memorable one against Brazil:
Dempsey's toughness, unique play on the ball and a mixture of midfield leader and finisher makes him one of the best field players the U.S. has to offer. At only 26 years old, he seems to have a couple world cups left in him as well.
Many people will have forgotten that Dempsey played a game with a broken jaw back in his freshman year in the MLS, the year that he was rookie of the year. His ability to play through pain, to play through formations and to not stop giving his all has made him a favorite to continue in the lone-striker role for Bob Bradley. With younger players looking to make their mark, Dempsey may perhaps play a central midfield role for the national team, but his youth and legs has provided him with the benchmark that others will have to surpass if they want to play for the team.
Red Bulls' coach Juan Carlos Osorio resigns today from managerial duties after a dismal 2009 campaign.
From MLSNET: "I want to apologize to the fans for the results this season," said Osorio. "I want to thank the players for their hard work. I would also like to thank the club for the opportunity to coach the team for the past two seasons."
Richie Williams will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season.
The resignation of Osorio comes as no surprise to MLS fans, as the season has not gone the way the 2008 MLS Cup participant had hoped for. The 2-16-4 record, injuries to Juan Pablo Angel and the early losses in the U.S. Open Cup as well as the Champion's League no doubt hastened the decision from Osorio, who will most likely search for opportunities, perhaps in his native Columbia.
This weekend's slate is chock-full of great games: Houston and Seattle, Colorado and Chicago, LA and DC. It is a hard choice but the most is at stake for these two franchises, each hoping to make a push that will result in a final playoff spot. Let's run it down:
Toronto: Marvell Wynne looks like he will miss the game with a hamstring injury, leaving Toronto without their most talented defender/offensive spark. Stefan Frei collected a shutout last week against D.C., where the vaunted high-power offense was halted. If Toronto wants to improve their game, Frei will have to have another big one against Chivas.
The game will be the first of a three-game road trip, starting in Los Angeles at Chivas, heading north to Seattle and ending in Colorado. The west-bound club will have weary legs after three straight western conference teams, but the games need to be won if Toronto wants to claim their first spot in the MLS Playoffs.
Dwayne De Rosario will have a large role in this game, as his four-game goal scoring streak is on the line. If he were to score another he would tie the season-high total by Freddy Montero.
Chivas: This team is also coming off a big week, winning their first in nine games against pushovers New York RedBulls. The game was their last in a series of away matches and look to make a stand before they travel to Real Salt Lake the next week.
The season has been one of turmoil for Chivas, but holding strong for the team is their buffet-reviewing, big-body-stopping goalie Zach Thornton. His .83 GA average is the best in the league, and with a team that boasts the third-worst goal scoring average, that number is even larger than his waistline.
The biggest (no not another Thornton pun) story of the week is the inclusion of Jesus Padilla from the Guadalajara branch of Chivas. The loan for the 22 year old is an obvious move for the dried-up forwards the teams currently employs.
Yes, this is late, and I promise to be more abreast of mid-week games when I can. I hope to cover a couple of games every week, especially those that will be easily viewable on either Fox Soccer Channel or on ESPN.
The match will be the first of its kind: although the season is in its waning weeks, New England has yet to discover Seattle and the crowds at Qwest Field. Although Freddie Ljundberg is unlikely to play, Seattle will have a lineup that will be certain to give New England fits.Freddie Montero ended a scoring drought last week against L.A., pounding a ball into the back of the net after a Nate Jaqua header. The goal put him in a tie with Guillermo Barros Schelloto for the second place spot in the Golden Boot competition, behind Conor Casey. If New England does not put in Jay Heaps, Jaqua and Montero should have a field day against an otherwise porous defense.
If the offense was not such a large issue for New England, however, there would be no problems in the Far East. A negative goal differential is never a good sign for a club, and with Forward Kenny Mansally still on the injury report, it will be a miracle if New England gets off more than a couple shots. When (if ever) Taylor Twellman decides that being a regular at the medic's station is not how he should repay his club, perhaps then the club can make some sense out of their situation and make a legitimate playoff push.MLSI Prediction: 3-0 Seattle. Jaqua (2), Evans.
Today the list of potential stadiums to host games for either the 2018 or 2022 got slashed as the list is down to 27 cities. Gousabid.com reports that the bid committee removed Birmingham, Ala.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Fayetteville, Ark.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Minneapolis, Minn.; New Orleans, La.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Utah and San Antonio, Tex from contention.
The heartland takes a heavy hit as the committee seeks to create a competitive bid with the remaining cities. Cities that were not involved in the 1994 World Cup but are still on the short list include Philadelphia, Cleveland, St. Louis, Denver, Seattle and Phoenix.
The US is competing against some of the greats in soccer for the world's greatest tournament, including England, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Australia, Holland and Belgium, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, and Spain and Portugal. The host nation will be announced in December 2010.
If you haven't been there already, gousabid.com is the official website for the United States's bid to hold either the 2018 or 20022 World Cup. I highly recommend signing their petition and getting some 'swag.' The game is in Us!
We are basically finished with game ones across the board in the COCACAF Champion's League group stage, and some teams have emerged as clear front runners. Here is a group-by-group break down of what has happened in week one, and what MLS clubs can expect in future games.
Group A:
Arabe Unido: 3 pts
Houston Dynamo: 3 pts
Isidro Metapan: 0 pts
Pachuca: 0 pts
The real surprise here is Arabe Unido collecting three points against Pachuca, the perennial powerhouse out of Mexico. After losing the Clasura season to UNAM, it seemed that Pachuca would come out guns blazing to prove again that they are ready for the big stage, but they came out flat, allowing Unido to run all over and amass four goals. The only bright side to that match was the fact Pachuca was not completely shut out.
As for Houston and Metapan, the game played out like many assumed: Metapan bunkered, hoping to get an against the run of play goal but ultimately failed in their effort against the Dynamo. A nicely forwarded ball by Stewart Holden to Brian Ching, and a nice near-post shot was the only goal the Dynamo needed to continue the MLS club's recent success.
Group B:
Marathon: 3 pts
Toluca: 0 pts
San Juan Jabloteh: 0 pts
D.C. United: 0 pts
The only game that has been played in the group was between Marathon and D.C. United, where D.C. was left with all but one question when they left Honduras: why did Greg Janicki get the start? If you haven't seen the game, check this out:
When D.C. came out they looked sluggish, tired, overwhelmed by the Marathon attack. If D.C. wants to remain competitive in an otherwise very winnable group, they better get their defense straightened out.
Marathon takes on San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad and Tobago tonight.
Group C:
Columbus Crew: 3 pts
Cruz Azul: 3 pts
Saprissa: 0 pts
Puerto Rico Islanders: 0 pts
For an MLS fan, it's exciting to know that two of the three teams in the tournament have won their first games. Albeit the first games for both Houston and Columbus were winnable matches, but it is important to make a positive impression on fans as well as the international community for your commitment to other tournaments besides your own league. Like the Houston match, Columbus faced a bunker-down Islanders side that refused to allow much movement in the box. Balls swung in from all sides to no avail until some scrappy plays by Steven Lenhart and Robbie Rogers led to goals.
For Saprissa, the game must have seemed like an eternity. Cruz Azul took an early lead and held on for the duration for three points.
Group D:
UNAM: 3 pts
W Connection: 0 pts
Real Espana: 0 pts
Communicaciones: 0 pts
The only group without an MLS franchise, Group D should be cut and dry with UNAM taking top honors while the lower clubs look to make noise in the knock-out rounds. With a 1-0 win, UNAM is the only team in the group with points with W Connection and Real Espana playing tonight. Look for Real Espana and Communicaciones to fight over the second spot in the upcoming weeks.
As the MLS approaches its final stretch, D.C., Houston and Columbus will also be stretched to find able bodies to play in the Champion's League, but if this week was any indication, the MLS looks destined for a long offseason with a full plate of appearances.
So here we are.
If I still have your attention, thank you for joining me. I think I'll start with introductions since it is only fair that you know who is behind the wonderful words that you are perusing.
My name is Colin, and I love soccer. While this seems to be more apropos to an A.A. meeting than a writer introduction, let me explain. For a long time I have played/watched/enjoyed the sport that the rest of the world has embraced with open arms. With pity I have searched television channels for the sport that is as close to a heavenly game as many of us will get and come up empty, only to find re-runs of poker tournaments, beach volleyball and even the occasional lacrosse match. No, this is not a dig on those sports, but it just seems a little odd that the most popular sport in the world is being ignored by America. Or maybe it's the other way around.
The argument that often arises between those that like and those that dislike soccer stems from the Americans that understand American sports: why would they kick a ball up and down the field when they could be hurdling over linebackers or hitting home runs? Questions people SHOULD be asking, however, is not why Americans are avoiding the sport, but rather, why has the sport avoided America?
It could be a simple argument, branching out to the fact that baseball and football are uniquely American and home-grown, and while soccer has had relative success in the past decade or so, the idea that the sport has come out of money and not out of the raw production of talent and clubs has led to people wanting to seek their sports futures in different paths. In this way, soccer has been avoiding the country; it is the sleeping giant that is still hitting the snooze.
Now you might be asking, 'Colin, how are you going to change the perception of soccer in America? You're just a blog, another blog in the endless seas of blogs that come and go and eventually disappear. Just stop, go back to your beer, go to bed, and wake up and find a new hobby.'
My answer to that is that I cannot change the perception of soccer in America. In fact, if I changed one person's attitude on the sport I would consider this site a success. But I will go one step further, saying that I do not think a whole slew of blogs will help satisfy the overwhelming need of change that needs to occur in our population if we are to move soccer into the top five sports in the country.
What I can, and what I will do is change the perception of this sport to the international community. Yes, you Europeans (yes Canada you count there too), Africans, Asians, Australians and South Americans (I presume Central America knows enough of us) need to learn about the MLS. We are a fledgling league with a wing and a prayer, and we hope you will come on a ride with us.
I have been toying with the idea of blogging for months now, and have been looking for a suitable topic to write about. When I first thought of what the blogging community needed to hear about, 'The MLS International' was my first real thought. Outside of America, MLS gets a bad rap, or no rap at all. In fact, half the world calls our league "Major Soccer League." I guess they don't get our homage to baseball.
So that's it. The premise of this blog is to spread awareness about the MLS to the international community through various information gathering, answering questions, and talking straight from my lovely American soccer-throbbing heart. In the future you can expect posts on players, news, the league it's self, the influence of American players abroad, and of course, wondeful insight into the game that I love.
If this league is to be successful, the league needs to expand abroad. Sure, it's nice that super leagues of Europe want to play their meaningless preseason warm-up game in America, and I am sure it is a nice revenue source for both sides. But if this league is to be a legitimate contender with Erdevisie, La Liga, the EPL, Ligue 1, Serie A and a slew of others, we have to start with our own grassroots program: build the hype abroad, and make US come to THEM.
While there are other sites available for various soccer garble and news, I promise one thing: I will not be that. Commentary is a must in this league and I am more than happy to supply it, especially to those that are interested in learning more about the league. Of course I will give updates to fans of the game of big deals, things that will influence the league, or players that played in the MLS and are making us look good. It's only natural to want the best for our boys. It's called social dominance orientation.
I welcome you all to the blog. I have a lot of ideas, some that will probably spill out before they should, but like most half-baked ideas I have, I'm sure they'll at least get a good laugh.
Kick-off is at the whistle.
