Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Week 7 Power Rankings

1. FC Dallas (5-1-2) - Just when you thought FC Dallas might be vulnerable, they storm back with a six point week. But, can they sustain this success without Matt Hedges while he recovers from his knee injury? Last Week: 2
2. Real Salt Lake (4-0-2) - Are these guys for real? With a good mix of youngsters and veterans, and Joao Plata playing like an MVP candidate, nobody should be taking the league's only undefeated team lightly right now. Last Week: 3
3. Montreal Impact (4-2-0) - Drooooooooooooooooogbaaaaaaaaaa! The Impact were already dangerous on the attack and now they've got Didier Drogba back in the mix. With Columbus and the Red Bulls off to slow starts, the Impact are seizing the opportunity and could run away with the East. Last Week: 4
4. LA Galaxy (3-1-2) - Can Gio dos Santos produce like he did last week on a regular basis? If so, the Galaxy are going to be all right. Last Week: 5
5. Colorado Rapids (4-2-1) - Jermaine Jones wasted little time making an impact for his new club, and suddenly the Rapids look like contenders. Marco Pappa's injury will be a good test of their depth. Last Week: 11
6. Sporting Kansas City (4-3-0) - Suffered a pair of disappointing losses this week and missed an opportunity to move up the ladder in the hyper-competitive Western Conference. Last Week: 1
7. Orlando City SC (2-1-3) - Really tough call on the Nguyen PK, but this still has the look of a playoff team. Last Week: 6
8. Toronto FC (2-2-2) - Probably underachieving, but it's still early. A win against Montreal this weekend will be a big confidence boost. Last Week: 9
9. San Jose Earthquakes (3-2-2) - Just Wondo being Wondo as the opportunistic striker moved into 4th place all-time on the MLS Scoring Charts. The loss to Portland was excusable, but the Quakes don't have a lot of room for error in the West. Last Week: 7
10. Philadelphia Union (3-3-0) - Stayed competitive despite Roland Alberg's ejection and we saw Josh Yaro make his MLS debut in central defense. All indications are that this is a much different Union team than what we saw last year. Last Week: 8

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

MLS Top Tens - 4/19/16

Goals

1. Chris Wondolowski (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 6 goals
1. Fanendo Adi (Nigeria) - Portland Timbers - 6 goals
3. Joao Plata (Ecuador) - Real Salt Lake - 4 goals, 4 assists
4. Ignacio Piatti (Argentina) - Montreal Impact - 4 goals, 2 assists
4. Dom Dwyer (England) - Sporting Kansas City - 4 goals, 2 assists
4. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 4 goals, 2 assists
7. Pedro Morales (Chile) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 4 goals, 1 assist
8. Michael Barrios (Colombia) - FC Dallas - 4 goals
8. David Villa (Spain - New York City FC - 4 goals
10. Will Bruin (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 3 goals, 2 assists
10. Tesho Akindele (Canada) - FC Dallas - 3 goals, 2 assists
10. Maximiliano Urruti (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 3 goals, 2 assists

Top American Scorers

1. Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes - 6 goals
2. Will Bruin - Houston Dynamo - 3 goals, 2 assists
3. C.J. Sapong - Phildelphia Union - 3 goals, 1 assist
4. Jack McInerney - Portland Timbers - 3 goals
4. Gyasi Zardes - LA Galaxy - 3 goals
6. Andrew Wenger - Houston Dynamo - 2 goals, 2 assists
6. Mike Magee - LA Galaxy - 2 goals, 2 assists
8. Benny Feilhaber - Sporting Kansas City - 2 goals, 1 assist
8. Chris Pontius - Philadelphia Union - 2 goals, 1 assist
8. Thomas McNamara - New York City FC - 2 goals, 1 assist

Assists

1. Mauro Díaz (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 4
1. Joao Plata (Ecuador) - Real Salt Lake - 4
3. Marco Pappa (Guatemala) - Colorado Rapids - 3
3. Dominic Oduro (Ghana) - Montreal Impact - 3
3. Andreas Ivanschitz (Austria) - Seattle Sounders - 3
3. Quincy Amarikwa (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 3
7. 31 tied with 2

Yellow Cards

1. Carlos Gruezo (Ecuador) - FC Dallas - 5
2. Marcelo Sarvas (Brazil) - DC United - 4
2. Fabinho (Brazil) - Philadelphia Union - 4
4. Atiba Harris (St. Kitts & Nevis) - FC Dallas - 3
4. Jelle Van Damme (Belgium) - LA Galaxy - 3
4. Matt Polster (USA) - Chicago Fire - 3
4. Gershon Koffie (Ghana) - New England Revolution - 3
4. Octavio Rivero (Uruguay) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 3
4. Alvas Powell (Jamaica) - Portland Timbers - 3
4. Daniel Steres (USA) - LA Galaxy - 3
4. Marc Burch (USA) - Colorado Rapids - 3
4. Maynor Figueroa (Honduras) - FC Dallas - 3
4. Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica) - Portland Timbers - 3
4. Sean Franklin (USA) - DC United - 3

Red Cards by Team

1. Real Salt Lake - 3
2. New England Revolution - 2
2. Philadelphia Union - 2
2. Vancouver Whitecaps - 2
5. Chicago Fire - 1
5. Columbus Crew - 1
5. DC United - 1
5. New York Red Bulls - 1
5. Orlando City SC - 1
5. Portland Timbers - 1
5. San Jose Earthquakes - 1
5. Seattle Sounders - 1
5. Sporting Kansas City - 1
5. Toronto FC - 1

Fouls Suffered

1. Quincy Amarikwa (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 19
2. Sebastian Lletget (USA) - LA Galaxy - 17
2. DaMarcus Beasley (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 17
2. C.J. Sapong (USA) - Philadelphia Union - 17
2. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 17
6. Mauro Díaz (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 16
6. Marcelo Sarvas (Brazil) - DC United - 16
8. Patrick Nyarko (Ghana) - DC United - 15
8. Dom Dwyer (England) - Sporting Kansas City - 15
8. Maximiliano Urruti (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 15

Shutouts

1. Matt Lampson (USA) - Chicago Fire - 3
1. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 3
3. Jesse Gonzalez (Mexico) - FC Dallas - 2
3. Nick Rimando (USA) - Real Salt Lake - 2
3. Clint Irwin (USA) - Toronto FC - 2
3. Travis Worra (USA) - DC United - 2
3. Evan Bush (USA) - Montreal Impact - 2
3. David Bingham (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 2
3. Zac MacMath (USA) - Colorado Rapids - 2
3. David Ousted (Denmark) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 2
3. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 2

Saves

1. Matt Lampson (USA) - Chicago Fire - 30
1. David Ousted (Denmark) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 30
3. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 29
4. Joe Willis (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 27
5. Andre Blake (Jamaica) - Philadelphia Union - 25
6. Clint Irwin (USA) - Toronto FC - 24
7. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 22
8. David Bingham (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 21
8. Luis Robles (USA) - New York Red Bulls - 21
10. Stefan Frei (Switzerland) - Seattle Sounders - 20
10. Nick Rimando (USA) - Real Salt Lake - 20

PK Saves

1. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 2/3
2. Chris Seitz (USA) - FC Dallas - 1/1
3. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 1/2
4. Joe Bendik (USA) - Orlando City SC - 1/3

Supporters' Shield Standings

1. FC Dallas (5-1-2) - 17 pts, 2.13 ppg, +5
2. Real Salt Lake (4-0-2) - 14 pts, 2.33 ppg, +4
3. Colorado Rapids (4-2-1) - 13 pts, 1.86 ppg, +2
4. Montreal Impact (4-2-0) - 12 pts, 2 ppg, +4
5. Sporting Kansas City (4-3-0) - 12 pts, 1.71 ppg, +2
6. LA Galaxy (3-1-2) - 11 pts, 1.83 ppg, +7
7. San Jose Earthquakes (3-2-2) - 11 pts, 1.57 ppg, +0
8. Philadelphia Union (3-3-0) - 9 pts, 1.5 ppg, +1
9. Orlando City SC (2-1-3) - 9 pts, 1.5 ppg, +3
10. Toronto FC (2-2-2) - 8 pts, 1.33 ppg, +1

Week 7 Rookie Watch

Draftees

2. Joshua Yaro (Philadelphia) - Started vs Seattle, 90 mins
3. Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia) - Started vs Seattle, 90 mins
6. Fabian Herbers (Philadelphia) - Sub vs Seattle, 15 mins
12. Jonathan Campbell (Chicago) - Started vs Montreal, 90 mins, 1 shot
19. Rodrigo Saravia (Columbus) - Sub vs NYCFC, 1 min
22. Alex Morrell (Chicago) - Sub vs Montreal, 32 mins, 2 shots
49. Kip Colvey (San Jose) - Started vs Portland, 90 mins

Homegrowns

Tyler Adams (NYRB) - Started vs San Jose, 45 mins
Jordan Morris (Seattle) - Started vs Philadelphia, 82 mins, 3 shots, 1 goal
Alex Muyl (NYRB) - Started vs Colorado, 90 mins, 2 shots

Second overall pick Josh Yaro, Guatemalan international Rodrigo Saravia, and 17 year-old Tyler Adams all made their MLS debuts this week, but the real story this week was the long awaited first MLS goal by Jordan Morris. Morris's goal would end up being the game winner in Seattle's 2-1 win over Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Week 7 Notes

Wednesday April 13, 2016

Colorado Rapids 2 Sporting Kansas City 1
FC Dallas 3 Portland Timbers 1
San Jose Earthquakes 2 New York Red Bulls 0

Friday April 15, 2016

LA Galaxy 4 Houston Dynamo 1

Saturday April 16, 2016

Toronto FC 1 DC United 0
Montreal Impact 2 Chicago Fire 1
Columbus Crew 3 New York City FC 2
Colorado Rapids 2 New York Red Bulls 1
Seattle Sounders 2 Philadelphia Union 1
Real Salt Lake 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 0
Portland Timbers 3 San Jose Earthquakes 1

Sunday April 17, 2016

San Jose Earthquakes 2 New England Revolution 2
FC Dallas 2 Sporting Kansas City 1

Notable Performances

Giovani dos Santos - LA Galaxy vs Houston - 2 Goals, 1 Assist
Fanendo Adi - Portland vs San Jose - 2 Goals
David Villa - NYCFC vs Columbus - 2 Goals
Justin Meram - Columbus vs NYCFC - 1 Goal, 2 Assists
Tesho Akindele - FC Dallas vs Portland - 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Fabián Castillo - FC Dallas vs Portland - 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Ethan Finlay - Columbus vs NYCFC - 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Andreas Ivanschitz - Seattle vs Philadelphia - 2 Assists
Jermaine Jones - Colorado vs NYRB - 2 Assists
Dominic Oduro - Montreal vs Chicago - 2 Assists

David Bingham - San Jose vs NYRB - Shutout, 5 Saves
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake vs Vancouver - Shutout, 4 Saves
Clint Irwin - Toronto vs DC United - Shutout, 3 Saves

Ejections

Roland Alberg - Philadelphia vs Seattle - Double Yellow, 53'
Michael Parkhurst - Columbus vs NYCFC - Straight Red, 86'
Diego Valeri - Portland vs San Jose - Double Yellow, 90'+6'

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Wondo Ties Razov at #4 on MLS All-Time Scoring List

The legend of Chris Wondolowski continues as the opportunistic striker buried his fifth goal of the season last night - tops in MLS this year - moving him into a tie with Ante Razov for the fourth-most goals in MLS history at 114. His next goal will move the 33 year-old into sole possession of fourth place with MLS original Jaime Moreno next in line at 133 goals. Here's a quick glance at your Top Ten All-Time Leading Scorers, and your Top 25 Scorers among active MLS players:

ALL-TIME

1. Landon Donovan (2001-2014) - 144 Goals in 334 Games
2. Jeff Cunningham (1998-2011) - 134 Goals in 365 Games
3. Jaime Moreno (1996-2010) - 133 Goals in 340 Games
4. Ante Razov (1996-2009) - 114 Goals in 262 Games
4. Chris Wondolowski (2005-Present) - 114 Goals in 235 Games
6. Jason Kreis (1996-2007) - 108 Goals in 305 Games
7. Dwayne De Rosario (2001-2014) - 104 Goals in 343 Games
8. Taylor Twellman (2002-2010) - 101 Goals in 174 Games
9. Edson Buddle (2001-2015) - 100 Goals in 304 Games
10. Roy Lassiter (1996-2002) - 88 Goals in 179 Games
10. Carlos Ruiz (2002-2013) - 88 Goals in 182 Games

ACTIVE

1. Chris Wondolowski (San Jose) - 114 Goals in 235 Games, 5 Goals in 2016
2. Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) - 75 Goals in 111 Games, 2 Goals in 2016
2. Kei Kamara (Columbus) - 75 Goals in 230 Games, 1 Goal in 2016
4. Conor Casey (Columbus) - 71 Goals in 192 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
5. Álvaro Saborío (DC United) - 69 Goals in 142 Games, 2 Goals in 2016
6. Mike Magee (LA Galaxy) - 66 Goals in 291 Games, 2 Goals in 2016
7. Chris Rolfe (DC United) - 64 Goals in 236 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
8. Fabián Espíndola (DC United) - 63 Goals in 202 Games, 3 Goals in 2016
9. Dominic Oduro (Montreal) - 58 Goals in 285 Games, 2 Goals in 2016
10. Brad Davis (Sporting KC) - 56 Goals in 372 Games, 1 Goal in 2016
10. Chad Barrett (San Jose) - 56 Goals in 255 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
12. Sébastien Le Toux (Philadelphia) - 55 Goals in 220 Games, 1 Goal in 2016
13. Clint Dempsey (Seattle) - 52 Goals in 131 Games, 1 Goal in 2016
14. Alan Gordon (LA Galaxy) - 49 Goals in 226 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
14. Will Bruin (Houston) - 49 Goals in 152 Games, 3 Goals in 2016
16. Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake) - 45 Goals in 214 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
16. Bradley Wright-Phillips (NYRB) - 45 Goals in 79 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
18. Dom Dwyer (Sporting KC) - 40 Goals in 86 Games, 4 Goals in 2016
18. Jack McInerney (Portland) - 40 Goals in 147 Games, 2 Goals in 2016
20. Jeff Larentowicz (LA Galaxy) - 37 Goals in 301 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
21. Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake) - 36 Goals in 383 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
21. Federico Higuaín (Columbus) - 36 Goals in 108 Games, 1 Goal in 2016
21. Marco Pappa (Colorado) - 36 Goals in 167 Games, 1 Goal in 2016
21. Blas Pérez (Vancouver) - 36 Goals in 102 Games, 0 Goals in 2016
25. Lee Nguyen (New England) - 34 Goals in 132 Games, 0 Goals in 2016

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

To Play On, Or Not to Play On

A lot has been made in recent weeks about the ethics of playing on, or playing the ball out of bounds when an opposing player goes down with an injury. In multiple instances this season, we've seen teams opt for the former, one drawing a tongue-lashing from an irate USMNT captain Michael Bradley, and another leading to the only goal in a 1-0 game which left New York Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch furious. Do Marsch and Bradley have a case? Were the 'unwritten rules' of the game violated?


In short, no, they do not. This isn't U-10s where we teach players to play the ball out of bounds when there's an injury because we're concerned about the safety of the children. This is professional soccer, and everyone knows that there's a problem with players taking dives and faking injuries. Are some of the injuries real? Of course they are. Just ask Steve Zakuani, or Stuart Holden among others. The PROBLEM is, that players will go down for no reason, require medical attention, and then bounce back up as if nothing happened. Wasn't it the 2011 women's World Cup that a player got taken off the field on a stretcher and then upon reaching the sideline jumped off and ran back into the game? I seem to recall a sequence in the 2002 World Cup in a game between Brazil and Turkey (maybe?) when a Turkish player kicked a ball towards a Brazilian player who was getting ready to take a corner. The ball hit the Brazilian player in the shin, the Brazilian goes down holding his face, and the Turkish player gets sent off. So with that kind of culture ingrained in the game right now, why would you ever stop play unless there was blood, some sort of compound fracture, or a clear-cut head injury?


It sucks that that's what the game's come to, but at the professional level, I don't feel like there's any obligation for players to stop for an opponent's injury. Do you know whose job it is to determine if the injury is serious enough to warrant a stoppage of play? The referee's! You play to the whistle, something we teach at every level. It's unfortunate that the injury to New York's Kemar Lawrence was real, and then it led to New England's game winning goal, but if teams want to gripe about that, then people can't go down like they've been shot every time they take a nick.

Monday, April 11, 2016

MLS Top Tens - 4/11/16

Goals

1. Joao Plata (Ecuador) - Real Salt Lake - 4 goals, 3 assists
2. Pedro Morales (Chile) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 4 goals, 1 assist
3. Chris Wondolowski (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 4 goals
3. Fanendo Adi (Nigeria) - Portland Timbers - 4 goals
5. Will Bruin (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 3 goals, 2 assists
5. Ignacio Piatti (Argentina) - Montreal Impact - 3 goals, 2 assists
5. Dom Dwyer (England) - Sporting Kansas City - 3 goals, 2 assists
5. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 2 goals, 2 assists
9. Cyle Larin (Canada) - Orlando City SC - 3 goals, 1 assist
10. C.J. Sapong (USA) - Philadelphia Union - 3 goals
10. Maximiliano Urruti (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 3 goals
10. Fabián Espíndola )Argentina) - DC United - 3 goals

Top American Scorers

1. Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes - 4 goals
2. Will Bruin - Houston Dynamo - 3 goals, 2 assists
3. C.J. Sapong - Phildelphia Union - 3 goals
4. Mike Magee - LA Galaxy - 2 goals, 2 assists
4. Andrew Wenger - Houston Dynamo - 2 goals, 2 assists
6. Chris Pontius - Philadelphia Union - 2 goals, 1 assist
6. Thomas McNamara - New York City FC - 2 goals, 1 assist
8. Benny Feilhaber - Sporting Kansas City - 2 goals
8. Jack McInerney - Portland Timbers - 2 goals
8. Gyasi Zardes - LA Galaxy - 2 goals

Assists

1. Mauro Díaz (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 4
2. Joao Plata (Ecuador) - Real Salt Lake - 3
2. Quincy Amarikwa (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 3
4. 18 tied with 2

Yellow Cards

1. Carlos Gruezo (Ecuador) - FC Dallas - 4
2. Jelle Van Damme (Belgium) - LA Galaxy - 3
2. Marcelo Sarvas (Brazil) - DC United - 3
2. Fabinho (Brazil) - Philadelphia Union - 3
2. Matt Polster (USA) - Chicago Fire - 3
2. Alvas Powell (Jamaica) - Portland Timbers - 3
2. Maynor Figueroa (Honduras) - FC Dallas - 3
2. Sean Franklin (USA) - DC United - 3
9. Lots tied with - 2

Red Cards by Team

1. Real Salt Lake - 3
2. New England Revolution - 2
2. Vancouver Whitecaps - 2
4. Chicago Fire - 1
4. DC United - 1
4. New York Red Bulls - 1
4. Orlando City SC - 1
4. Philadelphia Union - 1
4. San Jose Earthquakes - 1
4. Seattle Sounders - 1
4. Sporting Kansas City - 1
4. Toronto FC - 1

Fouls Suffered

1. Mauro Díaz (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 16
1. Quincy Amarikwa (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 16
3. DaMarcus Beasley (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 15
3. C.J. Sapong (USA) - Philadelphia Union - 15
5. Patrick Nyarko (Ghana) - DC United - 14
5. Sebastian Lletget (USA) - LA Galaxy - 14
5. Dillon Powers (USA) - Colorado Rapids - 14
8. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 13
9. Cristian Techera (Uruguay) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 12
9. Kevin Molino (Trinidad and Tobago - Orlando City SC - 12
9. Dom Dwyer (England) - Sporting Kansas City - 12

Shutouts

1. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 3
1. Matt Lampson (USA) - Chicago Fire - 3
3. Jesse Gonzalez (Mexico) - FC Dallas - 2
3. Travis Worra (USA) - DC United - 2
3. Evan Bush (USA) - Montreal Impact - 2
3. Zac MacMath (USA) - Colorado Rapids - 2
3. David Ousted (Denmark) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 2
3. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 2
9. 11 tied with - 1

Saves

1. Joe Willis (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 27
1. David Ousted (Denmark) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 27
3. Matt Lampson (USA) - Chicago Fire - 26
4. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 21
4. Clint Irwin (USA) - Toronto FC - 21
6. Andre Blake (Jamaica) - Philadelphia Union - 19
7. Stefan Frei (Switzerland) - Seattle Sounders - 18
7. Evan Bush (USA) - Montreal Impact - 16
7. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 18
10. Brian Rowe (USA) - LA Galaxy - 17

PK Saves

1. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 2/2
2. Chris Seitz (USA) - FC Dallas - 1/1
3. Joe Bendik (USA) - Orlando City SC - 1/2
3. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 1/2

Supporters' Shield Standings

1. Sporting Kansas City (4-1-0) - 12 pts, 2.4 ppg, +4
2. Real Salt Lake (3-0-2) - 11 pts, 2.2 ppg, +3
3. FC Dallas (3-1-2) - 11 pts, 1.83 ppg, +2
4. Montreal Impact (3-2-0) - 9 pts, 1.8 ppg, +3
5. Philadelphia Union (3-2-0) - 9 pts, 1.8 ppg, +2
6. LA Galaxy (2-1-2) - 8 pts, 1.6 ppg, +4
7. Orlando City SC (2-1-2) - 8 pts, 1.6 ppg, +3
8. San Jose Earthquakes (2-1-2) - 8 pts, 1.6 ppg, +0
9. Colorado Rapids (2-2-1) - 7 pts, 1.4 ppg, +0
10. Vancouver Whitecaps (2-3-1) - 7 pts, 1.17 ppg, -4

Week 6 Power Rankings

1. Sporting Kansas City (4-1-0) - With Benny Feilhaber back in the mix, Sporting will be as dangerous as ever. Now they just have to avoid any more injuries at the back. Last Week: 2
2. FC Dallas (3-1-2) - I think we can all agree that this team needs Mauro Díaz on the field. Last Week: 1
3. Real Salt Lake (3-0-2) - I'm guessing not a lot of people had Real Salt Lake as the league's last unbeaten team before the season started. Joao Plata is just one assist away from matching his offensive output from all of 2015. Last Week: 5
4. Montreal Impact (3-2-0) - Bounced back nicely after a disappointing performance against Seattle last week, and these guys still have Didier Drogba in the wings. Last Week: 6
5. LA Galaxy (2-1-2) - With all the big names on their roster it's easy to overlook the contributions the Galaxy get from players like Daniel Steres, Sebastian Lletget, Rafael Garcia, Baggio Husidić, Brian Rowe, and others. Last Week: 4
6. Orlando City SC (2-1-2) - After Kaká's lights out performance against the Timbers last week, we failed to see the magic against Philadelphia. It's also worth noting that Orlando is clearly a different team with Brek Shea on the field. Last Week: 3
7. San Jose Earthquakes (2-1-2) - Is there a more productive forward tandem in MLS this season than Chris Wondolowski and Quincy Amarikwa? Last Week: 7
8. Philadelphia Union (3-2-0) - Tranquillo Barnetta's game winning free kick was pure brilliance as the Union find themselves in unfamiliar territory near the top of the Eastern Conference. Rookie Keegan Rosenberry is having a fine start to his first MLS season. Last Week: 9
9. Toronto FC (1-2-2) - Jozy Altidore made his first start of the season and didn't leave with a hamstring injury, so there's that. Last Week: 8
10. Portland Timbers (1-2-2) - Chris Klute became Portland's fourth left back in five games, and will hopefully be the last one they use for a while. Unfortunately, Darlington Nagbe's injury at the hands of Nigel de Jong looked real bad. Last Week: 11

Week 6 Rookie Watch

Draftees

3. Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia) - Started vs Orlando City, 90 mins
6. Fabian Herbers (Philadelphia) - Sub vs Orlando City, 27 mins, 1 shot
12. Jonathan Campbell (Chicago) - Started vs NYCFC, 90 mins, 1 shot
22. Alex Morrell (Chicago) - Sub vs NYCFC, 6 mins
51. Femi Hollinger-Janzen (New England) - Sub vs Toronto, 1 min

Homegrowns

Jordan Morris (Seattle) - Started vs Houston, 79 mins
Alex Muyl (NYRB) - Sub vs Sporting KC, 5 mins

Chicago's Alex Morrell and New York's Alex Muyl each made their MLS debuts this weekend in another quiet week for the 2016 rookie class. Regulars Keegan Rosenberry, Jonathan Campbell and Jordan Morris each all started for their respective clubs, but preseason Rookie of the Year favorite Morris has still yet to tally a goal or an assist in his professional career.

Week 6 Notes

Friday April 8, 2016

Philadelphia Union 2 Orlando City SC 1

Saturday April 9, 2016

New England Revolution 1 Toronto FC 1
Montreal Impact 2 Columbus Crew 0
DC United 4 Vancouver Whitecaps 0
Sporting Kansas City 2 New York Red Bulls 0
San Jose Earthquakes 2 FC Dallas 2
Real Salt Lake 1 Colorado Rapids 0

Sunday April 10, 2016

Houston Dynamo 1 Seattle Sounders 1
New York City FC 0 Chicago Fire 0
Portland Timbers 1 LA Galaxy 1

Notable Performances

Fabián Espíndola - DC United vs Vancouver - 2 Goals
Álvaro Saborío - DC United vs Vancouver - 2 Goals
Dom Dwyer - Sporting KC vs NYRB - 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Luciano Acosta - DC United vs Vancouver - 2 Assists
Quincy Amarikwa - San Jose vs FC Dallas - 2 Assists

Matt Lampson - Chicago vs NYCFC - Shutout, 8 Saves
Tim Melia - Sporting KC vs NYRB - Shutout, 6 Saves
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake vs Colorado - Shutout, 5 Saves
Evan Bush - Montreal vs Columbus - Shutout, 2 Saves
Travis Worra - DC United vs Vancouver - Shutout, 1 Save
Josh Saunders - NYCFC vs Chicago - Shutout

Ejections

None

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

CCL Goal Scorers by Nationality - Semifinal Edition

Argentina (14)

Emanuel Villa - Querétaro F.C. - 6
Martín Bravo - Santos Laguna - 2
Jonathan Hansen - Herediano - 2
Diego González - Santos Laguna - 1
Carlos Izquierdoz - Santos Laguna - 1
Juan Manuel Martínez - Real Salt Lake - 1
Rubens Sambueza - Club América - 1

Belize (2)

Deon McCaulay - Verdes FC - 2

Brazil (3)

Danilinho - Querétaro F.C. - 1
Ricardinho Paraiba - Santa Tecla - 1
Israel Silva - Motagua - 1

Canada (1)

Kianz Froese - Vancouver Whitecaps - 1

Cape Verde (4)

Djaniny - Santos Laguna - 4

Chile (1)

Bryan Rabello - Santos Laguna - 1

Colombia (9)

Carlos Quintero - Club América - 4
Andrés Andrade - Club América - 1
Yerson Candelo - Querétaro F.C. - 1
Olmes García - Real Salt Lake - 1
Jámison Olave - Real Salt Lake - 1
Andrés Rentería - Santos Laguna - 1

Costa Rica (12)

Johnny Woodly - Municipal - 2
Marvin Angulo - Saprissa - 1
Jairo Arrieta - DC United - 1
Randall Azofeifa - Herediano - 1
Daniel Colindres - Saprissa - 1
Kenny Cunningham - Herediano - 1
Mynor Escoe - Saprissa - 1
Dylan Flores - Saprissa - 1
David Guzmán - Saprissa - 1
David Ramírez - Saprissa - 1
Deyver Vega - Saprissa - 1

Ecuador (6)

Michael Arroyo - Club América - 4
Joao Plata - Real Salt Lake - 2

El Salvador (6)

Tony Rugamas - Isidro Metapán - 2
Josué Flores - Isidro Metapán - 1
Irvin Herrera - Santa Tecla - 1
Otonel Salinas - Isidro Metapán - 1
Giovanni Zavaleta - Santa Tecla - 1

Finland (1)

Mika Väyrynen - LA Galaxy - 1

France (3)

André-Pierre Gignac - Tigres UANL - 3

Germany (1)

Julian Büscher - DC United - 1

Ghana (2)

Kofi Opare - DC United - 2

Guatemala (2)

Wilson Lalín - Comunicaciones - 1
Carlos Ruiz - Municipal - 1

Honduras (7)

Erick Andino - Motagua - 2
Alberth Elis - Olimpia - 2
Wilmer Crisanto - Motagua - 1
Eddie Hernández - Motagua - 1
Néstor Martínez - Olimpia - 1

Ireland (2)

Robbie Keane - LA Galaxy - 2

Jamaica (4)

Dino Williams - Montego Bay FC - 2
Allan Ottey - Montego Bay FC - 1
Jermaine Woozencroft - Montego Bay FC - 1

Mexico (23)

Oribe Peralta - Club América - 3
Miguel Aguilar - DC United - 2
Alonso Escoboza - Santos Laguna - 2
Luis Ángel Mendoza - Santos Laguna - 2
Sinha - Querétaro F.C. - 2
Alonso Zamora - Tigres UANL - 2
Antonio Briseño - Tigers UANL - 1
Jürgen Damm - Tigres UANL - 1
Ulises Dávila - Santos Laguna - 1
Kevin Gutiérrez - Querétaro F.C. - 1
Raúl Mendiola - LA Galaxy - 1
Víctor Milke - Querétaro F.C. - 1
Javier Orozco - Santos Laguna - 1
José Rivas - Tigres UANL - 1
Giovani dos Santos - LA Galaxy - 1
Ángel Sepúlveda - Querétaro F.C. - 1

Nicaragua (1)

Raúl Leguías - Walter Ferretti - 1

Nigeria (1)

Ikechukwu Uche - Tigres UANL - 1

Panama (17)

Jhonny Ruiz - San Francisco - 3
Ervin Zorilla - San Francisco - 2
Renán Addles - Árabe Unido - 1
Abdiel Arroyo - Árabe Unido - 1
Rolando Blackburn - Comunicaciones - 1
Moisés Gil - San Francisco - 1
Martín Gómez - San Francisco - 1
José González - Árabe Unido - 1
Eduardo Jiménez - San Francisco - 1
Daniel Morán - San Francisco - 1
Jonathan Pinilla - San Francisco - 1
Armando Polo - Árabe Unido - 1
Richard Rodriguez - San Francisco - 1
Enrico Small - Árabe Unido - 1

Paraguay (2)

Pablo Aguilar - Club América - 1
Édgar Benítez - Querétaro F.C. - 1

Saint Lucia (1)

Kurt Frederick - W Connection FC - 1

Spain (1)

Ignacio Maganto - LA Galaxy - 1

Sweden (1)

Erik Friberg - Seattle Sounders - 1

Trinidad and Tobago (4)

Ataullah Guerra - Central FC - 2
Alvin Jones - W Connection FC - 1
Willis Plaza - Central FC - 1

Uruguay (1)

Bernardo Laureiro - Walter Ferretti - 1

USA (20)

Alan Gordon - LA Galaxy - 5
Lamar Neagle - Seattle Sounders - 3
Clint Dempsey - Seattle Sounders - 2
Conor Doyle - DC United - 2
Ventura Alvarado - Club América - 1
Chad Barrett - Seattle Sounders - 1
Brad Evans - Seattle Sounders - 1
Michael Farfan - DC United - 1
Jared Jeffrey - DC United - 1
Tim Parker - Vancouver Whitecaps - 1
José Francisco Torres - Tigres UANL - 1
Gyasi Zardes - LA Galaxy - 1

Americans in the CCL Semis - Part 2

Tigres UANL defeated Querétaro 2-0 and Club América knocked off Santos Laguna 1-0 in added time as the 2015-2016 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals drew to a close. After scoreless draws in each of the first leg matches, none of the four teams were quick to score in the second legs with Tigres finally breaking the ice in the 84th minute of their match, while América needed 102 minutes to find the net in theirs. América, the tournament's reigning champions, will now take on Tigres in the two-leg final with matches on April 20th and 27th. Here's a look at how the four Americans left in the tournament fared:

Ventura Alvarado - América - Sub vs Santos - Entered match in 120th minute
Jonathan Bornstein - Querétaro - Started vs Tigres - 90 mins
José Francisco Torres - Tigres UANL - Sub vs Querétaro - Entered match in 90th minute
Jorge Villafaña - Santos Laguna - Started vs América - 120 mins


Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Rookie Stats Through Week 5

Draftees

3. Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia) - 4 games, 4 starts, 360 mins
4. Brandon Vincent (Chicago) - 3 games, 3 starts, 270 mins
6. Fabian Herbers (Philadelphia) - 4 games, 0 starts, 24 mins, 3 shots
9. Tsubasa Endoh (Toronto FC) - 3 games, 3 starts, 220 mins, 3 shots
11. Julian Buescher (DC United) - 2 games, 0 starts, 34 mins
12. Jonathan Campbell (Chicago) - 4 games, 3 starts, 315 mins, 2 shots
13. Hadji Barry (Orlando City) - 2 games, 0 starts, 30 mins, 1 shot, 1 assist
33. Timo Pitter (FC Dallas) - 1 games, 0 starts, 9 mins, 1 shot
49. Kip Colvey (San Jose) - 3 games, 2 starts, 225 mins, 1 assist
51. Femi Hollinger-Janzen (New England) - 3 games, 0 starts, 28 mins

Homegrowns*

Joey Calistri (Chicago) - 3 games, 0 starts, 16 mins
Aaron Guillen (Chicago) - 1 game, 1 start, 90 mins
Jordan Morris (Seattle) - 4 games, 3 starts, 263 mins, 3 shots

*Only homegrown players acquired for the 2016 season were considered*

Leaders

Appearances - 4 tied with 4
Starts - Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia) - 4
Minutes - Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia) - 360
Shots - 3 tied with 3
Goals - None
Assists - Kip Colvey (San Jose), Hadji Barry (Orlando City) - 1
Yellow Cards - None
Red Cards - None

MLS Top Tens

Goals

1. Pedro Morales (Chile) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 4 goals, 1 assist
2. Joao Plata (Ecuador) - Real Salt Lake - 3 goals, 3 assists
3. Will Bruin (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 3 goals, 2 assists
3. Ignacio Piatti (Argentina) - Montreal Impact - 3 goals, 2 assists
5. Cyle Larin (Canada) - Orlando City SC - 3 goals, 1 assist
6. Chris Wondolowski (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 3 goals
6. Fanendo Adi (Nigeria) - Portland Timbers - 3 goals
6. Maximiliano Urruti (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 3 goals
9. Mike Magee (USA) - LA Galaxy - 2 goals, 2 assists
9. Diego Fagúndez (Uruguay) - New England Revolution - 2 goals, 2 assists
9. Andrew Wenger (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 2 goals, 2 assists
9. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 2 goals, 2 assists

Top American Scorers

1. Will Bruin - Houston Dynamo - 3 goals, 2 assists
2. Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes - 3 goals
3. Mike Magee - LA Galaxy - 2 goals, 2 assists
3. Andrew Wenger - Houston Dynamo - 2 goals, 2 assists
5. Chris Pontius - Philadelphia Union - 2 goals, 1 assist
5. Thomas McNamara - New York City FC - 2 goals, 1 assist
7. Jack McInerney - Portland Timbers - 2 goals
7. Gyasi Zardes - LA Galaxy - 2 goals
7. C.J. Sapong - Phildelphia Union - 2 goals
10. Mix Diskerud - New York City FC - 1 goal, 2 assists

Assists

1. Mauro Díaz (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 4
2. Joao Plata (Ecuador) - Real Salt Lake - 3
3. Kaká (Brazil) - Orlando City SC - 2
3. Marco Pappa (Guatemala) - Colorado Rapids - 2
3. Boniek Garcia (Honduras) - Houston Dynamo - 2
3. Juan Manuel Martinez (Argentina) - Real Salt Lake - 2
3. Mike Magee (USA) - LA Galaxy - 2
3. Mix Diskerud (USA) - New York City FC - 2
3. Andrew Wenger (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 2
3. Harry Shipp (USA) - Montreal Impact - 2
3. Will Bruin (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 2
3. Ignacio Piatti (Argentina) - Montreal Impact - 2
3. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 2
3. Diego Fagúndez (Uruguay) - New England Revolution - 2

Yellow Cards

1. Jelle Van Damme (Belgium) - LA Galaxy - 3
1. Marcelo Sarvas (Brazil) - DC United - 3
1. Alvas Powell (Jamaica) - Portland Timbers - 3
1. Matt Polster (USA) - Chicago Fire - 3
1. Carlos Gruezo (Ecuador) - FC Dallas - 3
6. Lots tied with - 2

Red Cards by Team

1. Real Salt Lake - 3
2. New England Revolution - 2
2. Vancouver Whitecaps - 2
4. Chicago Fire - 1
4. DC United - 1
4. New York Red Bulls - 1
4. Orlando City SC - 1
4. Philadelphia Union - 1
4. San Jose Earthquakes - 1
4. Seattle Sounders - 1
4. Sporting Kansas City - 1
4. Toronto FC - 1

Fouls Suffered

1. Mauro Díaz (Argentina) - FC Dallas - 16
2. DaMarcus Beasley (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 15
3. C.J. Sapong (USA) - Philadelphia Union - 14
4. Quincy Amarikwa (USA) - San Jose Earthquakes - 12
4. Dillon Powers (USA) - Colorado Rapids - 12
4. Sebastian Giovinco (Italy) - Toronto FC - 12
7. Cristian Techera (Uruguay) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 11
7. Patrick Nyarko (Ghana) - DC United - 11
7. Sebastian Lletget (USA) - LA Galaxy - 11
10. 6 tied with - 10

Shutouts

1. Jesse Gonzalez (Mexico) - FC Dallas - 2
1. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 2
1. Zac MacMath (USA) - Colorado Rapids - 2
1. Matt Lampson (USA) - Chicago Fire - 2
1. David Ousted (Denmark) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 2
1. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 2
7. 11 tied with - 1

Saves

1. Joe Willis (USA) - Houston Dynamo - 21
2. David Ousted (Denmark) - Vancouver Whitecaps - 18
2. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 18
4. Andre Blake (Jamaica) - Philadelphia Union - 17
4. Matt Lampson (USA) - Chicago Fire - 17
6. Brian Rowe (USA) - LA Galaxy - 16
6. Evan Bush (USA) - Montreal Impact - 16
8. Tim Melia (USA) - Sporting Kansas City - 15
9. Clint Irwin (USA) - Toronto FC - 14
9. Josh Saunders (Puerto Rico) - New York City FC - 14
9. Luis Robles (USA) - New York Red Bulls - 14

PK Saves

1. Bobby Shuttleworth (USA) - New England Revolution - 2/2
2. Chris Seitz (USA) - FC Dallas - 1/1
3. Joe Bendik (USA) - Orlando City SC - 1/2

Supporters' Shield Standings

1. FC Dallas (3-1-1) - 10 pts, 2 ppg, +2
2. Sporting Kansas City (3-1-0) - 9 pts, 2.25 ppg, +2
3. Orlando City SC (2-0-2) - 8 pts, 2 ppg, +4
4. Real Salt Lake (2-0-2) - 8 pts, 2 ppg, +2
5. LA Galaxy (2-1-1) - 7 pts, 1.75 ppg, +4
6. Colorado Rapids (2-1-1) - 7 pts, 1.75 ppg, +1
7. San Jose Earthquakes (2-1-1) - 7 pts, 1.75 ppg, +0
8. Vancouver Whitecaps (2-2-1) - 7 pts, 1.4 ppg, +0
9. Montreal Impact (2-2-0) - 6 pts, 1.5 ppg, +1
9. Philadelphia Union (2-2-0) - 6 pts, 1.5 ppg, +1

Monday, April 4, 2016

Week 4/5 Power Rankings

1. FC Dallas (3-1-1) - Mauro Díaz is the engine that drives this team so to get a draw without him on the field is still a positive. Now they just have to figure out a way to keep him on the field. Last Week: 2
2. Sporting Kansas City (3-1-0) - Suffered their first loss of 2016, but at least they got Benny Feilhaber back. Last Week: 1
3. Orlando City SC (2-0-2) - If Orlando City gets performances like last night's from Kaká all season long, this will be a very tough team to beat. That Brek Shea guy is pretty good too. Last Week: 13
4. LA Galaxy (2-1-1) - Vancouver lost three starters in the first half and played most of the match a man down, but the injury-plagued Galaxy still couldn't score. With Robbie Keane and Gio dos Santos out, someone else is going to have to step up on offense. Last Week: 4
5. Real Salt Lake (2-0-2) - Played the league's last perfect team on Saturday night without Javier Morales, Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando, Juan Manuel Martinez or Jámison Olave AND WON thanks to contributions from 19 year old Justen Glad and 20 year old Jordan Allen. Joao Plata has scored or assisted in every game this season (3 goals, 3 assists). Last Week: 14
6. Montreal Impact (2-2-0) - Looked flat against Seattle on Saturday night. Drogba time? Last Week: 3
7. San Jose Earthquakes (2-1-1) - Needed some late game magic from Adam Jahn to salvage a draw with DC United, but that's the kind of thing good teams do, right? Last Week: 7
8. Toronto FC (1-2-1) - At least Jozy Altidore survived the week without any hamstring relapses. Still, a 1-0 result against the Rapids isn't good. Last Week: 5
9. Vancouver Whitecaps (2-2-1) - Great result against the Galaxy after losing Pedro Morales and Kekuta Manneh to injuries and Matías Laba to an early red card. Now let's see if their depth can sustain them moving forward. Last Week: 10
10. Philadelphia Union (2-2-0) - Tough break against the lowly Fire with Creavalle getting sent off. That was certainly a missed opportunity for easy points. Last Week: 9

Week 5 Rookie Watch

Draftees

3. Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia) - Started vs Chicago, 90 mins
6. Fabian Herbers (Philadelphia) - Sub vs Chicago, 12 mins
12. Jonathan Campbell (Chicago) - Started vs Philadelphia, 90 mins
51. Femi Hollinger-Janzen (New England) - Sub vs NYRB, 3 mins

Homegrowns

Jordan Morris (Seattle) - Sub vs Montreal, 33 mins

Jonathan Campbell helped the Chicago Fire to their first win of the 2016 MLS campaign with a 90 minute stint in central defense as the Fire shutout the Union, 1-0. Keegan Rosenberry went the full 90 minutes at right back in a losing effort for Philly. Jordan Morris came off the bench for the first time in 2016 on Saturday night and while he was on the field for Clint Dempsey's game winner, he wasn't involved in the game's only goal. Morris remains scoreless for the 1-3-0 Sounders.

Week 5 Notes

Tuesday March 29, 2016

Honduras 2 El Salvador 0 - World Cup Qualifying
Mexico 3 Canada 0 - World Cup Qualifying
Panama 1 Haiti 0 - World Cup Qualifying
Costa Rica 3 Jamaica 0 - World Cup Qualifying
Trinidad and Tobago 6 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 - World Cup Qualifying
United States 4 Guatemala 0 - World Cup Qualifying
Colombia U-23s 2 United States U-23s 1 - Olympic Qualifying

Friday April 1, 2016

New England Revolution 1 New York Red Bulls 0

Saturday April 2, 2016

Chicago Fire 1 Philadelphia Union 0
Colorado Rapids 1 Toronto FC 0
Real Salt Lake 2 Sporting Kansas City 1
FC Dallas 1 Columbus Crew 1
Seattle Sounders 1 Montreal Impact 0
Vancouver Whitecaps 0 LA Galaxy 0
San Jose Earthquakes 1 DC United 1

Sunday April 3, 2016

Orlando City SC 4 Portland Timbers 1

Notable Performances

Kaká - Orlando City vs Portland - 1 Goal, 2 Assists

Bobby Shuttleworth - New England vs NYRB - Shutout, 5 Saves
Stefan Frei - Seattle vs Montreal - Shutout, 4 Saves
David Ousted - Vancouver vs LA Galaxy - Shutout, 4 Saves
Matt Lampson - Chicago vs Philadelphia - Shutout, 3 Saves
Zac MacMath - Colorado vs Toronto - Shutout, 2 Saves
Brian Rowe - LA Galaxy vs Vancouver - Shutout, 2 Saves

Ejections

Benoît Cheyrou - Toronto FC vs Colorado - 13' Double Yellow, Unsporting Behavior
Warren Creavalle - Philadelphia vs Chicago - 47' Straight Red, Serious Foul
Felipe - NYRB vs New England - 61' Straight Red, Violent Conduct
Matías Laba - Vancouver vs LA Galaxy - 28' Straight Red, Serious Foul

Thoughts on Portland vs Orlando City SC

1. If you knew nothing about either of these teams, I'm betting you would not have been able to determine that the Timbers are the reigning league champs by watching this match. Orlando City just absolutely blew the doors off the Timbers last night, and the biggest reason was their big #10, Kaká. The Brazilian playmaker did not disappoint last night delivering a pinpoint free kick delivery to set up the first goal, a nifty 1-2 with Brek Shea for the second, and then coolly slotted home goal number three for good measure. Even better, when Kevin Molino was tripped up in the box, he made sure the young Trinidad and Tobago speedster got to take the spot kick for his first MLS goal. That's more than a world class footballer, that's a leader, and if Kaká is healthy and productive like that all year, the rest of the league should watch out. What's even more impressive was that City lost two starters to injuries in the opening 45 minutes - rookie of the year Cyle Larin and young center back Tommy Redding - and you couldn't tell. That's how good Orlando City was last night.


2. Lucas Melano is crazy fast... BUT, he continues to struggle to turn that speed into something productive. I remember watching him in last year's playoffs and while he was able to use his speed to get into good positions, he seldom capitalized on the opportunities he was given. Melano is still young (he just turned 23) so there's still time for him to clean up his finishing, but you have to wonder how long he can hold off Jack McInerney and Darren Mattocks if he doesn't start producing.


3. Where was Darlington Nagbe last night? I don't know if it was Orlando City's tactics, or Caleb Porter's lack of adjustments, but Darlington Nagbe was a complete non-factor in last night's blowout loss. There were extensive periods of the game where he just wasn't involved to the point where you almost forgot he was on the field. Everyone has bad days, but I expected more from the USMNT darling. And maybe that's our fault seeing how much hype Nagbe has gotten in recent months. We've built him up to be this world beater and maybe that's not him. Still, I'm hoping it was just a bad night for Nagbe and the Timbers, and that we'll see him bounce back next week.


4. Holy crap, Brek Shea. That goal was absolutely ridiculous. Is someone making a case for the U.S.'s left back job? If he can stay healthy (big if for Brek), he has to at least be in the conversation, right? I would venture that offensively speaking, there aren't a lot of left backs in the player pool who have the offensive skill set that Brek Shea has (once upon a time you could make a case for DaMarcus Beasley, but he's past his prime). Shea did, after all, score 11 goals for FC Dallas in 2011 and we saw him deliver twice for the U.S. during the 2013 Gold Cup (both game winners in 1-0 affairs) and two more times just last year against Chile and Switzerland. If he can shore up the defending, he'll at least be exciting to watch if nothing else.


5. Is anyone else surprised by how little love Jack McInerney gets? Jack Mack won't turn 24 until August, but he already has 40 goals in his MLS career. In his last 8 regular season MLS matches (following his trade from Montreal to Columbus), despite playing just 258 minutes (less than three full games) he has four goals and an assist. He has two goals this season despite logging just 87 minutes without the benefit of a start. So why no love for the guy? Despite his gaudy numbers, he's on his fourth team since 2014 and he hasn't been a regular starter since making 25 starts between the Union and Impact that season. Is the guy a huge jerk? Bad locker room guy? Whatever the issue, at some point, I'd like to see him get some more playing time.


6. It's obvious that Portland really misses Liam Ridgewell (and Jorge Villafaña). Jermaine Taylor is a solid defender, but he's not the game changer that Ridgewell has been for Portland, and I feel like Ridgewell's partnership with Nat Borchers was much more cohesive. That said, Taylor and Borchers haven't been together that long and things can change, but obviously this isn't the start to the season that the defending champs were hoping for.


7. Almost forgot to mention this, but Joe Bendik's denial of Fanendo Adi's first half penalty kick when the score was still 2-0 was probably the biggest play of the night. No disrespect to any of the amazing stuff Kaká did, but if Adi scores there right before halftime, it's a huge momentum changer and maybe City doesn't run away with this game early in the second half. It's an even bigger deal when you consider that Bendik had only stopped one kick out of 12 in his MLS career before that one, and bigger still because Bendik made his MLS debut with the Timbers in 2012 before getting traded to Toronto.


8. I thought it was somewhat comical when Alexi Lalas was talking about the chances of Brek Shea returning to the USMNT roster this summer, and he said something to the effect of: I know not to rule anyone out, except Benny Feilhaber. Poor guy. I do think Feilhaber has been treated just a bit harshly by Klinsmann. Granted, he's been injured so the recent qualifiers weren't up for debate, but to say he's not at an international level,' or whatever the language Klinsmann used, is a little harsh, right? We're talking about a player who scored 10 goals to go along with 15 assists last season in MLS. Michael Bradley and Darlington Nagbe COMBINED for 10 goals and 11 assists. Lee Nguyen and Mix Diskerud COMBINED for 10 goals and 11 assists. With chance creation an issue for the U.S., wouldn't you at least bring him in to push the players 'ahead of him' on the depth chart?

Friday, April 1, 2016

Equal Pay

So I just have a few quick thoughts on this issue, and I'll keep them brief because I don't have most of the details:


1) I wasn't aware that the players on the men's and women's national teams actually got paid at all. I mean, I assumed they got per diem and travel expenses covered and what not, but beyond that I was always under the assumption that the honor of playing for the National Team was compensation enough. That said, since apparently that's not the case, I agree that members of the men's and women's national teams should absolutely be paid the same.


2) And let's be clear, they should be paid the same regardless of how good either team is. The fact that the women are World Cup Champions and the men just failed to qualify for the Olympics should have no bearing on pay. And playing for the National Team should never be about the money, it should be about representing your country.


3) I'm a little surprised that the Men's National Team hasn't aligned themselves with the Women's National Team in this suit. I would assume that conversations were had between the two groups, wouldn't you? And I'll be honest, I think the women's case would get even more national attention if the Clint Dempseys and the Tim Howards and the Michael Bradleys were to come out and say, 'you're right, this isn't fair, we need to fix this.' You would think that would really put the pressure on U.S. Soccer to make a change. Maybe that's coming, we'll see.


4) I'll be honest, I'm disappointed that this situation has become national news. Don't get me wrong, the women's team has every right to make it national news, but why couldn't this get resolved at the lowest level? If the numbers are what the women's team claims they are, then what's the argument for U.S. Soccer not fixing the problem? And if they numbers aren't what the women's team claims, why not clarify that so the issue could be put to bed?