Despite an international fixture weekend, Week 4 of MLS is in full swing with seven games on Saturday and one game on Sunday. 

There are many interesting matches to discuss.  Here are a few of the more notable contests.

The Montreal Impact test their perfect campaign against a Red Bull side missing the services of Thierry Henry (injury) and Tim Cahill (international duty). 

Down in the nation's capital, D.C. United and their tight defense welcome the offensively gifted Columbus Crew. 

Out west, the San Jose Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders.  Will Obafemi Martins get the start for Seattle after a week of training? 

Two-time reigning MLS Cup champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy look to get back on track after last week's draw with Chivas USA.  They face the Colorado Rapids. 

Colorado's head coach Oscar Pareja is looking for his first win of the season. 

Nearly a month into MLS, the results this weekend will help shed light regarding the most in-form sides.   

However, it must also be noted that many of the league's best players will be missing due to commitments with national teams.

First up: D.C. United vs. Columbus Crew. 

All data comes from MLSSoccer.com, powered by Opta.

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Amongst the plethora of international matches on Friday, the New York Red Bulls made a crucial move to add depth to their goalkeeping ranks. 

The Red Bulls announced on their website that they signed Kevin Hartman, a longtime veteran of MLS at 38 years old, as cover while Ryan Meara is still out injured.

Before the signature of the former LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas keeper, the Red Bulls had Luis Robles and 17-year-old Santiago Castano as the only healthy keepers on their roster. 

Bringing in Hartman benefits all parties involved in the transaction. Hartman has been looking for a new team ever since his contract was not renewed by FC Dallas at the end of the 2012 season while the Red Bulls needed to bolster their depth at the position. 

The Red Bulls' first-choice keeper, Meara, has been out with a hip injury that he suffered last summer during the regular season.

The Red Bulls do not want to rush the progress of their keeper of the future, especially if they have two valuable keepers on the roster that are capable of playing at the highest level (via Talk). 

Robles has started the first three games of the season for the Red Bulls and has conceded five goals. If Robles is unable to hold down the fort in front of the goal, Hartman could slide into the starting role. 

As Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives points out, Hartman will see some familiar faces when he joins up with the Red Bulls as he will be playing with three former FC Dallas teammates. 

Other reactionary tweets showed plenty of concern for Meara's spot on the depth chart as the first-choice keeper.

Hartman, who will also serve as the goalkeeping development coach for the Red Bulls, has played over 400 matches since his 1997 debut with the Galaxy. 

The 38-year-old has two MLS Cups, two Supporters Shields and the 1999 Goalkeeper of the Year award. 

Follow me on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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Over the past few years, Major League Soccer has been growing rapidly, and there is talk of even further expansion.  The most likely target is Queens, New York (perhaps as a revival of Pele's Cosmos), but St. Louis, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego and Miami have also been mentioned as targets.  

However, I'd like to add one other city to MLS' list: El Paso, Texas.

El Paso is one of the largest cities in the country without any top-level sports teams, at 649,121. Only Austin has more people within its city limits. 

804,123 people live in the El Paso metro region, not that much in comparison to other American metros with sports teams. However, if you combine the population of the El Paso metro area with Southern New Mexico and Ciudad Juarez across the Rio Grande, the population balloons to over two-and-a-quarter million.  That's bigger than the media markets of many one-team cities.

And, mind you, there are people who cross international borders to regularly watch sporting events.  The Buffalo Sabres and Bills have substantial fanbases in Southern Ontario. 

Furthermore, not only is El Paso-Juarez of sufficient size to support a pro team, it doesn't have any nearby competition.  The closest cities with top-level teams are Phoenix and San Antonio.  Both are more than 400 miles from El Paso and neither of them have a top-tier soccer team.

Another factor in El Paso's favor is its large Mexican population.  With more than 500,000 people of Mexican descent on the American side of El Paso-Juarez, El Paso has one of the ten largest metropolitan areas in the States in terms of Mexican-American population.

There are teams throughout Europe and the Americas that draw primarily from a particular occupation or ethnic group. MLS was successful in that regard with Chivas USA partnering with CD Guadalajara, and I see no reason why they couldn't do the same with El Paso partnering with Cruz Azul or Club América. 

Demographic factors aren't the only argument for a team in El Paso: it's not like El Paso is a stranger to professional soccer.  The minor-league Patriots have called the city home for over two decades, including for several years in the A-League (the soccer equivalent of the AAA circuit).  One of the Patriots' stablemates in the A-League were the Portland Timbers, who of course are now a successful MLS expansion franchise.

MLS in El Paso: it's an idea whose time has finally come.

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It has been a month since Landon Donovan emerged from his self-imposed "break" from soccer, and by all accounts, he is scheduled to rejoin the LA Galaxy next week. The 30-year-old midfielder is the all-time leader in goals and assists for the U.S. National Team and has racked up five MLS Cups throughout his career.

But as Donovan begins to transition out of the prime of his career, there is a perception that he has not lived up to his full potential. The perception stems from his balking at playing in Europe (multiple times). The fact that Donovan has not spent more of his career in Europe leaves many American fans wondering if he has underachieved.

In his recent de-facto press conference at the USC School of Journalism, Donovan admitted that he is burned out from the game, but also implied that he is burned out by the pressure of being an American star. By all accounts, Donovan is a thoughtful, articulate guy, so nobody can discount his comments, but at the same time the pressure he faces is minimal compared to that of his former teammate David Beckham, or New York Red Bull star Thierry Henry.

Maybe it is naive to think that at this point in the United States soccer culture we can produce a player at the caliber of Beckham or Henry. But the reason why Donovan can be considered an underachiever, even as a four-time winner of the U.S. Player of the Year Award, is that he does not want the necessary responsibility of being a star player. And that’s fine. It’s his life, and Donovan certainly does not owe the American soccer fan anything. But it leaves us to wonder: What does it say about soccer in the United States when a player with this mentality also happens to unequivocally be the most accomplished player in American soccer history?

Regardless of how Donovan treats the last chapter of his career, his recent self-imposed exile should make us all take a step back and assess what we expect from our American stars. Sure, Donovan may not be the "chosen one," but in his time American soccer fans have been quick to anoint other promising stars (Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, and recently Juan Agudelo) as game-changing players, without making them prove it on a consistent basis. Maybe if we had demanded that of Donovan, he would have never felt burdened by whatever expectations he felt were being placed on him.

So if/when Donovan returns, maybe we should appreciate him for who he is. A great American player, who proved in spurts that he could excel at the European game, but ultimately did not make a serious dent in the global landscape. His return to the LA Galaxy, or the U.S. National Team for that matter, will not change the course of American soccer. He is just another attacking option, like Clint Dempsey or Jozy Altidore, and in the long run the United States will probably need five or six Landon Donovans to be considered a true global force. Let’s just hope that when they come around, we see them for what they are, and rate them accordingly. 

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Tim Howard should return stateside and sign with an MLS club.

It not only is best for American soccer, but more importantly, it is what is best for him.

Let's begin with its impact on American soccer.

Howard is one of the most recognizable faces for the national team, and one of its most beloved players. Yet, the majority of fans stateside only get to see his mug in those few choice games. They do not actively hunt down Everton games just to watch Howard play.

It would be a feather in the cap of the MLS to nab not only one of soccer's best keepers, but also one of the most popular American soccer stars.

As the MLS continues to grow its fan base, it is important to grab every star available. The David Beckham and Thierry Henry signings illustrate this point well. In spite of these guys being past their prime, it was important that the MLS brought them over.

It bolsters the image of the league. That, in turn, excites the youth to watch and pick up the game. It is a ripple effect that could lead to more American-bred soccer stars in the decades to come. The growth of the MLS' is important to the future success of U.S. Soccer.

Now, let's switch gears and talk about why this is a good move for Howard.

Howard is no spring chicken. He is 34 years old. Making the move to the MLS will undoubtedly help him in his later years, but the wear and tear on his body has taken its toll. Howard is currently sidelined after breaking two bones in his back.

While he has been between the posts virtually non-stop, that would change if he played in the MLS. His stature would give him more control, meaning he would be able to take time away and rest when he needs. With the 2014 World Cup potentially looming for the national team, that should be his focus.

Howard has made more than 40 appearances at the club level on top of his national team duties in each of the past five seasons. In 2009-2010, he appeared in more than 50 matches for Everton, but as his career enters its final stages, he needs to lessen his workload.

The return to the MLS would be a mutually beneficial move that could prolong his career and be a win-win for everyone. He can help the league continue its domestic growth and be back home. Meanwhile he would have more control and leverage in his return.

Is it a must that he comes back? No, but it would ultimately be the right career move and it is time for one of the most prominent members of the national team to come home.

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It has become tradition each summer that the MLS All-Stars face a top club from Europe. This match is always an entertaining affair. Last season, the MLS outfit beat Chelsea, 3-2, in a simmering contest.   

Considering the MLS side and their success against one of the best teams in Europe, it is always a fun debate to discuss how an MLS best 11 side might fare in the English Premier League. Although there is no way to know for sure, after examining who would be on the team and how they would play, it is possible that an MLS best 11 would finish in the top eight. 

First things first, the coach of the team would have to be the American coaching legend, Bruce Arena.  Arena’s tactics have always been clear. He is a master at utilizing the strength of his players. The most dangerous part of this side would be the front-runners.

Apologies to Chris Wondolowski, but the strike partnership of Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane is too appetizing to pass up. The pair has had success in spades in the Premier League and they are both playing at a high level for their respective clubs. Imagine the movement and runs these two would make. This would be a highly intelligent front line. 

Onto the midfield: not enough of a sample to include Diego Valeri just yet, although he might find himself in the squad soon enough. The team would be best served in a traditional diamond midfield formation. Despite Kyle Beckerman’s forever dependable work, the nod for defensive midfielder goes to Osvaldo Alonso. His athleticism would be critical against the Premier League’s best.

The wide-left role goes to another tested Premier League player, Landon Donovan. The wide-right role belongs to a player who will likely have options to play overseas if he chooses very soon, Sporting Kansas City’s own Graham Zusi.

The attacking-midfield spot is reserved for league veteran and Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario.

This midfield is rich going forward. Pace and skill on the wings, finishing and vision from the attacking players and a ball-hawk in the hole. Very formidable. 

The center-back partnership of Victor Bernardez and Jamison Olave would be flanked by Montreal’s Hassoun Camara and the Galaxy’s Todd Dunivant. 

In the net is the forever dependable Real Salt Lake goalkeeper, Nick Rimando.

The backs might struggle with some of quicker-playing teams. The overall athleticism of the MLS group can be called into question but in terms of being able to match skill, this group would competitive. 

For style of play, options are aplenty for the MLS group. Arena could play through the middle, feeding De Rosario and and allowing him the license to create for wingers and front-runners; or the team could focus on the pace and ability they have on the wings. Either way, they would score goals. 

Yes, there would be matches in which the team would struggle against the top clubs. Overall, though, this is 11 professionals capable of handling their business against the best in the world.

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Week 3 of MLS featured the first ever “Rivalry Weekend,” a weekend filled with fixtures dedicated entirely to the rivalries sprinkled throughout the league.  Overall, MLS deserves credit for creating a unique way to thank and acknowledge the passionate fans and groups that make the league tick.  

In total, 17 goals were scored.  Of the nine matches, 67 percent ended with a draw (six).  No one player was the most prolific goalscorer on the weekend, as there were no multiple-goal efforts.  Two games, New York vs. D.C and Kansas City vs. Chicago, ended without a goal. 

The most wild match of the weekend came in Texas, as FC Dallas let a two-goal lead evaporate, only to have it salvaged by Kenny Cooper’s controversial late winner. 

A few themes emerged.  Here some of the best and worst, starting with the best.

The Best:

Rookies Make an Impact:  Three rookies got the first ever goals of their respective MLS careers, Deshorn Brown of the Colorado Rapids, Andrew Driver of the Houston Dynamo and Carlos Alvarez of Chivas USA. 

Brown’s was the result of an innate striker’s anticipation, stripping a poor touch off Chris Schuler of Real Salt Lake and burying his solo effort.

Driver blasted a loose ball just beneath the crossbar.  His effort sparked what could have been a potential comeback had Kenny Cooper not scored a late game-winning goal.  Regardless, Driver showed his class and instinct, seizing a partially open-goal chance and striking with accuracy. 

Alvarez made an intelligent run to the far post and calmly side-footed the late game-tying goal.

Kyle Bekker of Toronto FC put in a solid 30 minute shift in midfield for the Reds and Andrew Farrell of New England is showing why he was such a hot prospect in the draft.  Farrell was all over the entire right flank against Philadelphia.

Steve Zakuani’s Game: When Steve Zakuani broke his leg a few years ago, there were concerns he would never walk again.  Let alone regain his explosive speed and power, two traits that made him one of the best players in the league at the time.

After returning to action last season, it seems like Zakuani has finally regained his unique form.  His assist to Eddie Johnson during Saturday’s Cascadia match suggests as much.  Zakuani intercepted a simple midfield pass and took off down the left flank.  He barreled past defenders; taking big touches out in front of himself, as pacey players do and served a cross on a platter to a streaking Johnson. 

Poetry in motion, textbook wide-play and proof that one of the most dynamic wingers in league history is back to his old tricks.

The Montreal Impact Remain Perfect: The Montreal Impact provided more evidence that they are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference this season, nabbing a third win and remaining perfect on the season. 

The Impact are a side acutely aware of who they are and how they want to play.  They sport a veteran back line, with leaders prolific.  Their midfield is clear in how each players is to operate and their strikers are exactly that, pure scorers.  They are a team in the truest definition of the word.  That fact, makes them a great watch.  

The Worst:

How Goals Were Scored: Goals from creative, build-up soccer were missing this weekend.  Of the 17 goals scored, two were from penalties, three followed corners and one came from a set-piece situation.  The goals that did come from the run of play were more the result of defensive errors, broken plays or individual offensive efforts; rather than team soccer and high-volume passing sequences. 

Chicago Fire’s Offense: The Fire deserve credit for earning their first point of the season, a 0-0 road draw against their rival, Sporting Kansas City.  However, there are issues on offense which continue to emerge.  They went another week without scoring.  They were rarely dangerous, mustering up a scant seven total shots and only managing to put one on target.

Unlike Montreal, their tactics do not appear clear.  Chris Rolfe looked like their best threat on the day but rarely did they offer him service in the attacking third of the pitch.

They have the talent on the flanks in Patrick Nyarko and Dilly Duka but wide-play was mostly-missing, as they only pumped in 5 crosses. 

Clearly, they will not be competitive if they are unable to score goals. 

No Goals After Dominating Play:  It is frustrating to watch teams dominate a match for 90 minutes without justifying their play with a goal.  This was the case for the New York Red Bulls and Sporting Kansas City 

Both played in similar matches.  They had the ball for a majority, peppered the opponent with shots, had near misses, big chances and were incapable scoring.

D.C. United and Chicago Fire sat back and made numbers behind the ball a priority.  This is a justifiable tactic and is prudent on the road.  However, both were broken down on numerous occasions, only to be bailed out by great goalkeeping or near misses.

New York and Kansas City deserved more.  More proof that soccer is the cruelest game on the planet.

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The third week of the Major League Soccer season was deemed as Rivalry Week by the league before the season started.

With plenty of passion and hatred out on the pitches of the United States and Canada this weekend, MLS fans were treated to a very competitive slate of nine games.

Six of the nine games resulted in draws with Philadelphia, Montreal and FC Dallas being the only victorious teams this weekend. 

The deadlock of results made it difficult for our voters to determine who should be ranked where this week.

Here are the final results from out experts' voting after the third week of MLS play. 

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The Los Angeles Galaxy will be ruing the fact that they had to settle for a 1-1 draw with rivals Chivas USA in a heated LA derby at the Home Depot Center on Sunday.

Bruce Arena's team enjoyed the lion's share of possession throughout the 90 minutes. Robbie Keane looked to be in the mood as well, which usually does not bode well for Galaxy opponents.

Of the teams' 25 meetings throughout this rivalry, Chivas have secured a non-loss result just nine times.

Further damning for new coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola was the fact that by the 40th minute his side was down to 10 men. Joaquin Oscar Velazquez was shown his second yellow card and given his marching orders for a clumsy challenge on Galaxy midfielder Colin Clark.

Chivas, the visitors on the day, were able to hold their opponents at bay for the remainder of the half.

In the second half, the Galaxy were sloppy and failed to convert any of the handful of chances that they were given. Numerous times the back post was left wide open, waiting for an attacker to get on the end of one of the many crosses fired in from the flanks.

Chivas was doing an equally good job on the counterattack, creating chances despite being shorthanded.

What was most astonishing about the 10 man Chivas side was that they appeared to be stronger than some of the other MLS sides have been this season. 

Carlos Alvarez came on at halftime and began to torment the reigning champions with his movement and his speed.

Finally, in the 83rd minute, Jack McBean broke the deadlock after a bit of marvelous play from A.J. DeLaGarza. The defender broke down the right flank and did well to hold the ball up for just enough time before firing a cross into the box that McBean hit home at the near post.

It was McBean's second goal in as many games.

After McBean's late goal, the Galaxy defense appeared to switch off. They were made to pay for their mistake.

Chivas looked to be devastated by conceding a late goal after holding their opponents at bay for so long, yet somehow they found the desire to attack the home side and fight for a point. 

Chivas did well to break down the field through Eric Avila, who smashed the ball across the box, only for Alvarez to tap the ball into the wide-open net. Their perseverance paid dividends. 

The Galaxy will be feeling regret for not focusing in the final minutes. Even worse were all the chances they had throughout the 90 minutes that they didn't capitalize on.

If the Galaxy are going to repeat as champions this season, they are going to have to find a way to be more clinical in front of goal.

As for Chivas USA, anyone familiar with the team will see that the manager is having an effect on the side. Their determination and mental strength was fantastic, despite playing the majority of the match with only 10 men.

The LA derby proved to be the most exciting Galaxy game of the season so far. If future matches play out similarly, the SuperClasico may become one of the premier rivalries in the MLS.

Jake Little is an LA Galaxy season ticket holder. He can be found on twitter @jakelittle. 

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D.C. United spoiled the New York Red Bulls home opener on Saturday afternoon, earning a 0-0 draw largely through the spectacular efforts of their goalkeeper Bill Hamid.

The matchup was the first game on tap for Major League Soccer’s rivalry week and, despite the scoreline, provided more than its fair share of excitement.

New York clearly dominated the contest, out-possessing D.C. United 57 percent to 43 percent, respectively, and outshooting their rivals 24-4.

However, D.C.’s defense held strong through most of the contest and was saved from danger when it did break down through several spectacular efforts from Hamid.

Hamid’s remarkable effort had to be particularly satisfying for him after his bungled own-goal howler and sending off in last year’s D.C. United-New York playoff series nearly cost his team a chance at playing for the Eastern Conference championship.

Hamid was busy right from the get go, parrying away a beautiful effort from Thierry Henry in only the eighth minute.

Then, right before the half, Hamid had a nice punch on a long service into D.C. United’s box.

In the second half, Hamid picked up right where he had left off. In the 67th minute, he impressively swatted away a chance by Tim Cahill as Cahill got on the end of a beautiful Red Bulls cross to the back post.

Finally, in stoppage time, Hamid had his most important save, preserving the shutout with a stunningly athletic effort pawing a ball headed for the net off his own goal line.

For New York’s part, again despite the draw, they put together their best effort of the 2013 season on Saturday.

From the opening whistle, Henry was active, creating chances for himself and his teammates with superb runs, touches and passes.

However, both Henry and New York struggled throughout the game to take advantage of their opportunities.

In the 24th minute, Henry put in a cross for Fabian Espindola, but Espindola’s header was stopped by the crossbar.

In the 32nd minute, Henry got on the end of a long ball in behind D.C.’s defense, but took a poor first touch and lost the initiative.

In the 52nd minute, Henry put Espindola in on goal, but Espindola took his first touch into traffic and the chance was snuffed out by D.C. United.

In the 56th minute, Espindola brilliantly danced through two D.C. defenders in the area and hit a cracker of a shot—only to be denied once again by the crossbar.

In the 58th minute, Henry found himself in behind D.C.’s defense once again, but skied his left-footed attempt well over the goal.

In the 74th minute, Henry found himself behind D.C.’s defense for a third time, but Brandon McDonald was quick to recover and blocked Henry’s shot.

The combination of Espindola and Henry’s efforts should give the Red Bulls continued hope that they can have a successful season, but they are now winless in three games. And although Henry easily had his best game so far in the 2013 season, he looked frustrated with himself throughout the contest. He appeared to have the look of someone who is realizing that he can no longer play at the level that made him an international superstar.

Tim Cahill also continues to look like a shadow of his former self, being culpable on three of New York's biggest wasted chances of the night.

On a positive note for New York, midfielder Dax McCarty had a great game for the Red Bulls, breaking up D.C.’ attacks, starting possession out of the back for New York and even getting into the attack on several occasions.

D.C. United, despite earning the tie, has to be worried about their continued lack of offensive production so far in 2013. In three games, United has only scored one goal.

Even with the return from suspension of attacking midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, D.C. United’s offense was non-existent for most of the match.

D.C. United only created two solid chances on the night.

In the 10th minute, Chris Pontius toe-poked a ball forward for De Rosario who was able to beat New York goalkeeper Luis Robles to the ball. However, Robles, outside his box, managed to stand De Rosario up long enough for help to arrive behind him.

D.C.’s other good chance came off another De Rosario-Pontius connection in the 59th minute when Pontius took a De Rosario pass and used a deft touch to turn the New York defense. However, Robles was once again quick off his line and smothered Pontius’ shot.

Both teams will be looking for better efforts as they head into Week Four.

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