MLS News
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Monday, 03 August 2015 00:36 |
The 22nd week of play in Major League Soccer was by far the craziest of the year to date. Forty-one goals hit the back of the net across 10 matches, including 10 strikes in one game on a wild Saturday night.
One of the scoring bonanzas on Saturday night happened at the Citrus Bowl, as Cyle Larin led Orlando City to a blowout win over Columbus. The Rookie of the Year frontrunner is joined by two of his teammates in the best XI from Week 22.
The six-goal outburst from D.C. United in their win over Real Salt Lake allowed two of the club's players to make the list, while Vancouver also added a pair to this side following its Cascadia Cup win over Seattle.
Due to the lack of standout play at right-back, we opted to fill our 4-1-3-2 formation with two left-backs. Other than that small switch, each player in the MLS Team of the Week fits into his regular spot.
Continue reading to see who was named to the Week 22 edition of the MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Thursday, 30 July 2015 19:51 |
MLS defeated Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Wednesday in the 20th edition of the All-Star Game.
It was also the 11th meeting against an international opponent since 2005. However, the likes of Goal.com's Ives Galarcep has called for a change to the competition.
The East vs. West format was suggested by Galarcep, which is plausible, but there a few other noteworthy ideas.
Here are five alternative formats to the MLS All-Star Game. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Wednesday, 29 July 2015 17:06 |
They love Didier Drogba already in Montreal. The Chelsea legend arrived in the city on Wednesday as the newest member of Major League Soccer's Montreal Impact. Canadian fans gave him a hero's welcome at the airport and sang the Ivorian striker's song. Naturally, there were selfies. Drogba himself shared the awesome scene (and the selfie) as he arrived. [Instagram, Montreal Impact] Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Wednesday, 29 July 2015 09:00 |
Overseas teams have had a mixed time of it in the MLS All-Star game over the years. Since 2005, when the format of facing an invited guest became the norm, the All-Star team have won six out of 10 clashes.
Most recently, the MLS All-Stars overcame Bayern Munich 2-1 in 2014. The latest challengers to the best MLS can offer are Tottenham Hotspur, who will face off with the All-Stars in Colorado on Wednesday.
With Spurs hoping to find some momentum ahead of the new Premier League season, it should be an entertaining and intense occasion.
Read on for full details of the matchup, along with a look at the form guide and various predictions.
Date: Wednesday, July 29
Time: 9 p.m. ET, 2 a.m. BST
TV Info: Fox Sports 1 (US), Sky Sports 1 (UK)
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go, Sky Go
Form Guide
As noted above, the MLS All-Stars have a decent record against overseas opponents. However, despite winning the first four clashes from 2005, a loss on penalties to Everton in 2009 kick-started a drop off in success.
The following two years saw them thrashed twice by Manchester United before Chelsea were narrowly beaten 3-2 in 2012.
The victory over Bayern—a good omen ahead of this year's clash—came following a 3-1 defeat to Roma.
Though nominally a friendly—and the two teams seemed on good terms at Monday's press conference, per MLSsoccer.com's Arielle Castillo—there is little doubt that Wednesday will see a very competitive clash at Dick's Sporting Goods Park:
Added intrigue comes from the fact that one of the All-Stars—Clint Dempsey—is a former Spurs player and will want to put in a good performance against his old club.
As far as the north London outfit are concerned, the All-Star game is their first official pre-season match, with a clash against Manchester United on the first day of the new season awaiting.
Their most recent outings came in post-season friendlies back in May when they narrowly beat a Malaysia XI and Sydney FC by a single goal.
Harry Kane scored all three of Spurs' goals in those two clashes, and manager Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping the Englishman maintains the thrilling form he showed in front of goal last term.
Predictions
All-Star games have, historically, been heavy on goals. Wednesday's clash should be no different, as the attacking talent on show is impressive.
The All-Stars roster boasts the likes of Dempsey, David Villa, Sebastian Giovinco and Kaka, while Kane will be supported by Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Mousa Dembele.
Former Premier League stars like Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard were also scheduled to take part, but as noted by James Andrew of the MailOnline, they have been withdrawn because of injury problems. It's a major shame for the former, another ex-Spurs man, who has been in superb recent form:
But there's still plenty for American supporters to get excited about. Villa and Giovinco have both also been flying of late, and currently sit on 12 and 13 goals, respectively, for the MLS season, per WhoScored.com.
The All-Stars will have their chances, as Pochettino will be looking to experiment with various formations and combinations as he prepares for the new season.
But such is the quality of Spurs, they will also cause problems for the MLS side, especially if Kane and Eriksen can link up again as they did last season.
At the home of the Colorado Rapids, and with the All-Stars' history in this game, the MLS side will narrowly prevail in a high-scoring match. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Wednesday, 29 July 2015 02:50 |
Los Angeles Galaxy duo Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane, as well as Toronto FC's Michael Bradley, will miss the MLS All-Stars match against Tottenham Hotspur through injury.
Coach Pablo Mastroeni will have to do without three significant players, all of whom were likely to start, when Spurs visit Denver on Wednesday night, reported James Andrew of the MailOnline. This disappointment adds to the absence of New York City FC's Frank Lampard and New England Revolution's Chris Tierney.
However, Mastroeni's squad now welcomes two of Galaxy's most exciting players in Juninho and Gyasi Zardes. The Denver crowd will also get to see local favourite Sam Cronin of the Colorado Rapids in action, while Columbus Crew pair Ethan Finlay and Waylon Francis have also been added to the squad.
Spurs' visit would have been a familiar challenge for Gerrard, Keane and Lampard, three former Premier League stars who are well-versed with facing one of England's toughest sides. Keane enjoyed two hugely successful spells with the club, and having found a new lease of life since moving to the United States, he would have offered the All-Stars' most prominent threat.
Although Gerrard and Lampard are still settling after their recent transfers, their experience could have been key. There's the age-old question of whether the pair can play together in England—often asked because they produced an underwhelming partnership for the national team—so we're not going to receive any answers on Wednesday.
This encounter is Spurs' penultimate pre-season fixture prior to facing Manchester United in the Premier League opener on Aug. 8. Mauricio Pochettino's men finished fifth last season, largely thanks to the incredible output of youngster Harry Kane. The 22-year-old scored 21 goals last term, with only Manchester City's Sergio Aguero netting more.
Spurs' DeAndre Yedlin, who signed from Seattle Sounders earlier this year, will be familiar to American audiences. He shot to prominence after a fantastic 2014 World Cup and recently took time to answer questions about the upcoming match, per Spurs' Twitter account:
Ex-Tottenham man Clint Dempsey, who didn't enjoy the best of times at White Hart Lane, will also be looking to impact the match against his old team.
MLS All-Stars secured a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich last year after losing 3-1 to Italian side Roma in 2013. Spurs will come to play attacking, well-organised football with plenty of overlapping runs down the wings.
While Mastroeni's preparation may have been severely impacted by late omissions from the team, he should also look to get numbers forward on the break. Spurs struggled against counter-attacking sides last season and are prone to getting stuck in first gear if Kane and Christian Eriksen become isolated. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 28 July 2015 17:42 |
Didier Drogba signing with the Montreal Impact, per the team's official website, was well-received based on the comments in the announcement.
Fans should be pleased with this move. Drogba may have only been offered an 18-month contract, according to ESPN FC, but it could have a lasting impression on soccer in Montreal.
Drogba is 37 years old, which is a slight worry. In his final season with Chelsea last year, it was evident how much slower he was compared to his previous swansong in the 2012 Champions League final.
A forward's speed declines with age. Marco Di Vaio was clearly not as agile during his final season in Serie A, but he was still quick enough to score an astounding 34 goals in 76 appearances with the Impact.
In fact, Di Vaio was 37 when he finished third in scoring in 2013 with 20 goals. He was a major influence during Montreal's run to the playoffs that year.
Di Vaio and Drogba are different players, but the Ivorian forward is in incredible shape. He'll still be able to muscle off defenders and win aerial duels. Plus, with a quality playmaker in Ignacio Piatti, the ex-Chelsea striker will have excellent service.
Throw in wingers such as Andres Romero, Dilly Duka and Justin Mapp (when healthy), and Drogba will have chances to score.
He'll also mentor the younger forwards such as Jack McInerney and Cameron Porter. Drogba is the perfect role model for any striker.
The Drogba signing will be even more influential off the pitch.
Drogba is one of the world's most iconic strikers of the last decade, and he'll be more loved and accepted by the supporters thanks to his ability to speak French. A superstar such as this in Montreal is significant for the player, the Impact and the city itself. Drogba will be able to communicate in his native tongue, which was a deciding factor in him signing in Montreal, per Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC.
The Impact not only get a striker who will likely score double-digit goals, but he'll attract fans to Stade Saputo. Montreal's average attendance is 15,769, per ESPN FC. Surely Drogba will boost that figure in the final months of the season.
The key to this move is how the Impact perform. If the team makes the playoffs and plays an attractive style, the casual fans who attend a game to see Drogba might be hooked. It doesn't matter where a club plays; as long as it wins, support will be there.
Before the Impact's season began, owner Joey Saputo was lamenting the lack of attention on the team in February, per Bill Beacon of the Canadian Press:
The buzz is not there anymore. Not only for the CONCACAF game, I can say the buzz for the Impact is not there. That worries me a lot. If people are saying 'Let's see what kind of team we have before buying season tickets,' I can say we did our part. We changed the team. We saw what wasn't working last year. We brought in 11 new players. The 12th player, our fans, is tougher to sign.
Saputo definitely made an abundance of changes to the squad to improve the team. What followed was a magical run to the CONCACAF Champions League final with record crowds packing the Olympic Stadium.
Marc Bergevin, the general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, wished good luck to the Impact prior to the all-important second leg against Club America. Fans were dreaming of an unprecedented continental title. The buzz was back until the Mexican giants emerged victorious.
Now Montreal has made another splash. Drogba will arrive in Montreal on Wednesday. When he does, the buzz that Saputo craved back in February could be here to stay.
Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @GalindoPW. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 28 July 2015 09:00 |
New York City midfielder Frank Lampard will miss the MLS All-Stars game against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday because of the calf injury that has kept him out of action for his new club.
However, the likes of Steven Gerrard and David Villa will be involved, as will former Spurs star Robbie Keane.
The match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Denver, Colorado, marks the official start to Spurs' pre-season campaign as they look ahead to the upcoming Premier League season.
Read on for a full preview of what is sure to be an intriguing clash, along with a look at the key players, live streaming and television information.
Date: Wednesday, July 29
Time: 9 p.m. ET, 2 a.m. BST
TV Info: Fox Sports 1 (U.S.), Sky Sports 1 (UK)
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go, Sky Go
Preview
Lampard has been replaced in the All-Stars roster by New York Red Bulls skipper Dax McCarty, who admitted to being "humbled" by the inclusion, per his club:
The full 22-man squad can be found at the MLS website and includes numerous stars who have lit up the league so far this season.
Toronto FC's Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco is included, and he will be a significant threat to the Spurs goal, having netted five times in his last three MLS outings, per WhoScored.com.
U.S. men's national team stalwarts like Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley will also be looking to make a significant impact following their recent semi-final defeat at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Dempsey joins Keane as former Spurs players who will be facing their old club, and the Irishman is relishing the challenge to take on the north London outfit, per the club's website:
The All Star game is a big occasion for the league and something you see over here in basketball, baseball and NFL.
Every player in the MLS wants to be involved in this game.
This is a special one for me because it’s against Tottenham, my club, the club where I felt I made my name and had a big impact.
Everyone knows Spurs is a club very close to my heart, so this is a big deal for me.
Keane has been consistently excellent for LA Galaxy and has netted two hat-tricks recently, and Spurs will have to marshal their former man effectively if they are to neutralise his threat.
Harry Kane will likely be leading the line for Spurs in Colorado following his breakout season in the Premier League in 2014-15.
He is joined in the travelling party by Christian Eriksen, Hugo Lloris and Nacer Chadli, while newcomers Kevin Wimmer and Kieran Trippier could also be involved, per MailOnline's Simeon Gholam.
Mauricio Pochettino's men were greeted by enthusiastic supporters on their arrival in the U.S. on Sunday:
There will be no place for Emmanuel Adebayor, who did not travel and could be on his way to Aston Villa, per the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show (h/t talkSPORT's Alex Varney).
Spurs, yet again, failed to make it into the Champions League for the coming season as they finished fifth in the Premier League in 2014-15.
They have a high-quality squad but need to make good preparations in the MLS All-Stars match as they look ahead to a clash with Manchester United on the opening day of the season.
The All-Stars side will be eager to get one over on the Premier League outfit and will provide a stiff challenge.
With the amount of attacking talent on display, there should be plenty of goals to make for an entertaining match. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Tuesday, 28 July 2015 01:25 |
As the calendar flips from July to August and the races for the Supporters' Shield and the six playoff spots in each conference heat up, the league's top players are rounding into form.
After Week 21, seven players had a legitimate case to be the top man in the MLS Player Rankings. Four forwards in the Golden Boot race and three impressive midfielders who have played well for their respective sides were in consideration for the No. 1 spot.
Following a long process where the small details were considered, David Villa edged out Sebastian Giovinco and Robbie Keane for the top spot based on his form in front of net over the last month.
Our player rankings take into account form over the last four matches, with the player's most recent performance holding more stock than the other three.
Continue reading on to see who landed where in the MLS Player Rankings. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Monday, 27 July 2015 22:47 |
Several MLS teams picked up significant wins this past weekend which have drastically altered the power rankings.
FC Dallas recorded a lopsided 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers to stay on top of the Western Conference.
One of the biggest surprises was the Houston Dynamo, who dominated the defending champion LA Galaxy at home.
Another wild affair involved Toronto FC as it overcame a three-goal deficit to tie the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
New York City FC and Orlando City SC combined to score eight goals in the highest-scoring match of the round.
With all of this in mind, here are the latest MLS power rankings. Begin Slideshow Source: Click Here
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MLS News
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Saturday, 18 July 2015 08:21 |
MLS may have one of Mexico's most talented players in Giovani dos Santos, but there's another Mexican forward who will make his league debut this month in Erick Torres.
Torres' arrival has gone under the radar thanks to Dos Santos' move to the LA Galaxy, but the former could well be more integral to his new team.
The Dynamo are in eighth place in the Western Conference and are six points away from a playoff spot. Houston's defending has prevented the team from moving up the standings, but its attack has also been a major problem.
Now that Torres has joined, the Dynamo have another clinical striker who will be able to finish chances. Houston has been shut out seven times in 19 games and recorded multiple goals in just six matches. The Texan side won five of those six contests.
The Dynamo has a solid option in Will Bruin, who has scored eight goals in 18 appearances. However, he has mustered just 13 shots on target, per the official MLS website.
Bruin is a solid striker, but having quality depth is important in MLS. Torres scored 15 goals in 29 games for a lackluster Chivas USA side in 2014. He also took 95 shots last season, which ranked ninth in the league that year, per the official league website.
Generating shots has been a huge issue for the Dynamo. No team has recorded fewer attempts on target than Houston's 64 this season, according to the league's official website.
This is where Torres can help. He's a smart and strong forward who can score in the air and with his feet. With Davis out wide and Barnes in behind, all the 22-year-old has to do is make runs and finish the chances.
The only issue for the Dynamo is Torres' fitness. He played just five games for Chivas in Mexico during his loan. Houston head coach Owen Coyle will have to manage his minutes accordingly as the Mexican eases back into a starting role.
Torres could make his debut in the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, per Tom Dart of the official Dynamo website. However, the player isn't in a rush to play right away:
I did two double sessions, meaning I trained twice a day, then single sessions during the rest of the week. I feel I’m ready but it’s one thing to train and it’s another thing to come into a team and fully integrate yourself. A team has its own way of doing things, its own philosophy, so it’s going to be a matter of coming in and making sure I’m fully adjusted.
Torres also has to learn Coyle's system and develop chemistry with his new teammates. This will come with time, so if he struggles initially, the fans shouldn't fret too much.
Ironically, Torres could get his first start against Dos Santos and the Galaxy. The former Chivas forward was reportedly interested in playing for LA before he signed with Houston, so he'll have extra motivation in this match.
Houston might be out of the playoffs right now, but if Torres can replicate his 2014 form with Chivas USA, the Dynamo could squeak into the postseason.
If Torres starts regularly and scores with consistency, it could lead to a return to the Mexico national team, where he'd link up with Dos Santos.
Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @GalindoPW. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com Source: Click Here
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