A decade or more ago the FIFA franchise was driven forward on an ethos of regular and fundamental change. Pro Evolution Soccer, in its various forms, came along and took a different approach, creating new versions with a hammer and chisel instead of the dynamite used at EA Sports. FIFA‘s ever-increasing realism (and licensed names) meant that one type of football fan would remain loyal.

But supporters aren’t always blinded by realistic graphics, bought-in music and snazzy celebrations. PES carved an existence from better game-play than its big-name competitor and steady incremental improvement year on year.

Now, FIFA is at last winning its battle with PES for the hearts and minds of football’s console gamers. Last year’s incarnation broke down walls; I took on reviewing duties for Soccerlens as a hardcore PES player and FIFA 10 (review) turned me in an evening. Finally, FIFA is combining everything that is good about the franchise and applying to it a process of evolution, not revolution.

In other words, FIFA 11 is very, very good.

Earlier this week I played an early version of the new game and, despite being unable at that stage to play the much-vaunted goalkeeper mode, it was remarkably bug-free.

Let’s get the one criticism out of the way first: the referees, as they are with almost every football game, are a little bit petty for my tastes. Thankfully, it seems as if fewer of the many free kicks awarded for unintentional clips or clumsy shoulder barges now also result in a yellow card. I still find the giving of free kicks for the vast majority of contact incidents to be too fussy, but then that’s true of real football too.

Elsewhere, the realism mentioned above is now quite unnerving. The most exciting thing about that is that I don’t just mean it’s all shiny and Wayne Rooney looks like Wayne Rooney (he does), I mean that the graphics, the game-play, the experience are all startlingly realistic. And then, of course, there is the wonderfully satisfying sound made by the ball hitting the net. Eventually I got to hear this from the inside of the net as well as the side.

The little touches that make a game of FIFA ever more like playing inside a television broadcast are a nice hat tip to the gods of steady progress. In FIFA 11 occasional statistical information is overlaid on the screen underneath the scoreline, offering updates on shots on target, fouls and so on. Constant statistical overload isn’t really my viewing method of choice in the real world, but it’s good for inter-opponent rivalry so I’m all for it here.

The whole look of the new game is striking, but for me the most important feature – and the feature upon which EA has built rather than rebuilt – is the smoothness and flexibility with which the ball is played around the pitch. The little nuances in the way players control the ball are far more convincing than the ball-sticking-to-the-shin days. There has clearly been more work on the actions of the goalkeepers, who now don’t feel all that different from watching the real thing.

Thrillingly, my major gripe with FIFA 10, the fact that it was too easy for opposing free kicks to go in regardless of which donkey might be taking them, appears to have been dealt with partly consciously and partly by the improvement in goalkeeping realism.

But if I were to pick my two favorite aspects of FIFA 11, it would be an easy task. First, the increased control and accuracy of weighted passes is a superb tweak that allows for a wider range of passes than anyone who played FIFA ’96 could have dreamed was possible in their lifetime.

Second, the way the game keeps up with fast action such as goalmouth scrambles or double saves is excellent. The players, the ball and even (and probably most importantly) the camera does exactly as you would expect.

Scoring, as ever, has been made more difficult but in a way that regular players will get around after few hours of play. In general, it’s a game that will be easy to play and difficult to beat me on. That’s high praise from a recent Pro convert, and it’s thoroughly deserved. Just watch out for those penalties…

Chris is the author of Two Footed Tackle.

Also see: All you need to know about FIFA 11.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It was supposed to be written in the stars above the Space Needle. Sunday was the night everything was to come together and confirm the resurrection of a fallen giant. MLS Cup 2009 had an air of destiny; LA Galaxy, guided by the reinvigorated Beckham-Donovan axis, were to confirm their return from too long in the wilderness to triumph against all the odds.

Under Bruce Arena, the Galaxy were transformed from the worst team in the Western Conference in 2008 into the best – and Western champions – in 2009. He did so in the face of adversity, laughing off David Beckham’s controversial return and setting up a showpiece final in which LA were not ony favourite, but carried with them the filmic stench of inevitability.

And yet during the cup final festivities in the Emerald City between Thursday and Sunday, Arena would have been all too aware that a similar story was developing for Real Salt Lake. In Major League Soccer, there’s no such thing as a foregone conclusion.

The boys from Utah were gunning for some fairytale records of their own in Seattle on Sunday. Head coach Jason Kreis would become the league’s youngest victorious boss if Salt Lake took their first MLS title. And, having qualified for the playoffs as the eighth seed on the final weekend, his side would be the first team to win MLS Cup after posting a losing record (that’s sub-.500 to you and I) in the regular season.

In front of 46,000 people at a noisy Qwest Field on Sunday evening, two destinies collided. Of course, it went all the way – and it was Salt Lake skipper Kyle Beckerman who held MLS Cup aloft after a dramatic penalty shoot out.

LA take the initiative

Emerging from a storm of expectation, the team news on Sunday evening was unspectacular. Real Salt Lake remained unchanged from the side which had clinched the Eastern Conference title in the name of the West the weekend before. Beckham, who hadn’t trained until Friday, played through the pain of a foot injury – but he started on the right wing with Landon Donovan on the left. Chris Birchall and Jovan Kirovski started in the middle, while Dema Kovalenko had succumbed to illness.

The first ever MLS Cup to be played on turf got underway in the manner in which it would continue for much of the evening. It was a touch scrappy but Salt Lake played a patient passing game against the more urgent approach of the Galaxy.

Goalmouth drama, however, had to wait. In the 22nd minute it was a sad moment which created the first talking point. RSL midfielder Javier Morales had earlier been fouled rather aggressively by Beckham and, having tried to continue, eventually accepted his fate. He was replaced by Clint Mathis and left the field in tears.

On the pitch, Robbie Findley played on the shoulder of the last defender and was repeatedly foiled by LA’s offside trap. His pace took him past Gregg Berhalter in the 27th minute but the experienced defender jockeyed him out of play.

And from there, LA began their most productive spell of the match. Salt Lake’s play became predictable as tidy horizontal passing was invariably followed by a long ball into the channels, but the Galaxy were beginning to carve out some opportunities. Omar Gonzalez and Mike Magee missed the target either side of a shot by RSL’s Andy Williams, and Donovan hit a wild volley wide from an acute angle.

Three minutes later Donovan turned provider in a similar position and it paid dividends. Receiving the ball in his stride from Beckham, Donovan considered another shot but chose instead to send over an inch-perfect cross for Magee to finish at the far post. All Magee had to do was keep his cool and take care over his technique and he did so with flying colours to give LA Galaxy a 1-0 half time lead. It was deserved in the sense that the Galaxy found the better openings, but Salt Lake were controlling large parts of the pitch.

Fortune favours the brave

Kreis was forced into a second unplanned substitution at half time. Will Johnson started despite a recent bout of food poisoning and he had to be replaced by Eastern final penalty hero Ned Grabavoy. The change gave RSL more energy but they continued to have little in the way of an attacking threat in the early minutes of the second half.

LA would soon have to make an emergency change of their own. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts hurt his hand in a 47th minute collision with Gonzalez and was grateful to have almost nothing to do for the next ten minutes. But then, RSL had a great spell of possession and had a penalty shout turned down on the hour. Birchall was lucky his clumsy tackle went unpunished but in truth a penalty would have been harsh.

Salt Lake finally broke through after 64 minutes. The ball ricocheted around the area during a goalmouth scramble and, with Yura Movsisyan helping him wreak havoc, Findley found the ball conveniently at his feet and stroked home the equaliser.

Ricketts was stranded, but in any case he was unable to use his injured right hand. Josh Saunders replaced him after the goal and Ricketts became the first goalkeeper ever substituted in an MLS Cup final. Saunders did Arena proud with a fine performance.

Both sides had a few chances to win it in normal time but were unable to convert. The Galaxy’s offside trap continued to frustrate Findley and Kreis responded by gambling on his last substitute, introducing Fabian Espindola to help unlock the Galaxy defence. He replaced Movsisyan, signalling the end of his MLS career. He’ll be in Europe with Denmark’s Randers FC in the new year.

The cruellest tie-breaker

A penalty shoot-out is no way to lose a cup final, but after an end-to-end but uneventful extra 30 minutes that was the fate facing one of these two teams.

LA went first and the first four spot kicks found the net. For the Galaxy, Beckham hit the bottom left corner and Berhalter went wide left of Nick Rimando to score. Mathis and Findley went for power, Findley’s finish into the top left corner making it 2-2.

Not so fortunate was Kirovski, who found Rimando blocking his shot’s path into the bottom left hand corner. RSL skipper Beckerman suffered an identical misery but was redeemed when his opposite number blasted over with the next kick. Donovan’s awful penalty gave Grabavoy the chance to make it 3-2 with a powerful shot into the top corner.

Magee’s must-score kick found the net but Williams, spent from his exertions after 120 minutes, couldn’t score the winner. Chris Klein and Chris Wingert held their nerve to make it 4-4 after the first round of sudden death, coolly finishing into the bottom corners.

And so it fell to Galaxy striker Edson Buddle, staring down Rimando and preparing to take the most important kick of his career. But Rimando, as he was against Chicago in RSL’s last game, was equal to it, diving low to his left to claw away a poor penalty and put Salt Lake’s fortunes in the hands of Robbie Russell. He made no mistake, and Real Salt Lake were crowned MLS Cup Champions 2009 on the back of a 5-4 victory from 12 yards.

Donovan may be the league’s MVP for 2009, but Rimando and Beckerman won’t be envious. Rimando picked up the MVP award for the match in Seattle on Sunday and Beckerman was visibly ecstatic when he stooped low on the platform with the Cup in his hand and then raised it to the sky to salute RSL’s first Major League Soccer triumph.

The fourteenth Major League Soccer season is over and we have a new champion. But for MLS, the off-season battle is just as vital and pits it against its own players. The upcoming collective bargaining agreement renewal has caused a dispute and striking has been threatened. FIFPro has vowed to get involved on the players’ behalf and, while FIFA’s initial response refused to condemn MLS, we’re set for a dramatic close season.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Nine months, 456 matches, and controversy aplenty. And it all comes down to to one game, one high-octane head-to-head for the title.

The fourteenth season of Major League Soccer is nearing its end and, while Seattle Sounders have skewed an otherwise worrying attendance picture, the action on the field has impressed. Two teams are still standing, and they’ll play for MLS Cup in Seattle this Sunday. It may not be the final commissioner Don Garber would have wanted – apart from one obvious element – but it has all the makings of an exciting one.

Friday’s Western Conference final hit the 90 minute mark without a goal, as had Houston Dynamo’s semi-final against the Sounders. This time, the Dynamo lost out in extra time as Gregg Berhalter stabbed the ball home from close range and Landon Donovan sealed LA Galaxy’s journey to Seattle from the spot. Two floodlight failures punctuated the match and took it past 11pm, but there was no dampening of LA’s spirits as the Beckham-Donovan axis goes from strength to strength.

Over in the East, matters were even more fraught. Western Conference wildcard Real Salt Lake’s progression past Columbus Crew put them into an Eastern Final against Chicago Fire at Toyota Park. Again the underdogs, RSL triumphed nonetheless in another conference final which suffered a lack of goals. A tense match saw Salt Lake hold out against a wave of Fire chances for 180 minutes before goalkeeper Nick Rimando stood firm in the penalty shoot-out. Ned Grabavoy’s winner secured RSL’s spot in the final.

Season so far

Real Salt Lake are as unpredictable as they come. In the early season they contrived to lose away to New York Red Bulls, one of the worst teams in the league’s history. They did so having beaten Columbus and DC United in consecutive games, and went on to demolish a very solid New England Revolution a week later. In a sense, those April results summed up their season. One minute RSL are formidable, the next they’re pretty untidy. They eventually got their revenge on New York, winning 2-0 at Rio Tinto to keep their playoff hopes alive in the middle of October.

Salt Lake qualified for the playoffs as the fourth wildcard despite picking up only 40 points from 30 games and winning just 11. It’s not terribly impressive, but it may not matter. The fact is RSL kept going right until the very end despite looking dead and buried, and qualified thanks to a bizarre final weekend. That determination can go a long way in one-off matches so it could be perfect for Sunday.

LA Galaxy kicked off the season with a draw at Chicago Fire and that result set the tone for the next couple of months. They drew six of their first seven matches and then went on a five-match tying streak bookended by wins over New York and Toronto FC. Throughout those periods LA looked anything but world-beaters but their main problem was failing to turn draws into wins, not scrapping to pick up those draws in the first place. The football was good, but the killer instinct was slightly lacking.

The easiest turning point to identify in LA’s season is the return of David Beckham from AC Milan in July, but that’s something of a falsehood. Beckham’s first game back in the Galaxy side was a 3-1 win at Giants Stadium, the final game in a solid four-game winning streak for the team. It is true, though, that Beckham’s influence has been telling. He links increasingly well with Landon Donovan and their partnership gives the midfield a creative edge to supplement its industry.

Worryingly, one or two defeats have begun to creep onto the form book towards the end of the season. In September, a 6-3 humiliation at the hands of then rampant FC Dallas was compounded by a loss at Columbus Crew. But they won the Western Conference title after finishing top of the Western table – that should please the purists.

MLS Cup 2009

Sunday’s game has all the makings of a thriller, and yet it could just as easily go the other way. The Galaxy look a different team to that of five months ago, but their playoff matches so far have demonstrated that they retain the knack of drawing matches. Their defensive unit is very competent and is capable of shutting the game right down given the right circumstances. On top form, Salt Lake have the personnel to cause LA some problems. But it’s been almost impossible this season to predict which RSL will show up for a game. Sometimes we get the fluid, dynamic RSL which can pile on the pressure and score for fun; others, it’s the anonymous RSL.

Judging by Salt Lake’s performances against Chicago and Columbus, I’d say the Galaxy won’t have it all their own way on Sunday. If the Salt Lake coaching staff can get their players prepared mentally for this match – as if they’ll need it – they’re certainly worthy contenders.

Regardless of Salt Lake’s unpredictable nature, would MLS have preferred a different final? There was much talk of Don Garber having a preference but in truth I don’t think MLS sets out at the beginning of the season with an ‘ideal’ MLS Cup tie in mind. But I’m certain that as the Conference finals kicked off the prospect of the league’s two highest-paid designated players – both due to leave MLS (probably temporarily) – facing off against one another became a very attractive one. But it wasn’t to be, and Cuauhtemoc Blanco will not be on the pitch against David Beckham.

Adding yet more spice to the occasion is its venue. Seattle Sounders couldn’t quite get over the finishing line but their supporters will no doubt be out in force at Qwest Field on Sunday. Football seems to have recaptured Seattle’s imagination and the team has been well-supported this year, integrating well into MLS and becoming one of its finest assets. The capacity at Qwest has been opened up to 42,000 for MLS Cup and with LA and RSL both taking plenty of supporters to the north west, the atmosphere should be electric. Keep an eye out for a whole load of rave green, though.

The Men to Watch

Real Salt Lake might be the unsung contender for this match but they have two of its most lethal players. Robbie Findley went through a fantastic purple patch in front of goal earlier in the season and has continued to impress while RSL have jostled for a playoff position. Yura Movsisyan, an Armenian forward who scored RSL’s first ever MLS Playoffs goal, is one of the league’s most exciting players to watch. He can beat his man with a blend of skill and strength, terrifies defenders when running at them, and has been known to put the ball in the back of the net. Behind them, Kyle Beckerman is arguably Major League Soccer’s most efficient box-to-box midfielder.

For the Galaxy, Landon Donovan and David Beckham have the potential to be deadly. Beckham’s passing ability remains second-to-none, as demonstrated in the playoff tie with Chivas USA, and his dead ball delivery could be the key which unlocks a nervy final. Donovan’s pace and skill is always dangerous and he has begun to link up effectively with the former England skipper. He also has a fantastic eye for goal and, dare I say it, a good record from the penalty spot. At the back, Omar Gonzalez has rightly been crowned Rookie of the Year and is capable of handling himself in the big games. But he’ll have to have his wits about him to keep RSL’s raiders at bay.

This MLS season has been a very good advertisement for the league. Seattle Sounders made a blistering start before Chivas USA took over as frontrunners. As the season wore on, the quality of Columbus Crew began to shine through and New England Revolution dragged themselves back into contention. There was mid-season drama in Kansas City and New York as coaches came to the end of their tenures, and in DC the most storied club in MLS history, DC United, went rather stale.

So, with the fifteen down to two, who’s got the wherewithal to take it all the way?

Real Salt Lake, as they’ve shown throughout the playoffs, are more than capable of springing a surprise. But I think this is the Galaxy’s year and MLS Cup has their name on it. They have overcome adversity, shaken off their inability to turn draws into wins and they play some of the best football in the league. What’s more, the two big guns are firing. You don’t really think Beckham will be satisfied until he’s won the title, do you?

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It seems as if every other week this Major League Soccer column trumpets the league’s uniqueness as its most valuable asset and most challenging problem.

That opinion hinges on the single entity system which dictates that money, players and competitive integrity are controlled by MLS headquarters in New York City. In turn, the single entity model gives the league’s players one body with which to negotiate their terms of employment.

The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires at the end of January and MLS and its players’ union must negotiate its successor.

At present negotiations are not going smoothly. Many of the players in MLS are paid salaries so paltry that they could pick up a better pay packet every month working on civvy street. It speaks volumes about their desire to play football but the difference between the majority of MLS players and the overpaid players in Europe’s top leagues is astounding.

With the CBA up for renewal the players have made clear their wishes and the league, in its wisdom, isn’t best pleased.

Major League Soccer’s players are well within their rights to hold out for better pay and working conditions. The current CBA has been in place since December 2004 and in the eyes of many observers the league has come on in leaps and bounds since then. The introduction of the designated player rule along with the tireless work of pro-MLS journalists and bloggers have raised its profile in foreign markets and matches are now available regularly on television screens in England.

The US game also appears to be undergoing a process of “footballisation”. The days of countdown clocks and ice hockey shoot-outs are over and the league is now an entirely legitimate, very recognisable football league. Its progress has been impressive and the players rightly want to have a say over the league’s direction and, most importantly for them, their own financial rewards. They’ve been crucial to the league’s development and, five years on from the previous CBA negotiations, MLS has more credibility and more respect than ever before.

And with the league growing and its reputation improving, the players are now considering the possibility of strike action at the beginning of the 2010 season. It’s an improbable possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. And it could deal a near-fatal blow for a league desperate to cash in on its progress in an unusually competitive domestic sports market. The National Hockey League survived similar action, but MLS is a young league. Momentum is key.

The Legacy of the 2004 CBA

Without putting too fine a point on it, too many of Major League Soccer’s players don’t earn the same kind of money they would do elsewhere in the footballing world, even in leagues which are smaller than MLS. While it is a side effect of a model which has worked well so far, it has left the league vulnerable to predatory teams elsewhere. Although it would be natural for the top players to be picked off by leagues with more prestige, poor European leagues are able to attract second tier players from MLS clubs. This should be of great concern to commissioner Don Garber.

The nature and level of the salary cap automatically values some players over others, but this effect has been worsened by the 2007 introduction of the Designated Players Rule. “The Beckham Rule” allows teams to sign cap-smashing players at a cap cost of just $415,000, providing they cover the rest of the player’s salary from their own coffers. As a result, there are players within MLS earning exceptionally well while others share apartments with one another.

The salary cap is now too small. Quite apart from the disparity between DPs and bottom-end players and the lobsided nature of the squads as a result, the cap is too restrictive for teams willing to go out on a limb and attract two flagship players. The best example at present is LA Galaxy. Bruce Arena’s side notoriously contains both David Beckham and Landon Donovan. Their relationship has thrived on the field this season but it’s costly. Beckham’s DP slot eats into the cap to the tune of $415,000 and Donovan earns a whopping $900,000. The Galaxy has had to build a squad totalling £2.3m in salary and it inevitably drives down the general quality.

That said, the right coach (i.e. not Ruud Gullit) can work within those restrictions and create an excellent team.

The trouble with low wages – even in a socialist’s dream league – is that players will look elsewhere to get themselves a better deal and better prospects. Popular US national team striker Charlie Davies has no background in MLS, plying his trade in Sweden before earning a move to French Ligue 1 outfit Sochaux in the summer of this year. Kenny Cooper left FC Dallas to play in the German second division mid-season in 2009 and will be followed to Europe by Chris Rolfe, who will leave Chicago Fire to join Aalborg in January.

2.Bundesliga, the Danish Superliga and the Swedish leagues are behind MLS in terms of prestige but players still go. The situation of Yura Movsisyan of Real Salt Lake is slightly different but he will be joining Rolfe in Denmark come January too. He’ll be a huge loss.

From 2009, the players want guaranteed contracts and Major League Soccer has rejected this out of hand. Only a handful of players currently have guaranteed contracts and others would appreciate the security.

The other sticking point is thought to be the players’ desire for free agency – that is, they want elements of the draft system scrapped to allow freer movement between teams. One outcome of this would be the necessity for teams to fight it out for desired players and the resulting offer and counter-offer dynamic which would serve to drive up salaries. If the league is to retain and attract star players in a free agency system an increase to the salary cap is almost certainly necessary.

Why the league must be flexible

MLS has been improving and progressing in recent years and is becoming established as a respected world league. It owes its development to the supporters and players, and to evolving management which is settling into its task nicely after fourteen years of on-field action.

In order for that progress to continue, MLS must reach into its pockets. The quality of players should be improved or maintained and at this stage in Major League Soccer’s life that means providing enough money to attract the necessary calibre of player to help the league step up to the next level. The existing players also need to be compensated relative to the league’s improved situation and that means the salary cap should be heavily boosted. Most pundits have spoken of a cap of $4m, but the league is talking in single-figure growth terms. This may well be a sticking point in the dispute over the coming weeks.

MLS would do well to be a little generous come January, because all of the players and commentators are making recommendations which will benefit the league in the long term. If MLS can afford to invest in its future, the time is now. Either way, I doubt strike action will be necessary come 2010.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Major League Soccer is growing and improving but outsiders often criticise the league for having a lack of quality. It is a relatively fast football played in the US, with plenty of big, athletic players of the kind which is becoming so important in so many footballing countries across the world.

The league has a lot of players who possess technical skill but relatively few whose most important attribute is a range of tricks and flicks allied to incisive vision and killer technique.

Jaime Moreno at DC United doesn’t quite have the trickery but his touch and technique have been a joy to behold – not to mention his goals. More recently, Seattle Sounders’ young Colombian forward Fredy Montero has excited supporters with his pace and footwork in his debut season.

But flying the flag for wizardry in MLS over the last couple of years has been Chicago Fire’s Mexican international Cuauhtémoc Blanco, a player of worldwide renown whose signing in 2007 was overshadowed by LA Galaxy’s move for David Beckham, a player whose career path in MLS has been remarkably similar to Blanco’s.

On 29th October, Blanco announced that he is leaving Major League Soccer to return to Mexico and Veracruz, where he spent time on loan in 2004. At the age of 36, Blanco’s career is winding down and a trip home is understandable. But his ability will be missed by MLS, even if his presence is largely unpopular outside Chicago. The rivalry between the United States and Mexico puts him at an automatic disadvantage, but he has several traits which inspire distaste in football supporters. He is certainly not universally popular, and it’s not surprising that many are toasting his departure.

Regardless, Blanco is a superb footballer and an asset on the field. He has one or two tricks up his sleeve, most famously the brilliant Blanco Hop which became so well-known after its use during the World Cup in France in 1998. He has earned over 100 caps for his country, played and scored in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, and has winner’s medals from the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1996 and 1998 and the 1999 Confederations Cup, where he also won the Golden Boot. Despite only briefly playing club football in Europe, Blanco has had an impact on world football.

Kid América

Blanco spent no fewer than 15 years at Club América, the giant club from his home town, Mexico City. He spent much of that time on loan, but was back at Estadio Azteca in time to play an important part in two successful years for the club. In 2005, América won their tenth domestic title, (the 2005 Clausura) and a Mexican Super Cup. The following year they won the CONCACAF Champions Cup and took an impressive fourth place in the World Club Cup. Egypt’s Al-Ahly beat them to third in a tournament won by Brazil’s Internacional.

The aforementioned loan spells weaved through his career at América. In 1997 he moved for a short time to Necaxa – now playing in Aguascalientes – also in Azteca, and he played a handful of matches for Veracruz in 2004. Between 2000 and 2002 he spent his only time in Europe, playing just over 20 games for La Liga side Real Valladolid.

Upon his return, Blanco starred for América and helped them embark upon their mid-2000s purple patch. In 2007, the decorated and experienced midfielder headed to the United States to join Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.

Blanco hops to MLS

Like his fellow big 2007 signing Beckham, Blanco’s popularity is far from pristine. His contributions to Chicago have been tainted by aspects of his play and also by off-field factors. Chicago Fire contributes over $2.5 million to his designated player salary, supplemented by the $415,000 he receives from Major League Soccer and the Fire’s wage cap. Only Beckham earns more and, like Beckham, Blanco has played a loan spell abroad during his MLS contract.

While playing for AC Milan or, in Blanco’s case, Santos Laguna may not be hugely problematic, it is an implicit slight to Major League Soccer that its two highest-paid stars feel the need to test themselves elsewhere in the off-season and feel they can play all year round despite being comfortably into their 30s. Blanco also has a reputation as a diver and has a habit of play-acting and getting involved in unnecessary controversy, as demonstrated by his gift to referee Jair Marrufo earlier in the season.

Beckham had to deal with the burden of his side failing to make the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, but Blanco has helped the Fire reach the playoffs in ’07 and ’08, though they ultimately stumbled. They have again qualified in 2009 and are 2-1 down to New England Revolution heading into their conference semi-final second leg at Toyota Park.

Veracruz 2010

A dramatic turnaround would help Blanco’s legacy at Chicago no end. Mexican club Veracruz announced last week that they will be signing Blanco, who has decided not to re-sign with MLS. Blanco’s departing statement indicates a great deal of fondness for MLS and Chicago Fire, and suggests that several clubs were offering the player a chance to return home. He claims that he promised fans of the Red Sharks in 2004 that he would return to the club, and is happy to be keeping that promise.

Despite talk of an opt-out clause in his Veracruz contract, it seems Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s time in the USA is at an end upon completion of the 2009 season. And while his cheeky eye for a pass and deftness of finishing will be missed, his cost and histrionics will not.

You can read more about Cuauhtémoc Blanco here, and read Soccerlens’ interview with Blanco here.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Anybody casually tuning in to Major League Soccer’s Week 32 action and teetering over the great lake of MLS fandom will have jumped right in. The final week of the regular season began with a cluster of teams fighting it out to take up the final three playoff spots. The results and their impact on the playoff bracket were hugely surprising and entirely unpredictable as slip-ups and upsets allowed an unfancied team to leap into the post-season from outside everyone’s assumed candidates.

Chicago Fire confirmed their spot in midweek, defeating Chivas USA in a match which in turn confirmed Columbus Crew as winners of the Supporters Shield. Toronto FC somehow contrived to throw away their strong pre-game position by getting beaten 5-0 by New York Red Bulls. The result was a great send-off for Giants Stadium as the clubs prepares to kick off next season at the newly-built Red Bull Arena.

DC United and FC Dallas failed to take advantage. Tom Soehn’s men were 2-1 up at Kansas City and heading for the post-season when Fred handled the ball on the line, getting himself sent off and conceding the penalty which – when all the confusing permutations had been played out – ultimately doomed DC’s quest to failure. Dallas were beaten in Seattle to end their fantastic run through the second half of the season, while New England went to Crew Stadium, held their nerve, and booked a date with Chicago in the playoffs.

The chokers of the weekend were Colorado Rapids, who missed out on a very favourable opportunity by slumping to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Real Salt Lake, the weekend’s main beneficiaries. Thanks to Toronto, DC and Dallas all failing, RSL’s win sent them into a playoff spot which as recently as last week seemed almost impossible. Just goes to show – when you’re mathematically still alive, keep going until you’re not.

With the regular season done and dusted, it’s time for the top eight to get down to business. The playoffs begin tonight (Thursday) in Seattle and ending in the same stadium with MLS Cup Final on 22nd November. Here is your Soccerlens preview.

West: LA Galaxy v Chivas USA

This is exactly the kind of match MLS needs to continue to raise its profile. LA Galaxy are the highest profile team in the league, at least overseas, and the Superclasico is quickly developing into a worthy derby. This is surely helped by the fact that the two teams both play at Home Depot Center, a superb soccer-specific facility, and have been known to trade players across the lobby. Chivas is a young club which has defied the doubters to become a solid MLS concern, playing superbly in the early part of the 2009 season and improving late on to make a last-ditch push for the top of the table.

The Galaxy have taken the league by storm. A draw-riddled unbeaten streak characterised the first half of the season but by the time David Beckham returned from AC Milan the wins were beginning to flow. Folding Beckham back into the side and introducing Chris Birchall has given the side an extra creative edge, relieving some of the burden on the in-form Landon Donovan and allowing him to thrive alongside his English colleague. Their relationship, so fractious in the wake of 19 Entertainment’s alleged shadow takeover of the Galaxy and Grant Wahl’s book, The Beckham Experiment, appears to have developed into something much more productive.

The same appears to be true of Beckham’s relationship with the Galaxy supporters, who will no doubt appreciate the team’s first playoff qualification since Beckham’s arrival in 2007 and finishing first in the West.

West: Houston Dynamo v Seattle Sounders FC

For much of the 2009 season, Seattle have dominated the headlines. Large crowds have accentuated the feeling that the city was a market ready to adopt a top-level football club. Other sports have been suffering in Seattle and the Sounders name has plenty of history behind it.

The club has been marketed well all year and Drew Carey’s habit of appearing on national television draped in rave green can do no harm at all. On the field, Kasey Keller has been a solid backstop for a team which has for several months now struggled to score at home. Despite this, Fredy Montero is the most naturally gifted player in the league and is ably supported by designated player Freddie Ljungberg, former Arsenal youth player Steve Zakuani and target man Nate Jaqua.

However, Houston Dynamo are very reliable. A consistent team coached by Dominic Kinnear, possibly Major League Soccer’s finest, the Dynamo’s efficiency is the club’s biggest advantage. They are superb from set pieces and play confident, clever football on the floor too. The team’s superstar is Stuart Holden, an effervescent Scottish-born US international whose superb box-to-box midfield play has been a highlight for both the Dynamo and the US Men’s National Team this season. A big move surely awaits.

In Andrew Hainault, Juan Luis Landin, Ricardo Clark, Brian Ching, Geoff Cameron and others, the Dynamo have enough quality to make things very difficult for Seattle. Injuries to Landin and Clark could slow their progress but Houston should be consistent enough to see off the Sounders, though you just never know in football.

East: Columbus Crew v Real Salt Lake

In the East, Columbus Crew already have a 2009 title to their name. The Supporters Shield winners were crowned thanks to Chicago’s win over Chivas and go into the playoffs brimming with confidence. They know how to win MLS Cup (reigning champions, no less) and have looked unstoppable for large chunks of the 2009 season. Their squad depth is remarkable for MLS, demonstrated by Steven Lenhart and Jason Garey chipping in with crucial goals while Guillermo Barros Schelotto was out with an injury. Their excellent home record and depth of quality will make them many pundits’ favourites for a second consecutive win.

Their semi-final opponents Real Salt Lake did the business on the final day, defeating Colorado to take advantage of teams collapsing elsewhere. They grabbed an unexpected wildcard slot and will face a very difficult challenge against the Crew. Yura Movsisyan will want to sign off on a high before moving to Randers in Denmark, Robbie Findley has a sharp eye for goal and Kyle Beckerman is one of the finest midfielders in MLS. On their day, they can give anyone a run for their money.

East: Chicago Fire v New England Revolution

Also in the East, New England Revolution pounced on DC and FCD’s last-gasp inadequacy to grab a berth by winning the last game of the regular season. Having qualified in the absence of Taylor Twellman, the Revs are likely to be high on confidence despite one or two notable injuries. Shalrie Joseph, as ever this season, could be the key man. Kheli Dube must also be firing for the Revolution to succeed.

Their opponents may be hamstrung by their lack of consistency and questionable home form. Chicago Fire draw too many matches on their own pitch and the Revs’ gritty football may give the Fire some problems breaking them down. They will be relying on Blanco to unlock the Revs, and he is certainly capable of doing so. The two sides have been inseparable in league play in 2009, but the Fire triumphed in a Superliga tie in July.

The two winners from each Conference will play in the Conference finals in the middle of November before the final showdown in Seattle. So which team will be crowned champions? Columbus Crew’s squad depth is a huge asset because it provides options and flexibility, both ideal for cup football. Houston are also solid and are excellent from set pieces, which could help them dominate the key moments against Seattle. For their part the Sounders will have fantastic support and the confidence of a successful first season. I fancy them to upset the Dynamo.

But for me the favourites are LA Galaxy. It is said by English football supporters that momentum is essential for a playoff campaign, and if that holds true then the Galaxy hold the cards. They have big name players in David Beckham and Landon Donovan, both of whom possess immense quality, a winning attitude and, it appears, a new-found respect for one another. The pair are on form and, with a reliable defence behind them and worthy support acts elsewhere, they could lead LA to a title win before the former England captain heads back to Milan.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

31 weeks down, just one to go. Major League Soccer’s 14th season has had its ups and downs, goalkeeping errors and bad refereeing taking the shine off a year which gave us a superb rookie class, some wonderful goals and more surprises than Portsmouth’s directors’ box. The Beckham Experiment threw the focus on David Beckham’s return from Milan and the Red Bulls…well, they sucked.

The season has been characterised by great goals, stoppage time drama and Garber-bashing, often deserved. While it would be a stretch to declare the opinion that strides have been made by MLS in 2009 to be consensual, I think credit is due and the future is bright.

The play on the field has been exciting. It’s quick and physical, but the league has enough skillful players to give games an technical edge. This is a good league, and its continued progress is encouraging. It just feels like football, perhaps the legacy of Ivan Gazidis.

It’s not perfect. FC Dallas supporters are still highly critical of its owners – the same owners who have, in Columbus, threatened the hardcore supporters with sanctions because of their bad language. But, in general, the league seems to be pulling in the right direction. 2010 and 2011 expansion can only further that effect.

When tonight’s match between Chicago Fire and Chivas USA reaches its conclusion, the Fire’s 30 games will be complete and everyone else will be staring down the barrel of their last match of the regular season. Columbus Crew’s squad depth has seen them to the top of the table and home advantage in the playoffs. Houston Dynamo have been in touch all season and join them, while a resurgent LA Galaxy have benefited from improved squad balance and a blossoming on-field partnership between Beckham and Landon Donovan.

In their debut season, Seattle Sounders FC have been inconsistent but more hit than miss, riding the abilities of Fredy Montero all the way to the post-season. Chivas USA have gone about their business quietly but efficiently and currently top the West.

Chicago can book their place this evening but have missed several opportunities to strengthen their position. With Chivas hunting home-field advantage and even the Supporters Shield, it won’t be an easy task. Colorado Rapids are also currently in a playoff position but have been too reliant on Conor Casey’s last minute penalties of late. At this stage both should make it.

But spanning the dotted line is a cluster of four teams on 39 points. Toronto FC currently sit in pole position, but along with Colorado are vulnerable to the three teams below: New England Revolution, DC United and FC Dallas. So who’s going to triumph this weekend and top The 39 Club?

Toronto FC

TFC started the season well and coped admirably with the loss of their head coach early on to keep themselves in touch with the leaders. The inevitable plateau did arrive, but the Canadian team have plugged away and kept the positive results piling up. They go into their final game in a playoff spot, meaning their destiny is in their own hands. The same is true of Chicago and Colorado, but if you asked the Revs, DC or Dallas I’m sure they’d swap.

The supporters have said an emotional goodbye to Danny Dichio and there can be no more fitting tribute to their first ever goalscorer than to embark upon a playoff campaign.

Ordinarily, one would argue that Toronto have the easiest task of all the clubs chasing playoff spots. A trip to New York Red Bulls has promised three points for most visitors this season, but it’s always foolhardy to underestimate the power of a sense of occasion. Saturday’s tie will be the Red Bulls’ final game at Giants Stadium before the Red Bull Arena opens its doors in 2010. And who knows, maybe Thierry Henry will be the star attraction.

New England Revolution

Having written off the Revolution early in the season, I’m delighted to see them in with a shout of post-season qualification. The coaching set up at the club has been something of a double act, with head coach Steve Nicol and his right-hand man Paul Mariner steering the Revs through a much-improved second half of the 2009 season. Mariner has now departed, returning to work with Paul Sturrock as the new first team coach at Plymouth Argyle after a long stay in North America.

The long-term injury problems of Taylor Twellman have slightly taken the bite out of the Revs attack but several key players have made themselves indispensable. Shalrie Joseph is the club’s most dominant player, while Kheli Dube and Steve Ralston have contributed vital goals all season long. Kevin Alston has been particularly impressive getting up and down the right wing.

The Revs do have the advantage of playing the final game of the weekend and will know exactly what they need to do. But they have the toughest task of all the teams on 39 points, travelling to the almost impenetrable fortress of Crew Stadium to face Columbus, who – depending on Chivas USA’s results – could still need a result to win the Supporters Shield.

DC United

United are a really interesting case. Major League Soccer’s most storied club, the legends remain but their powers are on the wane. The squad is a mix of aging stars and promising youngsters, and the blend has been used badly by coach Tom Soehn in a season which promised much. That’s not to say the players haven’t let him down, but United have been undone this year by teams that have power and pace and have exposed DC’s possession-based, slower football. Ben Olsen’s best days are behind him, but Jaime Moreno has another season in him from the substitutes’ bench. The younger players, like Chris Pontius, Danny Szetela and Santino Quaranta, should have the opportunity to quicken up the side and return them to glory. Under Soehn, it seems a distant dream.

United’s ambition at the start of the season was to challenge on three fronts. Their MLS form has struggled and has not been made easier by a constant run of games through the late summer in CONCACAF Champions League action and their attempt to retain the US Open Cup. The latter reached the last obstacle but Seattle Sounders swaggered into RFK for the final and took a deserved and dramatic victory. At the time of writing, United’s CCL draw with Toluca leaves them needing a favour from San Juan Jabloteh to make the quarter finals.

United have a challenging final fixture. Travelling to Kansas City is rarely easy and the Wizards are playing with a certain freedom at the moment and dangermen like Josh Wolff, Davy Arnaud and the intriguing Zoltan Hercegfalvi have the potential to play spoiler for DC. But a win puts DC in a strong position and it’s time for the team to stand up and be counted.

FC Dallas

In the early days of the season FC Dallas looked like one of the weakest teams in the league. But when Kenny Cooper went on Gold Cup duty with the US and sealed a move to 2.Bundesliga before his return, the team rallied. Their form in the second half of the season has been a huge improvement on the first, and while their surge into playoff contention has been carried out quietly it has been punctuated by a few spectacular, high-scoring games.

Striker Jeff Cunningham has been scoring for fun since Cooper’s departure and, with Dave van den Bergh supplying the ammunition and Dax McCarty buzzing around the midfield to allow David Ferreira to flourish, FCD have been an exciting team to watch in the last few months. They’ve put six past both Kansas City Wizards and LA Galaxy and are currently on a four-game winning streak which has included key wins over playoff rivals Real Salt Lake, New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids.

Unfortunately for FCD their final fixture couldn’t be much more difficult. They travel to Qwest Field to face Seattle Sounders, a team which will be celebrating playoff qualification at the first attempt in front of its home supporters. The fact that there will be no pressure on the boys in rave green may or may not work in the Texans’ favour, but either way they’ll need to be right on top of their game to keep alive the impossible dream.

The situation is sure to be fascinating. TFC are in the box seat and play New York, but the Revs will not be relishing a trip to Columbus. DC and FCD are both capable of winning their games. With the possibility five teams battling it out for two spots, the MLS weekend should be a real cracker.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There are two types of gamers in the football world: those that play FIFA and those that play Pro Evo. In conversation it’s not really acceptable to admit to a split allegiance – you’re one or the other, and the other is wrong.

I am a Pro Evo loyalist, and I see the gaming world in black and white. So when the good people behind FIFA 10 invited Soccerlens along to a pre-launch tournament at a top secret location in London, I was the obvious candidate to attend.

FIFA Football launched in 1993 with FIFA International Soccer, a game which not only stood out in its market but became the first to be FIFA-licensed and revolutionised football gaming by introducing the isometric view, replacing the simplistic angles offered elsewhere. The franchise continued to improve cosmetically and in terms of gameplay through FIFA ’95 and FIFA ’96, but the next game was spoiled in the eyes of many players by the use of David Ginola’s motion capture.

In hindsight, it’s a miracle the players in FIFA ’97 ever moved at all.

Since then, the FIFA series has faced a significant challenge from one trailblazing competitor, to which I defected a decade ago. Before my visit to the dark side in London this week I was reliably informed that FIFA is back to its best and it’s time I found my way back into the familiar bosom of EA Sports, which I last visited during a very brief ownership of FIFA Street. The franchise’s latest title hits the shelves today amid a storm of hype and expectation, the next showdown with Pro Evo carrying a definite air of anticipation. This time, they say, FIFA will retake its place at the top of the pyramid.

So what can you expect from FIFA 10?

FIFA 10 Highlights

• Player awareness: Thanks to improved trapping intelligence the players seem to have a natural ability to bring the ball to the ground and under control in the quickest and safest way. It’s a very impressive development, instantly noticeable when you first play the game. Difficult passes and interceptions are dealt with realistically (but not too easily) and – reassuringly – better real-world players have more success than the cloggers. EA has also improved the players’ urgency logic, providing a focus on the ball and an amazing ability to react at an appropriate speed to any situation
• Better dribbling: 360 Dribbling makes the game smoother and truer, fine-tuning FIFA’s dribbling skills and opening up opportunities impossible in previous games. Again, the best players make the most of this while less skillful players remain as clumsy as ever. There has also been a tweak which gives the top players a quicker response for deadly dribbling
• Goalkeeping: The information floating around about 10‘s goalkeeping doesn’t really explain the developments too well, but take it from me: it’s excellent. The goalkeepers are superb, their reactions both realistic and wonderfully rendered. Part of this is down to improved urgency, better positioning and a tighter mechanism looking after their coming off the line
• Realistic battles: The increased freedom in the players’ movement allows for something called “collision sharing”. In a nutshell, this is the feature which adds variation and intensity to one-on-one fights for the ball. The stronger players tend to come out as winners in some battles, the quicker players in others. It all adds to the game’s realism
• Authentic shooting: So too does the shooting mechanism, improved by changes to both the physics of the ball and the shooting process itself. Along with the goalkeeping tweaks this makes goalscoring more varied and more exciting goalscoring. It’s a far cry from the rigid shooting of the first few games and the score-from-anywhere effect which ruined others

The Verdict

FIFA 10 is a world away from its predecessors and, barring huge improvement elsewhere, its competitors. It remains visually stunning with beautifully rendered kits and players, but it’s now matched with good quality gameplay. The feel is so natural that I was able to win my first two games before eventually crashing out of the tournament, largely because I foolishly played as Aston Villa in a group featuring Liverpool, Barcelona, Chelsea and Arsenal. More fool me.

The more flexible movement of the players opens the game up but EA have retained a feel more solid than older versions which played like ice hockey games, stunting the play by allowing a nasty glide effect when running with the ball. The last few versions have progressed away from the button-basher’s goal-fest games of yore and in the new version it is suitably difficult to score from distance. The game as a whole is quite realistic, even down to Fernando Torres winning matches on his own and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s unnerving finishing ability.

While it’s still a game for the modern day armchair-supporting Champions League obsessive – you know the ones, they think FIFA games live or die by the available tricks – the makers have also nailed the real football market in the same way as Pro Evo has done for the last 10 years. The teams and players are mostly licensed, of course, and the commentary is streets ahead of its rival. Despite my initial skepticism, this one most certainly comes with the Soccerlens seal of approval.

FIFA, I’m yours to lose.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Back in June, as Major League Soccer was finding its stride on the other side of the Atlantic, Michel Platini and UEFA confirmed that this year’s Europa League would be the testing ground for a new officiating structure.

By adding an ‘additional assistant referee’ behind each goal line, Platini hopes to do away with the cheating which occurs in the penalty area, from a playful tug on the shirt at a corner to the game’s crime of the moment, diving.

Meanwhile, the MLS season has again been blighted by refereeing controversy. Basic errors are made too often and can only be reduced through better training, assessment and punishment of match officials. Conversely, the league’s referees are, compared to their European counterparts, relatively good at issuing red cards when they are deserved.

They seem to struggle with diving, though, and it is one of the criticisms most often hurled in their direction. Several questionable penalties have been awarded this year, penalties which may have consequences come time for the playoff cut.

So with Platini putting all his eggs in five baskets, should MLS follow suit?

MLS referees not up to scratch

The referees have come under more scrutiny this season than ever before. With the blogosphere kicking into overdrive, decisions have been questioned from all sides. Soccerlens has noted before that they have a difficult job, and that’s as much to do with structural growing pains as players trying to pull the wool over their eyes. But the controversies have ranged from the ridiculous to the insane this season, and not all have occurred within the dimensions of the football pitch.

In April, Jair Marrufo – already a controversial character thanks to his on-field performances – came under fire when he allegedly took delivery of a signed shirt from Chicago Fire playmaker Cuauhtehmoc Blanco in the referees’ dressing room after a match against Columbus Crew. Marrufo had sent off Crew’s Gino Padula for a challenge on the Mexican, whose team fought back from 2-0 down to pick up a point against ten men. While there is the possibility of a serious problem, it seems Marrufo’s apparent acceptance of a gift stemmed from an innocent stupidity and misplaced loyalty to a popular player.

By September, Marrufo had been struck off for the season. The league cited his performances – hardly surprising to most MLS fans – but the Blanco incident will have remained a mark against him in the eyes of the powers-that-be. The general state of refereeing was summed up by a double suspension for Michael Kennedy and Abbey Okulaja, removed from the rotation after failing mid-season fitness tests. It’s a worrying state of affairs and one which highlights the lack of depth in the refereeing pool, but it’s encouraging that MLS was bold enough to take action.

Of course, the most visible controversies have taken place on the pitch. Some weekends this season have been characterised by multiple red cards, although MLS refs are arguably rather better at punishing over-aggressive challenges than their colleagues elsewhere. However, several matches have been spoiled by game-changing penalty decisions, two of the most high-profile resulting from dives – or at least easy tumbling – by Taylor Twellman and Brian McBride.

Penalty referees

If diving is a major problem in MLS, it must be tackled – pardon the pun. In the US there is a perceived division between flair players – the likes of Fredy Montero, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and, of course, David Beckham- and the less skillful players who are supposedly keen to make up for their deficiencies by showing those with more technical ability who’s boss physically. Marcelo Saragosa’s lunge at Montero last weekend was a sickening example.

Add to this the modern footballer’s in-built propensity to draw a foul and hit the floor, and the job of the officials begins to look a difficult one. We struggle with divers in Europe and our referees are, in theory, higher quality. The MLS officials don’t have a bad reputation for nothing, but it does mean that players intent on conning them will be able to do so easily.

Platini’s fourth and fifth officials have been given a specific task: spotting divers. And while they will have other responsibilities, the eradication of diving is Platini’s desired legacy. If the move reduces simulation, is it not logical to apply the same approach to a league whose self-perception is as soured by diving as it is by the poor quality of the related decisions? A long shot it may be, but perhaps penalty refs would have the desired effect.

Downside of experimenting

Experimenting isn’t all about the adulation of being a pioneer and taking the credit for a significant quickening of evolution. Sometimes it goes wrong, too, and then you look rather stupid. If the five officials system turns out to have a dramatic flaw, MLS – as a league which I believe to be developing at pace and learning a new lesson every week – would do well not to have its name on the laboratory door.

Even trialling proposals like this one leads to a negative perception of the test competition. The Europa League, a tournament which is at best treading water, is the rebranded UEFA Cup. But instead of breathing new life into it, Platini has turned it into a poor man’s Champions League. That may sound obvious, but the UEFA Cup had a charm of its own until the late 1990s.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has been vocal in his skepticism, criticising the idea on its own questionable merits. More importantly for this discussion, Mowbray also believes strongly that the competition is being further devalued by UEFA’s decision to use it as a relatively early testing ground for what would amount to a game-changing development.

Such degradation would be cause for concern for MLS and probably outweighs the poor quality of refereeing. As the league grows and – in the eyes of this English writer at least – matures, the last thing it needs is to gamble its credibility on something of which traditional football fans are often suspicious. MLS has worked well in recent years to “footballize” the American game, and even if Platini’s experiment would improve its officiating, perhaps it’s best to let it be introduced into European leagues first.

But we’re talking about the quality of refereeing here, and far preferable to adding to the matchday officials would be an effective programme designed to improve the ones we have already, or at least preserve the structure which has been used for generations worldwide. Refereeing problems are as global as the beautiful game itself and we should always be looking to improve how they are trained, assess them more closely and punish them more effectively (note: that doesn’t just mean more harshly) before opting for a structural change of this magnitude. As in any walk of live, it’s a question of education, motivation and discipline.

And if extra officials become a fixture of the European game, Don Garber might understandably be asking himself if it helps solve one of his main on-field problems.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Seattle Sounders burst in through the saloon doors in March, chewing lazily on tobacco as they stood proud in front of the regulars and declared their intention to take Major League Soccer by storm.

The old boys weren’t pleased, but had to respect the Sounders’ testicular fortitude. Columbus Crew scowled from a bar stool with MLS Cup perched on the counter. LA Galaxy stopped playing the piano and DC United, slowly but purposefully, strode towards the entrance and challenged them to prove their credentials.

Fast-forward to the middle of September and Seattle Sounders have just beaten United twice in ten days. Saturday’s MLS game was crucial to Seattle’s playoff challenge, but September 2nd’s 2-1 victory at RFK Stadium added some serious sparkle to the club’s inaugural season as a Major League Soccer outfit, the Sounders lifting their first silverware after beating DC in the US Open Cup Final.

So with another good result under their belts against DC on Saturday, can the Sounders push on and add a second trophy to their MLS-era collection?

Centre of attention

Seattle Sounders are Major League Soccer’s newest club, but also one of its most exciting and worthy of attention. The first few weeks of the season were bathed in rave green as the Sounders – the offspring of the city’s NASL and USL-1 teams – went from strength to strength on the field.

Owned by film mogul Joe Roth, comedian Drew Carey, Microsoft’s Paul Allen and general manager Adrian Hanauer, the Sounders have benefited from the experience and pedigree of coach Sigi Schmid, and also from his ability to build a very good team from scratch, superbly playing within the rules of MLS to pick up players like Nate Jaqua and Peter Vagenas to supplement some good quality youngsters and a big-name designated player.

But it’s off the pitch that Seattle have made the biggest impact. Consistently packing out Qwest Field’s 32,000 soccer capacity, Sounders Nation has continued the city’s reputation as a one of passionate and noisy football fans. Having proven themselves worthy over a season, the supporters put the exclamation point on their profile with an impressive showing in a friendly with Chelsea, a match which anywhere else in MLS would likely have been infested with American Blues.

As a collective, Sounders fans have a charming cockiness, a brash abrasiveness which simultaneously impresses and irritates supporters of other teams. Forthcoming MLS expansion into Vancouver and Portland will highlight the less appreciative end of that spectrum, bringing Seattle fans back into contact with their bitter rivals from the Pacific Northwest, a soccerist triad which will become a fantastic marketing asset for the league. But a rivalry is also brewing with DC United following three heated games between the two, including an Open Cup final before which Adrian Hanauer’s war of words with the United marketing team merely served to raise the temperature.

Debut season success

Whatever happens from this point in, Seattle’s first season as a Major League Soccer side can only be seen as a success on the pitch as well as off it. Likely to qualify for the playoffs, the team has confirmed 2009′s appearance on the Sounders honours list early by winning the US Open Cup. The aforementioned final, at RFK Stadium against DC, was a dramatic affair which will be immortalised in Sounders history by a moment of madness from United’s former Portland goalkeeper Josh Wicks. But more importantly, Seattle’s trophy cabinet is now occupied, and a lot sooner than even the biggest optimist would have predicted.

In the league, the Sounders’ results have been positive. A three-game winning streak against New York, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC gave Seattle a blistering start but a run of draws through April and May was punctuated by the occasional defeat and put paid to any idea that they were the best team in the division. Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy, both very good sides whose fortunes will affect Seattle’s, have both been beaten. Points which should have been safe have been dropped, but unexpected points have been banked. They certainly haven’t disappointed.

Montero leads the way

Schmid’s squad has done him proud this season and highlights his mastery of the weird and wonderful workings of the roster and transfer systems of Major League Soccer. There are some big names who will be familiar to fans of European football, but they’re enabled to operate by a sprinkling of talented youngsters and a squad of solid professionals like Peter Vagenas and James Riley (plus the odd Sounders player from USL) with a lot of experience between them. It’s a potent blend, mixing pace and fearlessness with the cool heads – in theory, at least – of the elder statesmen.

There is nothing more to be said about Kasey Keller. The Sounders goalkeeper is 40 in November, but is still one of the league’s outstanding goalkeepers. Returning to the north west after playing in England, Spain and Germany, the former Timbers stopper has been as reliable as ever. With a team ahead of him playing its first season together, Keller’s coolness and ever-impressive shot-stopping ability has provided a defensive rock for the Sounders and no doubt given confidence to his defenders.

But the biggest asset in Seattle this season has been the attacking unit of the side. Former Dynamo striker Nate Jaqua has brushed aside some “personal issues” to become the Sounders’ spearhead up front, using his strength to hold up the ball, usually while moving forwards, and bring the players around him into the game. Those players include former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg, Seattle’s designated player, and first-year pro Steve Zakuani, a lightning quick attacker who grew up in London and played at Arsenal until the age of 14. Zakuani has a knack of creating havoc for defences and has shown that he can grab some goals for himself too.

Completing the strike force is Colombian forward Fredy Montero. Currently in his first season, the 22-year-old has, like Jaqua, been able to deal with a police investigation and put in some remarkable performances. He’s started 22 MLS games for the Sounders this year, scoring a noteworthy 11 goals so far. We shouldn’t be surprised – he really made a name for himself at Deportivo Cali before being picked up by MLS and could easily have ended up in Europe, his likely destination in the not-too-distant future. In terms of quality, he’s right up there with the best in North America.

It’s difficult to see Seattle failing to make the playoffs from this point, but I think it’s unlikely they’ll go all the way. There are teams which will almost certainly qualify for the post-season and have either experience of negotiating the playoffs or more momentum than Seattle, who are – despite a hugely impressive first campaign – not in the best of form as the end of the season approaches.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts The twofootedtackle Football Podcast.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News