The MLS 2010 season came to a close with Colorado Rapids winning the MLS Cup and LA Galaxy winning the Supporters’ Shield. Now that league and cup competitions are approaching their climax, Major League Soccer has gone on a break and waiting for the 16th season to start on March 15th, 2011.

Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC will make their MLS debut – taking the total number of clubs to 18. Both the Timbers and the Whitecaps will join the Western Conference and Houston Dynamo will move into the Eastern Conference.

As far as the kits are concerned, adidas is the lone supplier of the kits for all the clubs playing in the league. Because of that, questions are raised about the amount of involvement by the club in the final decision of the kits. For example, when Seattle Sounders’ third kit for 2011 was unveiled, fans and media personnel wondered whether the Sounders actually opted for electric yellow or was it forced upon them.

The general consensus is that, clubs do have a final nod in the decision of the kits they will wear. So yes, Seattle Sounders did opt for electric yellow as their third color only after joining MLS in November 2007.

You can see the 2011 MLS jerseys here for all the 18 clubs participating.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ah, the end of another football season in Europe. Across the continent, league titles have been decided, champions crowned and the transfer market is slowly clicking into gear. Joining us in the studio this week to digest the final week of the season (apologies to the playoff finalists in League One and League Two) is the world class podcasting unit that is The Sound of Football: Graham Sibley, Terry Duffelen and Chris Oakley. And some sweets.

The climax of the European season took place in the Bernebeu last Saturday, and we discuss the remarkable Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese coach continues to – ahem – write the future for himself. This season, he’s won the treble with Inter Milan, a league title in a third country, the Champions League with a second club and an attractive if intriguing move to Real Madrid.

But the most noteworthy achievement of Mourinho’s final season with the Nerazzurri is not one of silverware or glory, its one of innovation. Inter’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona was a brilliant demonstration of neo-Catenaccio, a riff on the tactical framework which came to define the perception of Italian football, but the 2-0 win against Bayern Munich was the product of real innovation. Not only can you win the game without the ball, you can control it. It was simply brilliant.

At Wembley, Blackpool defeated Cardiff City in a very entertaining Championship playoff final and can now look forward to turning the Premier League tangerine next season. Cardiff led twice through fantastic goals by Michael Chopra and Joe Ledley but never looked to have a grip on the match after the early withdrawal of Jay Bothroyd. Charlie Adam’s superb free kick and Gary Taylor-Fletcher equalised before Brett Ormerod prodded in the all-important winner. And that was all in the first half at a sun-drenched Wembley.

We ask whether Blackpool will avoid relegation next season and speculate about the future of Cardiff, whose financial situation continues to be concerning. We’re joined on the phone by Dave Boyle, the chief executive of Supporters Direct, to talk about the latest news from the world of football finance and supporter affairs ahead of Supporters Direct’s conference in June.

There’s our usual look at the week’s action from Major League Soccer, where LA Galaxy shrugged off the absence of Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle to bank another three points and go ten clear at the top of the Western Conference. In the East, two wins for Columbus Crew propelled them past New York Red Bulls and they’re now fully five points clear. DC United continue to lose like it’s going out of fashion.

Finally, there’s a chat about World Cup 2010 which focuses on England’s friendly win against Mexico at the beginning of this week. Oh, and we taste test some crisps.

So that’s that for this season. But if you like the show, stand by for big news about the summer.

Please leave your comments below, follow us on Twitter, be our fan on Facebook and send your questions and comments to twofootedtackle[at]googlemail[dot]com – we also want audio contributions to the show, so feel free to get in touch about that.

Have a great week.

You can listen to this week’s episode below:
Download link (mp3, 45mb, 65 mins)

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

Our last column, inspired at 2AM, carefully selected winners for MLS season openers. Some were slightly off, and today we discuss why these results went topsy and what to expect down the road.

1) NY Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders

Result: Seattle 3-0 New York
Prediction: New York 3-2 Seattle
Excuse: Seattle is a strong team, Sigi Schmid a champion coach, the fans passionate, the owners pulled the stops, but this result was better than chemistry. Hot young striker Fredy Montero triggered the magic and joyfully scored two goals and an assist. Even the glib announcers were blinded by the polish in this playoff bound team. They ate New York for lunch.

There is no excuse for New York. This was appalling. New Yorkers are heartless and largely responsible for the global economic collapse, borne of greed and corruption. They deserve this hopeless team. Learn from it.

2) Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo

Result: 1-1
Prediction: Columbus 3-1 Houston
Excuse: Loss of faith in virtue (see above). In a well-played game, it came down to the classic battle of two kings facing off. Brian Ching scored for Dynamo, Guillermo Barros Schelloto for Columbus. See them both in the playoffs.

2) Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas

Result: Chicago 3-1 Dallas
Prediction: 2-2
Excuse: 2AM, tequila. Cuautehmoc Blanco and Brian McBride are older, but not heading to pasture anytime soon. They both scored, Blanco ten minutes after entering the field at 79 minutes. Justin Mapp left his mark, Chris Rolfe will, and Chicago will be in the playoffs.

Dallas will struggle again this year, but Kenny Cooper’s blast from 60 yards distinguishes him from other MLS players – he’s the #1 reason to watch Dallas play. It might have been only one goal, but it was worth two.

3) Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards

Result: Toronto 3—2 Kansas City
Prediction: Toronto 3-1 Kansas City
Excuse: None, pretty much called it. Amado Guevara scored 2, Jim Brennan the other, and Toronto won its first season opener in its three-year history and it’s fifth away win. Expect to see more and their first trip to the playoffs. As predicted, the Wizard’s Davy Arnoud made the difference with two goals, but wins will be few and far between for KC.

4) New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes

Result: New England 1-0 San Jose
Prediction: San Jose 2-1 New England
Excuse: Quakes were disorganized and should have done better, unable to tally even though three of the four Revs defenders were rookies. The replacements kept it simple and persevered, but their future depends on the fitness of sidelined Steve Ralston, Taylor Twellman, Gabriel Badilla, Mauricio Castro, and two incoming players from Ghana. That’s a lot of X factors for the Revs and a thumbs-down for the Quakes.

5) Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA

Result: Chivas USA 2-1 Colorado
Prediction: Colorado 2-0 Chivas
Excuse: Paulo Nagamura not on radar. He is now, after scoring two second-half goals for Chivas in an ugly, physical match. Omar Cummings scored for the Rapids, but both these teams must improve to reach sea level.

6) DC United @ LA Galaxy

Results: 2-2
Prediction: Galaxy 3-2 United
Excuse: None. Donovan comes from behind with a header and a penalty. LA will prosper this year, DC will not. See LA in the playoffs with David Beckham. Put money on it.

7) Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders — to be played March 28

New Prediction: Sounders 3-1 Salt Lake
Old Prediction: Salt Lake 2-1 Sounders
Excuse: See above. Still looking forward to the Javi and Kyle show.

USL-1 Puerto Rico Islanders blow past MLS in CONCACAF tournament.

March 17, the USL-1 Puerto Rico Islanders trounced five-time CONCACAF champion Cruz Azul 2-0 in the CONCACAF semifinals with goals by Nicholas Addlery and Sandy Gbandi and clutch saves by Bill Gaudette. The Islanders face Santos Laguna (2-1 Atlante) April 28 in the return leg and could earn a berth in the FIFA World Championship.

They USL-1 Islanders danced past last MLS hold-out Houston Dynamo (3-0 loss to Atlante) and long outlived New England Revolution, DC United, and Chivas USA in the tournament. USL-1 Montreal Impact, cut down in the semi-finals, also went beyond every MLS squad but Houston.

How did this happen? How did these players fly under MLS radar? Coach Colin Clarke previously coached FC Dallas, keeper Bill Gaudette played for Columbus Crew, and striker Nicholas Addlery was a DC United reject. How did two teams from a lower league accomplish this with so little fanfare?

Revolution coach and former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol shared his thoughts with us.

LE: How do you explain how USL went beyond MLS in the CONCACAF tournament?

Nicol: I think it’s a fantastic result. For them to be where there are and get the results they are, it’s fantastic. The coach they have in [Colin] Clark — he’s been around, he was smart as a player and he’s smart as a coach, he has them well organized. Clearly their opponents are better paid, supposedly better qualified to win matches, but it shows you that some heart and good organization — and some ability as well — can take you a long way.

LE: Did the packed schedule hold MLS back last year or are Montreal and the Islanders really talented?

Nicol: I don’t think the MLS schedule had anything to do with it. They did well in their own right, shown that they’ve got ability, they’re well-organized and they’ve got heart. You put all these things together and it takes some beating.

MLS awards franchises to Vancouver and Portland in 2011, promises two more in 2012

After awarding contenders Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon MLS franchises, MLS Commissioner Don Garber promised two more clubs in 2012, mentioning St. Louis and Ottawa by name.

The proximity and fanbase of these northwest cities may have played into the decision, but more likely the deep pockets of investors and the likelihood of soccer specific stadiums in uncertain financial times factored heavily in the equation.

The Vancouver Whitecaps investors are by Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and Steve Nash. Nash is a two-time NBA MVP and like Mallet, (former president of Yahoo!) is an investor in Women’s Professional Soccer. Vancouver is hosting the 2010 winter Olympics and contracted to renovate the BC Place stadium from 60,000 to a 20,000 seat soccer specific stadium at a cost of $360 milion for the event. The stadium will have a retractable roof and a centrally hung scoreboard, the first in MLS.

Montreal was favored over Vancouver earlier this winter, but Montreal proposed the 13,000 seat Stade Saputo, which doesn’t line-up with the more ambitious MLS plans. The Vancouver deal went through at $35 million, not the $40 million fee. Saturday the Whitecaps sold four thousand season tickets out of 16,500 in just three hours.

Portland agreed to renovate PGE Park to the satisfaction of MLS, and has the wherewithal to do it. Owner Merritt Paulson and his father former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, that currently own USL Timbers, are well-heeled and have the background. Merritt Paulson was previously the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development at NBA Entertainment.

“The Portland City Council’s recent approval of the framework for the renovations of PGE Park was a key factor in Portland becoming our 18th team,” said Commissioner Garber.

Photo Credits: Traynor, KB Hall via Flickr.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The MLS season opens with fireworks Thursday night for the Seattle Sounders inaugural game at Qwest field against New York Red Bulls.

The Seattle Sounders management did everything right to create a model club, including stealing 2008 MLS Cup Champion coach Sigi Schmid from Columbus Crew.

The supporters group, FC Alliance can vote out the general manager, currently Adrian Hanauer, every four years if 20% of the members sign a petition, an idea lifted from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Comedian/owner Drew Carey put full media spin behind the club, which sold 22,000 season tickets and 32,400 seats for the opening game. “We’ll have this big drunken march down to the stadium before the game begins,” said Carey.

The inevitable and highly suspect predictions:

In a league where parity is king, it’s pointless to discuss MLS Cup at this point, so without further ado, here are the predictions for the season openers:

Thursday, March 19

New York Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Red Bulls 3-2

The Sounders have Kasey Keller in net, but designated player Freddie Ljungberg, recovering from hip surgery, might not take the field. Young Columbian Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua are the strike force, and with central defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, this team could be a threat on short notice.

Juan Carlos Osorio reinvented the Red Bulls with 15 foreign-born players to support Juan Pablo Angel, the top MLS goal scorer (14), who is fit and re-signed. Dynamic midfielder Dane Richards will be assisted by 33 year-old Albert Celades, former Barca and Real Madrid midfielder.

Danny Cepero, who scored the first goal by an MLS goalkeeper in his very first game, will continue his own fairy tale by substituting for Jon Conway, still suspended. The Bulls won their last preseason match 2-0 with Crystal Palace, with goals by Khano Smith and Mathew Mboto.

Saturday, March 21

Columbus Crew @ Houston Dynamo
Prediction: Columbus Crew 3-1

The Crew remain intact with 2008 MLS assist leader (19) and league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelloto, Robbie Rogers, and defenders Frankie Hejduk and Gino Padula.

Although Houston coach Dominic Kinnear still has national team striker Brian Ching, he lost goal scorer Dwayne DeRosario, recently suffered a humiliating defeat in CONCACAF, and striker Kai Kamara was just suspended for the first two matches for inappropriate comments. Midfielder Stuart Holden is expected to make miracles happen.

Chicago Fire @ FC Dallas
Prediction 2-2

The Chicago Fire will succeed as expected with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Brian McBride and Chris Rolfe, but the individual efforts of Dallas Kenny Cooper, Dave van den Bergh, and Dax McCarty will throw off their game.

Toronto FC @ Kansas City Wizards
Prediction: Toronto 3-1

Toronto has a team set on scoring and Captain Jim Brennan and Dwayne DeRosario will make it happen along with Pablo Vitti, Chad Barrett and Danny Dichio. The fans want goals and the fans will get goals with this roster.

Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnoud, and the rest of Kansas City will be hard pressed to keep TFC from running up the score.

New England Revolution @ San Jose Earthquakes
Prediction: San Jose 2-1

San Jose has a versatile midfield of Bobby Convey, Arturo Alvarez, Darren Huckerby, and Ramiro Coralles, and Cam Weaver can tally goals.

The Revolution lost three big players over the winter and replaced them with untested rookies while dealing with serious injuries to goal scorers Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman. Shalrie Joseph, Jay Heaps and Chris Albright will control the back, but this team needs attacking players. Although the Revolution have troubles, they keep their spirits up by humiliating their coaches.

Colorado Rapids @ Chivas USA
Prediction: Rapids 2-0

Jason Kreis kept the Rapids intact with linchpins Omar Cummings, Conor Casey, Colin Clark, and Pablo Mastroeni, and beat the Sounders in preseason. Sasha Kljestan, Jonathan Bornstein, and Ante Razov will toil for Chivas but it may not be enough.

Sunday, March 22

DC United @ LA Galaxy
Prediction LA 3-2

LA will come off solid, thanks to Bruce Arena, who shook the team up top to bottom. Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, and Dema Kovalenko will score goals without David Beckham, but still need to solidify a backline, particularly with the absence of new keeper Donovan Ricketts due to injury. DC also may be handicapped by the absence of their keeper Louis Crayton due to injury, but Francis Doe, Thabiso Khumalo, and Santino Quaranta will provide a show in the top half of the field.

Saturday, March 28

Real Salt Lake @ Seattle Sounders
Prediction: Real Salt Lake 2-1

Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan, and Kyle Beckerman give Real Salt Lake the stability and creativity to challenge the new Seattle Sounders, while still producing episodes of the Kyle and Javi show.

National teams drop in the clutch

The women’s national team failed to win their third straight Algarve Cup, handing it over to Sweden in penalty kicks after the 1-1 tie. Shannon Boxx scored for the US in the 90th minute.

The men’s U-20s fell 3-0 to Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Championship final, but secured a spot in the U-20 World Cup in Egypt with their 2-0 win over El Salvador.

FC Barca resurfaces near 2010 Philadelphia franchise

A few days before bowing out of the proposed Barca Miami franchise, Barca president Joan Laporta toured the site of the stadium being constructed for the approved 2010 Philadephia MLS franchise. Don Garber told Sports Business Journal, “the team has secured more than 6,000 season ticket deposits and two sponsors a year before kicking off,” but Philadephia is looking for partners. MLS Philadelphia CEO Nick Sakiewicz said that Delaware County and Pennsylvannia put up $77 million and expects Jay Sugarman, the majority owner-operator, and his fellow investors to produce the $38 million balance.

“FC Barcelona has expressed for some time an interest in Major League Soccer financially and strategically,” said Don Garber. “They spent a great deal of time with us looking at Miami and are continuing to look at opportunities around the league.”

Photo Credits: W. Jarrett Campbell/Triangle Soccer Fanatics

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When the Columbus Crew won the 2008 MLS Supporters Shield (the award given to a club with the highest point total in the regular season) and subsequently their coach Sigi Schmid won the MLS Coach of the Year award, it eloquently summarized the very odd and unusual MLS season.

For starters, the Crew didn’t even make the play-offs in 2007 despite a very liberal – some may say ridiculously high number of teams, then eight out of thirteen – qualifying standard.

Second of all, in the off-season, the Crew made only minor modifications to their roster, with the only significant addition being a journeyman holding midfielder Brian Carroll, obtained via a trade from the expansion San Jose Earthquakes.

Third, given the dismal results in the two previous years, Sigi Schmid’s hold on the job appeared tenuous, as Columbus finished dead last in 2006 and his coaching acumen was constantly questioned by the whatever dwindling fan base the franchise retained.

Former Boca Juniors Legend Schelotto Leads the Crew

Instead, the Crew proved its critics wrong and stormed out of the gate, led on and arguably off the field by an Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The thirty five year old Boca Juniors legend, with a haircut harking all the way back to the British Invasion of the mid-60′s, became a general on the pitch, presiding and directing over the much younger Crew attackers, a pair of the 21-year old wingers Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven and a veteran center forward Alejandro Moreno. As the result, Columbus scored eleven more goals and improved its goal differential from minus-five to plus-fourteen.

But whereas pre-season expectations of the heartland team were tempered, the opposite was the case on both coasts.

Red Bulls Change Matadors

In New York, an experienced Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio, took over the New York Red Bulls squad that did make the play-offs in 2007 but was knocked out in the first round under the guidance of the recently fired USA national team coach Bruce Arena.

Living off his reputation earned at the 2002 World Cup, Arena was given a fat contract and virtually unlimited, by the American soccer measurements. funds to establish a power house deserving of its hometown in the capital of the world. Never the one to turn down lucrative donations, Arena spent close to $3 million to bring in two free agent stars, an ex Aston Villa and River Plate striker Juan Pablo Angel and a well-traveled ex Manchester City-Sunderland-Rangers-Wolfsburg-Leverkusen midfielder Claudio Reyna. In the league where an entire team was officially operating under a $2.3M budget, Angel and Reyna came under a special exception called the “Designated Player” provision, something colloquially known as the “Beckham Rule”. (Each MLS team was allotted one DP but could trade with another team for the additional second spot)

Armed with a higher payroll than any MLS team at that point, Arena was expected to dominate the league but only managed 43 points (the 2007 Supporter Shield winner DC United had 55 on a much smaller budget) and a plus-2 goal differential.

When the oft-injured Reyna proved to be a colossal bust, NYRB was knocked out of the play-offs by a much more cheaply assembled New England team, managed by an 1980′s Liverpool stalwart Steve Nicol. Under fire for his performance and for the waste of approximately $2.5M on his old University of Virginia player Reyna, Arena’s was the first head that rolled and, for a small compensation, Osorio was brought in from the Chicago Fire.

Juan Carlos leaped an opportunity twice in the span of six months, as he only came to the Fire from Colombia’s Millionarios half-way into 2007. In Chicago, his half-season reign was considered an achievement and New York jumped at a chance to recruit its former assistant.

Sexy Football but Same Results for LA Galaxy

The West Coast was similarly bristling with anticipation. As the MLS propaganda never got tired of saying, in 2007 the LA Galaxy and its owner Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) have indeed managed a major coup – they have signed the most famous footballer in the world, the Posh Boy himself, David Beckham. The only problem was that Becks arrived with a bum ankle and missed a number of crucial games in the final stretch of the 2007 campaign. He was available for the very last contest in Chicago but LA went down by a 1:0 score and the AEG forced out its coach Frank Yallop, who was himself brought in only a year earlier.

(The coaching carousel continued with Yallop going to the San Jose Earthquakes, opening for business that very month).

Under a bombastically fatuous General Manager (Director of Football) Alexi Lalas, another major coup was launched. Seeking “sexy football”, AEG has hired a former two-time World Player of the Year Dutchman Ruud Gullit. Beside once having been a truly great pro, Gullit has managed a number of European clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle and Feyenoord and was fluent in English.

Given the glitz and the glamour of the two metropolitan giants, far less attention was being given to the 2007 finalist, the two far less glamorous but two very hardworking squads – Houston Dynamo and the New England Revolution.

Houston was returning most of his line-up, sans a temporarily departed Nate Jaqua (7 goals in 2007) while Revolution’s only name loss was a released veteran forward Pat Noonan.

Once the play on the pitch commenced, however, the expectations weren’t always met.

While Columbus, Chicago and New England got off to a good start in the East, New York tumbled out of the gate. Reyna reverted to his oft-injured self and Angel must have received the same contagion, coming down with all sorts of maladies. Osorio’s juggling of players and line-ups didn’t produce either and New York had a rough going in the spring of 2008. early injuries and the eventual $10M transfer of Josmer Altidore to Spain’s Villarreal was another shock to New York’s system.

In the West, Gullit’s Galaxy began to assert itself a few weeks into the season and became the most exciting team on the field. Unfortunately for LA, the excitement had good and bad components. Its offense was averaging an almost unheard-of three goals per game but its defense was nearly as porous.

Still, a couple of months in, LA was seen in first place, a drastic departure from its previous MLS annuals.

New York was languishing in the standings. Looking at it in their rear-view mirrors were the aforementioned Columbus, Chicago and New England.

Out with Gullit, in with Arena

Then something snapped in LA. Its offense continued to be scoring reasonably well, but its defense was proving to be incapable of stopping anyone. The team went on a long winless streak. Its players began to rumble about Gullit’s coaching methods and, finally, the damage became irreparable. Gullit was pushed out of the door and replaced by Bruce Arena. So high was the admiration of Arena’s by the AEG’s head Tim Leiweke that Leiweke gushed about the former US gaffer in the most glorious terms possible when appearing on the national telecast shortly after Gullit’s departure.

With the Galz slipped out of the first place by then, they were still very much in the play-off picture, had the season ended at that moment. Arena, of course, was expected to push for the top spot that the Galaxy only recently vacated. For that, he received additional reinforcement in the form of a 34-year old US international winger Eddie Lewis, who had spent the previous season with Derby County of the English Premiership.

Nonetheless, showing repeated ineptitude, Arena coached Galaxy to less than one point per game and, when the 2008 was over, the Galaxy was back to its usual last place, even losing the goal differential to the expansion San Jose.

As noted prior, San Jose’s coach was one Frank Yallop, a former man in charge of the Galaxy.

As, once upon a time, was Sigi Schmid.

Returning to the East Coast : for a while, Osorio’s job seemed in as much jeopardy as of his West Coast counterpart. In New York’s last match at Chicago, Juan Carlos’s club needed a win to insure itself of the last play-off spot in the East but instead his men were hammered 5:2 by the in-form Chicago Fire. Only a last day defeat of the DC United at the hands of the league leaders Columbus Crew pushed the Red Bulls into that last spot. Backing into the play-off didn’t stop calls for Osorio’s firing but he was given a euphemistic chance to prove himself again in the playoffs.

Playoff Contenders

Chicago, New England and Kansas City were three other East Conference contenders.

There were a few more surprises. With the Galaxy self-destruction, the fourth year franchise Real Salt Lake scored on the last minute of its last match and made the knock-out stage for the first time ever.

Without much drama, the two time defending MLS champion Houston topped the West in the points total.

Chivas USA, a team ravaged by injuries throughout the season, still managed to finish a respectable second.

The league was gearing for the MLS Cup and the LA Galaxy, by then having gotten rid of Lalas as well, was gearing for its never ending rebuilding.

Three coaches (Gullit, plus Colorado’s Fernando Clavijo and Dallas’s Steve Morrow) lost their jobs.

Landon Donovan won the scoring title.

Columbus’s Chad Marshall won the Defender of the Year.

Chicago’s Jon Busch won the same award for top Goalkeeper.

The MVP vote is to be announced later with Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, Fire’s Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Crew’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto the three finalists.

Also See:

The 2008 MLS Season Preview (Liviu Bird)

MLS, LA Galaxy and Ruud Gullit – A Very Long Way from ‘Sexy Football’ (Marco Pantanella)

Youth Football in the US (Dan Leo)

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

West Hammered: MLS Learns from the Pros

While English cynicism used to be a cherished import in the all-too-earnest hinterland of soccer-loving North America, the bile has lost its caché in the past few years. No more, Guardian. Cease and desist, ‘When Saturday Comes’. Your glib asides on the American game, which may have seemed like cutting journalistic insight post 1994, now sounds like the wet-gummed wheezings of an irate undergraduate student moaning about the mainstream music playing in a once indie-oriented pub.

The fact of the matter is thirty drunken Hammers (mostly Americans according to some reports) came flailing toward the supposedly ‘hard-core’ Columbus Crew supporters’ section last week; there were some scuffles, but no reports of major injuries. Even so, North Americans are not in need of protection from police at MLS games; to say as Barney Ronay did recently in the Guardian, that by returning punches to the surging West Ham fans, Crew supporters were somehow emulating a ‘halcyon’ period of English violence is absurd. A noxious social ill is not a hipster trend no matter how many alliterative sentences you manage to spin on the topic.

Mr. Ronay goes on to write of the MLS/Premiership friendlies, “these kind of games are usually genteel, goodwill-infused affairs.” He may have missed the news last year when a group of Aston Villa fans were ejected for light fisticuffs at a Toronto FC ‘friendly’. Shock horror — it seems even normally polite and unassuming Canadians will react when provoked at their home grounds, although we tend to be more known for hockey violence – the Montreal Canadiens’ first round victory in this year’s Stanley Cup resulted in a few blocks’ worth of burned out cars.

Yet Ronay is actually on the money about the MLS’ normally good-natured international friendlies. Hell, we’re even able to control ourselves during contentious Cup finals: this week’s draw between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact at BMO Field — hardly your typical soccer mom MLS crowd — resulted in little more than some halfhearted anti-Quebecois jabs lobbed at the band of away supporters who sat unprotected in the East stand. Toronto FC had lost the chance to play in the CONCACAF Champions League to a lower division team from Quebec, English Canada’s arch political and cultural rivals, and yet 20000 rapid TFC supporters simply picked up and went home.

It cannot be denied there is a minority of idiots in the MLS who know little of football outside of watching reruns of Football Factories. Some fans will attempt to raise a pathetic parking lot skirmish to the level of an early eighties West Ham/Millwall encounter.

Yet if Ronay and others like him put away their grab bag of wittily penned clichés about American ‘sah-ker’ and instead focus on what is already obvious to most continental Europeans — that drunken fans of English football with cheap tickets at a low-security stadium will sometimes ‘act out’ — they would realize that it’s not MLS fans who are suffering from hooligan nostalgia.

Richard Whittall lives in Toronto and is the author of A More Splendid Life.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There were six games spread over this holiday weekend culminating in an exciting double header. Only DC and Toronto didn’t play, making the potential for a lot of movement. We saw 9 out of 14 teams switch positions and with Superliga coming up, teams needed to make these last games count.

1. (1) New England Revolution (10-4-3)

It’s hard to put in words what New England has been capable of doing in the unpredictable MLS. Usually in the MLS, if you can string together three or four wins, you’ll be right near first place but, New England keeps distancing themselves from the pack. This time, a 2-1 win over the Galaxy and New England has to be considered a favorite going into next week’s Superliga.

2. (2) DC United (7-7-1)

DC were idle this past weekend but nobody made a convincing surge to go by them and they retain the number two spot for now. DC in fact won’t play a league game until July 22nd because of Superliga so if someone can make a push, DC could be moving down the rankings.

3. (3) Columbus Crew (8-4-3)

An exciting 2-2 draw against Chicago was a fun game to watch but it won’t take them past DC. Columbus scored a fortuitous 87th minute goal to tie and for most of the night, Chicago were the better team. Columbus were slightly handicapped as their coach Sigi Schmid was at his daughter’s wedding and his assistant was managing the game.

4. (5) Chicago Fire (6-5-3)

Chicago were once considered the best team in MLS but a horrid loss of form has seen them drop down the standings and the power rankings. With that being said, it appears that Chicago are back to early season form after playing excellent possession football for almost the whole game against Columbus. Chicago rise up a spot because of their great play even though they squandered the three points in the last minutes of the game.

5. (6) Toronto FC (6-4-4)

Toronto were idle this week and with nobody behind them pushing hard up the rankings, Toronto will actually move up a spot. A week of rest hopefully will serve them well as MLS reaches its busiest part of the season.

6. (7) Houston Dynamo (4-4-8)

Houston Dynamo are the “Kings of ties.” Houston continues to play well but no wins are coming. On national TV Thursday, Houston played to a 0-0 draw with plenty of goal mouth action between Houston and Salt Lake. Houston move up because of their good play recently even though they didn’t get the desired result.

7. (4) LA Galaxy (6-6-3)

LA, for the past two weeks has showed why they will only ever be a mediocre team unless they get defensive help. New England ran circles around Abel Xavier and company and can consider themselves unlucky not to have scored four or five goals. The offense still showed up to play, but LA’s defense is so debilitating that sometimes they can’t overcome themselves. It is rumored that they will sign a Argentinean defender soon so hopefully they can improve the back line.

8. (10) Chivas USA (6-6-3)

Chivas USA dominated a horrendous San Jose team for a full ninety minutes plus stoppage time. It was by pure grit and determination that San Jose survived as long as they did. Ante Razov‘s curling free kick two minutes from time saved Chivas from an embarrassing draw. Chivas jumps ahead of Salt Lake because of the way the dominated San Jose and the fact that they picked up a win.

9. (9) Real Salt Lake (5-6-5)

Real Salt Lake seem to be a real contender for the Western Conference title. They continue to play an aggressive attacking style which has seen them move up not only the rankings, but also the league table. Real stay still due to their draw and Chivas’s comprehensive victory.

10. (13) Colorado Rapids (6-8-1)

Colorado shocked me on Friday. They played in front of a sell-out crowd in Denver and beat New York 4-0. This is the same Colorado team that has been quite abysmal all year. It was a beautiful game played by Colorado and they scored some spectacular goals. If they can keep this run going, they could easily be vying for the Western Conference crown come fall.

11. (11) FC Dallas (4-6-6)

Dallas got another draw, what else is new. This one was however quite lucky. A beautiful 40 yard cross was headed on the run by Abe Thompson. It could be the best goal of the season. Dallas however continues to struggle for wins and until they get their act sorted out, they are not real contenders.

12. (13) Kansas City Wizards (4-5-5)

Kansas City earned four points in their past two matches, a good sign for a team that has been struggling since the first few weeks of the season. They have also signed Josh Wolff so maybe, their offensive woes will be solved.

13. (8) New York Red Bulls (5-5-5)

A 4-0 dismantling by Colorado shows how badly New York needs re-enforcements. It is said that Juan Carlos Osorio has 4 or 5 players who will join soon, so hopefully there is relief ahead for New York fans. Five spots is a lot for a team to fall but after their display against Colorado, they deserve nothing better.

14. (14) San Jose Earthquakes (3-9-3)

Another week, another disappointing result. The only record San Jose is chasing right now is the first team to ten losses. That’s how sad their season has been. I’d like to be optimistic about San Jose’s chances at a playoff spot but, they simply don’t have a shot.

So, that was Week 15′s power rankings. Did you agree or disagree with anything? Your thoughts below.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

7 games and much to think about. Week 14 highlighted the equality of MLS quite clearly. Each team receives 2.2 million dollars in cap space so naturally, teams will be relatively even.

This was evident in Week 14. Six out of 7 games were ties or one goal wins. Because there are no teams that will dominate every game, MLS Power Rankings tend to fluctuate more than a Power Ranking of any European League. Nonetheless, here are this week’s Power Rankings:

To be clear, the second number was last week’s Power Rankings.

1. (1) New England Revolution (9-4-3)

New England stumbled last week but took care of business this week. Toronto FC is a good team, but New England seem to be in a class of their own. New England now has a firm hold on the top spot in MLS Power Rankings.

2. (4) DC United (7-7-1)

I’m out of words about this DC team. Six weeks ago, their record was 2-7-0, now their 7-7-1. I’m no math genius but they’ve won five of their last six games and are officially the hottest team in MLS. Their emphatic win on Sunday over the Galaxy catapulted DC over Columbus and LA all the way to the second spot.

3. (3) Columbus (8-4-2)

It took a little grit to get by Colorado but Columbus appears to be on the right track. After starting out as the best team in MLS, Columbus stumbled but now seem stable and back to their winning ways. They would have been in the second spot if not for DC’s blowout victory over LA.

4. (2) LA Galaxy (6-5-3)

There were many questions that popped up about LA on Sunday. First and foremost among those questions is “Where did the defense go?” DC’s goals were not spectacular. I know LA is known for their porous defense but they need some help if they are going to push for the MLS title. I’ll have a tidbit about their quest for defenders later.

5. (6) Chicago Fire (6-5-2)

Chicago has been reeling and this week’s tie against San Jose won’t do much to help their confidence. It is the second straight game they’ve been shut out in and Brian Mcbride looks more and more desirable. Chicago moved up a spot not because of a good performance, but rather because the teams in front of them and behind them suffered losses.

6. (5) Toronto FC (6-4-4)

Toronto lost another road game and a team that used to be one of the best of the east is slowly slipping down the rankings and standings. If Toronto are to make a run at the title, they will need to resolve their poor road form.

7. (8) Houston Dynamo (4-4-7)

Houston looked good in their 1-1 tie against FC Dallas controlling most of the play. The defense still needs a little work on marking but beyond that, look for Houston to make a run up the standings and the Power Rankings.

8. (10) New York Red Bulls (5-4-5)

New York played to a 1-1 draw at Chivas, a result that they thoroughly deserved. New York will need to get healthy if they plan on making a run at the title. Juan Pablo Angel and Claudio Reyna must get healthy soon or New York might not make the playoffs. Some help via the transfer market is also needed.

9. (7) Real Salt Lake (5-6-4)

Real should have been able to hold on for a tie but an own goal by Tony Beltran doomed them to a loss at Kansas City. This loss is a big blow to Real’s good run of form.

10. (10) Chivas USA (5-6-3)

Chivas USA tied New York on Saturday and failed to build on an impressive win over Chicago last week. The Goats have the talent to be a Western Conference challenger. Preki showed his managerial prowess last year but Chivas just hasn’t been the same team.

11. (11) FC Dallas (4-6-5)

Dallas looked better against Houston in Schellas Hyndman’s second game of his tenure. Dallas, a team with a lot of talent should be up competing for a top spot in the West and hopefully, Hyndman has Dallas on the right track.

12. (13) Kansas City Wizards (4-5-4)

Kansas City had ten points after five matches and had thirteen points after twelve matches. They picked up a crucial win against Real Salt Lake. It was fortuitous, an 89′ minute own goal, and Kansas City still has some issues that need to be resolved. If Kansas City are interested in a playoff spot, they will need to improve when the transfer window begins.

13. (12) Colorado Rapids (5-8-1)

Colorado continues its poor run of form with no end in sight. A tie at Columbus would have been a positive step forward but they let the game slip away. Christian Gomez needs to get back to the starting lineup if Colorado are to challenge for a playoff spot.

14. (14) San Jose Earthquakes (3-8-3)

San Jose just aren’t good enough. It is obviously difficult to be a expansion team but twelve points out of fourteen matches is awful. Maybe their tie against a reeling Chicago can be the spark San Jose need but somehow, I just don’t see that happening. There is no real talent in the squad, or at least not enough to challenge for a playoff spot.

What do you guys think of the power rankings? Is it what you thought or are there some surprises? Let’s hear what you think below.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

This is the moment North American soccer fans have been waiting for; the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final is here. However, with more exciting MLS action coming up this weekend, Americans are spoiled for choice as we creep closer to summer.

CONCACAF Champions Cup

This will be a good final, contested by two teams with rich histories in domestic and regional competition and stadiums that away teams do not enjoy traveling to.

Deportivo Saprissa will make their first appearance in the final since 2005, when they won it, one year after losing badly (5-1) at the same stage. When they managed to win, it was against a Mexican opponent, such as defending champions CF Pachuca, who will appear in the final once again this year. 2005 was also the last time there were no Mexican teams in the final — there has been at least one every year in the last decade except for 2004, when there were two Costa Rican teams competing for the Cup. Overall, all of these statistics point to one thing: an exciting final.

As for the first leg, which will be played in Costa Rica Wednesday night, the home side have the advantage. Home teams usually have an advantage, especially in competitions such as the Champions Cup, but Saprissa’s is a bit larger than usual. Saprissa have qualified for the Champions Cup four times in the new millennium, reaching the final twice. In that span, they have not lost a single match at home, even when they failed to advance.

With that in mind, Pachuca has a good advantage in playing the second leg at home. That is not an unusual advantage either, but it is important when playing two legs against a team like Saprissa. If Pachuca can hold the Costa Ricans to a draw, or even just a one goal advantage, they have a real chance of bringing the Cup back to Mexico.

The key to this tie is goals. Both of the tournaments leading goal-scorers, with three each, will be involved in this match. Luis Montes of Pachuca and Armando Alonso of Saprissa have provided the knockout blows for their team in both the quarter final and semi final fixtures, both scoring what proved to be the tie-winning goal at each stage.

Major League Soccer

Sometimes, it’s hard to get excited about a domestic competition when there is a thrilling regional final tie in the same week, but the MLS is just heating up to the point that I will probably be excited about it even in the same week as the Champions League final in Moscow.

The table has shifted around a bit again. The key movers:
• Kansas City Wizards has overtaken Chicago Fire at the top by defeating them 1-0 in Chicago. This defeat also dropped Chicago to fourth.
• Toronto FC jumped four places after beating fellow newcomers to the mid-table, Réal Salt Lake.
• DC United dropped to the bottom after losing to Columbus Crew, who leaped to second.
• San Jose Earthquakes’ first win of the season gives them new hope and a place third from bottom.

One of the biggest stories of this young season is how the front-runners from last season have stalled at the beginning of the new season. Champions Cup semi-finalists DC United and Houston Dynamo lie on the very bottom of the table, with only three points each, and only one win between them. Chivas USA, my prediction to win the league and cup double (MLS style) currently sit in the last playoff spot.

DC play a surging Salt Lake side this weekend, Chivas play Los Angeles Galaxy in the Los Angeles derby, and Houston travel to Columbus to take on a high-flying Crew side. This weekend is important for all of the “top” MLS teams to get their seasons on track. There is plenty of time left, with MLS not even through its first month of play in 2008, but these are the points that the second and third placed teams will look back on and regret dropping.

Results: DC United 1-2 Columbus Crew (MLS), Toronto FC 1-0 Réal Salt Lake (MLS), Red Bull New York 1-1 New England Revolution (MLS), Colorado Rapids 0-2 San Jose Earthquakes (MLS), Los Angeles Galaxy 2-2 Houston Dynamo (MLS), Chicago Fire 0-1 Kansas City Wizards (MLS), Chivas USA 0-2 FC Dallas (MLS).

Table
Kansas City Wizards 10
Columbus Crew 9
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FC Dallas 8
Chicago Fire 7
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New England Revolution 7
Colorado Rapids 6
Toronto FC 6
Chivas USA 4
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Réal Salt Lake 4
Red Bull New York 4
Los Angeles Galaxy 4
San Jose Earthquakes 3
Houston Dynamo 3
DC United 3

Fixtures: Deportivo Saprissa v CF Pachuca (CCC), FC Dallas v New England Revolution (MLS), Toronto FC v Kansas City Wizards (MLS), Columbus Crew v Houston Dynamo (MLS), DC United v Réal Salt Lake (MLS), Chicago Fire v Colorado Rapids (MLS), Los Angeles Galaxy v Chivas USA (MLS), Red Bull New York v San Jose Earthquakes (MLS).

This week brings a regional cup final, a big city derby, and league minnows looking to stay on top. A trivia question for you this week: what was the only American club to make it to a domestic and regional cup final, and what year was it?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News