When Sounders’ fortunes were plummeting earlier in the season top brass knew that the alarming spiral was due to more than injury misfortunes, though they were indeed a factor.

The Sounders needed to jump start their season after falling to 4-8-4 in MLS Western Conference Standings. They now stand at .500 with an 8-8-4 mark with 28 points and a chance to move into winning territory Saturday night with a win against Chivas U.S.A. at Home Depot Center. The match is slated to begin at 8 p.m. PT.

It was at the Home Depot Center in a July 4th 3-1 loss to the L.A. Galaxy, that the team hit rock bottom.

“We need to do some tightening in the midfield area,” Coach Sigi Schmid exclaimed.  “We need to toughen up and close up holes that are allowing people to roam free and score.”

The change occurred, the middle was tightened, but there was great improvement on offense as well. Some of that progress, understandably, was occasioned by the tougher defense and greater opportunity to possess the ball and mount offensive attacks.

Two critical and well-timed moves by General Manager Adrian Hanauer in the front office assisted the current Seattle victory surge. Two World Cup players, Congo born and Switzerland bred Blaise Nkufo of Switzerland and Alvaro Fernandez of Uruguay, were acquired.  

Nkufo has brought a physical and smoothly functioning dominance at midfield, generating solid possession soccer and feeding the ball to players to help create scoring opportunities.  

Fernandez has generated a scoring punch with key goals against Metapan in El Salvador and Houston in Seattle. He is an adroit ball handler and, like Nkufo, is a solid asset in helping generate possession soccer.

Much of the team’s scoring punch has been achieved by Colombian Comet Fredy Montero and Congo born and London bred Steve Zakuani. There have also been solid contributions by defender Leo Gonzalez of Costa Rica and Cuban born midfielder Ozzie Alonso.

The return of Alonso after being lost temporarily due to injury has helped fill some of the void over the loss of 2009 MLS All-Star defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado of Colombia, who has been lost for the season.

This week on the Starfire practice pitch in Tukwila, Coach Sigi Schmid has expressed buoyancy over the Sounders having a full week to prepare for an opponent after a schedule crowded with foreign and other engagements left the team necessarily scrambling to deliver their utmost to all commitments.

“Sometimes you do lose your edge a little bit because you are so used to going from game to game to game,” Schmid conceded following Wednesday’s training session. 

“We wanted to make sure today’s training was good work and I thought it was good work and it should’ve tired the guys out. It was good to be able to work on some things because we were able to hit some things that we wanted to work on. Hopefully we won’t lose that edge at all.”

On Tuesday the Sounders were able to play some 11 versus 11, attempting to maintain a high fitness level. On Wednesday Schmid engaged in group work, which he said “we really haven’t done in a while.”

The Wednesday activity included weight work. “So those are things that allow us to get into a bit of a rhythm,” Schmid noted.  

Schmid evaluated Chivas USA accordingly:

“Chivas is a completely different team than they were even three weeks ago. With all the changes, bringing in [Giancarlo] Maldonado, bringing in [Rodolfo] Espinoza on their team, [ while Jesus] Padilla is somebody who has been playing a lot for them and he is coming off the bench now.

“They have loaned a couple players out. They’re still looking, I think, at maybe making another move or two. Justin Braun is in good form. So they are a team that needs to get points now, just like we do, and being at home they want to try and get their three points. It’s going to have a playoff-type of intensity to it because for them they are getting to that point of the season, with the games remaining, that pretty soon it’s not going to be feasible for them to get there. It’s going to be a playoff-type intensity, for sure.”

Schmid faces the important final stretch of the season preceding the playoffs optimistically:

“We need to just continue to work on what we are doing well, maintaining what we are doing, continuing to build the relationship between Blaise Nkufo and Fredy Montero, continuing to get Alvaro [Fernandez] into the team, to build his fitness, to build Blaise’s fitness as well.

“The understanding in midfield between [Osvaldo] Alonso and [Nathan] Sturgis has been pretty good over the last few games, to continue to do that. But I think we have so many games that other guys are going to get in there to play and they are going to get minutes.

“Maybe [Michael] Seamon is going to reemerge here, play a more dominant role. Maybe [Miguel] Montaño comes back in to play a more dominant role. We are going to need more than just eleven starters. We are going to need a lot of guys to contribute on this team. I think what we have shown as well over the last series of games is that we have depth and we can bring people off the bench and maintain our level of play.”

Chivas USA is running out of chances and needs points badly, holding a 5-10-3 Western Conference mark with 18 points. The teams will also face each other on September 1st in an Open Cup semifinal at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.  

The Sounders and Chivas USA will close the regular season with an October 15th contest at the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.   

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

CARSON, Calif.—Ever seen the diverse town worship an unpopular sport here in the origin of an enigmatic, paranoid town, unlike in other countries where fans revere the fascinating sport and blow on annoying vuvuzelas, an obnoxious buzzing sound that bothers our nerves badly?

What is increasingly discovered in Hollywood is that the masses are obsessed with superstars and celebrities, more than the sport or cinematic script itself, and hastily, the famous human being becomes a publicity magnet in a town where stars are truly admired.

It’s always fun to gaze at a sporting icon locally and during the summer months, if someone is paying close attention the ultimate star is Landon Donovan, a famous soccer star who is idolized and known for lifting the ratings of a dull event.

Without him, the Los Angeles Galaxy constitutes no buzz, no hearsay, not even an acknowledgement in the front page of the Los Angeles Times sports section. But the presence of Donovan bolsters an uneventful game in a nation that only glances at soccer during the World Cup, optimistic of a spectacular finish to cure a lowly event.

It’s almost realistic to believe that he markets the game of soccer in the states and in the Los Angeles basin as well, luring a large capacity at the Home Depot Center in Southern California and avid spectators by captivating the audience with a breathtaking goal.

As the Major League Soccer season comes to closure, he has enticed a crowd to wildly cheer and admire his prodigiousness, passion, work ethic, and, well, his game-changing heroics. He’s suddenly a world-class athlete with the ability to shift the dimension of an uncertain sport in the States and has been described as the Kobe Bryant of soccer as the prime star on the Galaxy.

In perspective, he has been the turning point in soccer and changed the way the game is perceived.

But the recent gossip is that midfielder David Beckham, an egotistic soccer star who willingly left his native country as a mercenary and celebrity for more riches and fame, is becoming a rock star and constantly is heckled and beleaguered by paparazzi in snapshots.

If he’s permitted to display his signature cologne in department stores, just to sustain recognition as a promoter and convince consumers to purchase the product, then he’s definitely the face of an ailing game in America.

As it turns out, he’s expected to participate in warmups with the Galaxy on Wednesday, set to return from suffering a torn left Achilles tendon earlier in the year while affiliated with AC Milan. As of today, the Galaxy is worshipped for appealingly mending and popularizing soccer in the U.S. with the occupancy of high-profile stars.

As of today, the Galaxy represents soccer in America.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

The Latin Combo delivers when needed, as the visiting Houston Dynamo learned when the Seattle Sounders capitalized on goals from Colombian Fredy Montero and Uruguayan Alvaro Fernandez in a 2-0 triumph before 36,111 fans Sunday night at the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field.

The Montero goal in the 64th minute continued the rampaging pace of the Colombian Comet that earned him MLS Player of the Month honors for July. 

Montero’s eighth goal of the campaign came following a long punt by goalkeeper Kasey Keller. With a Dynamo defender draped on his back, Montero chested the ball down, spun to his left, and drove a 15-yard effort past goalkeeper Tally Hall.

In addition to securing a clean sheet for the evening, Keller achieved that goalkeeper rarity: an assist, on the Montero tally.  It marked the first ever in Sounders franchise history for a goalkeeper.

Alvaro Fernandez has, for the second time in a row, come into a match in the second half and tallied an important goal.  Last week, he secured a Seattle aggregate win on points over Metapan on a muddy San Salvador field to earn a 1-1 tie and 2-1 overall triumph as the Sounders moved on to the next round of the CONCACAF competition.

On Sunday, his right-footed boot in the 88th minute past goalkeeper Hall provided insurance and capped off the Sounders triumph in what has to be classified as one of the team’s finest efforts of the season, both offensively and defensively.

Once more, Colombian Comet Montero was a factor, as he accounted for an assist on Fernandez’ goal, marking his ninth of the season.  The assist ties Montero with Freddie Ljungberg’s team record established last year.

Just as new foreign designated player acquisition Fernandez, a recent Uruguayan World Cup player, aided his team’s winning effort, credit must also be bestowed on midfielder Blaise Nkufo.

The Congolese star, who set a scoring record in Dutch football and was a performer on the Switzerland team that handed eventual champion Spain its only loss in the World Cup, contributed mightily to the Seattle cause during his 87 minutes on the Xbox Pitch.

There is a smoothness and fluidity in the way that Nkufo works the midfield area.  There are no wasted movements, nor goal thrusts from excessive distances that provide the opposition with possession.

The Nkufo system involves solid linkage, sure and direct passes that enable the Sounders to play intelligent possession soccer.

There is also a solid physical presence that Nkufo provides, and it came last night against a Houston team noted for its emphasis on physicality.

As Seattle Coach Sigi Schmid noted after the match, relative to Nkufo’s formidable presence, “It certainly helped us.  His ability to occupy a defender and be strong on the ball and bring the other players into the game is important.  It’s something that (Nate) Jaqua gave us last year early in the year.”

Schmid was delighted to see his team get its fourth successive MLS win and fifth league match in succession without a loss, propelling the Sounders to an 8-8-4 mark with 28 points and fourth place occupancy.

"We're happy with the win,” Schmid said.  “Something that we've been talking about is getting to .500. We've also been talking a lot about making our home games our home games again and making sure that we win at home.

“Today was a good result, especially against Houston. Last year and in the past when we've played teams that are more physical or robust are teams that have given us a hard time. We were able to match that and came out ahead at the end of the day, so I was very pleased."

The setback left Houston with a 5-9-5 record and 20 points.  Coach Dominic Kinnear’s team has not tasted victory in its last nine MLS matches.  The Dynamo reside in seventh place in the Western Conference.

When asked after the match if the Sounders are playing their best soccer of the season, Steve Zakuani spoke directly to the point.  “For sure!”  Zakuani enthused.  “I don’t know what it is, but you can feel it in our practices.  You can feel us getting better.”

An important force in the recent Sounder surge has been owner and general manager Adrian Hanauer.  When the Sounders were struggling and finding it difficult to score goals, Hanauer put on his thinking cap and began evaluating talent.  One of his efforts in that direction was to attend the World Cup in South Africa and do some scouting.

The two main moves Hanauer implemented on the foreign scene are paying current dividends and have made the Sounders a stronger team.  Nkufo has become the Great Facilitator at midfield, making intelligent passing choices and running the offensive attack, seeing that scoring giants like Montero and Zakuani get goal-producing opportunities.

Meanwhile, the other foreign player Hanauer acquired, the versatile Uruguayan Fernandez, is also a main cog in the Seattle scoring arsenal, possessing the swift moves to drive the ball upfield, to pass and generate scoring opportunities for others, and last but certainly not least, to drill winners home into the net.

The Sounders are back in MLS action when they travel to Home Depot Center in Carson, California to face Chivas USA Saturday night at 8 p.m. PT.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

The Latin Combo delivers when needed, as the visiting Houston Dynamo learned when the Seattle Sounders capitalized on goals from Colombian Fredy Montero and Uruguayan Alvaro Fernandez in a 2-0 triumph before 36,111 fans Sunday night at the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field.

The Montero goal in the 64th minute continued the rampaging pace of the Colombian Comet that earned him MLS Player of the Month honors for July. 

Montero’s eighth goal of the campaign came following a long punt by goalkeeper Kasey Keller. With a Dynamo defender draped on his back, Montero chested the ball down, spun to his left, and drove a 15-yard effort past goalkeeper Tally Hall.

In addition to securing a clean sheet for the evening, Keller achieved that goalkeeper rarity: an assist, on the Montero tally.  It marked the first ever in Sounders franchise history for a goalkeeper.

Alvaro Fernandez has, for the second time in a row, come into a match in the second half and tallied an important goal.  Last week, he secured a Seattle aggregate win on points over Metapan on a muddy San Salvador field to earn a 1-1 tie and 2-1 overall triumph as the Sounders moved on to the next round of the CONCACAF competition.

On Sunday, his right-footed boot in the 88th minute past goalkeeper Hall provided insurance and capped off the Sounders triumph in what has to be classified as one of the team’s finest efforts of the season, both offensively and defensively.

Once more, Colombian Comet Montero was a factor, as he accounted for an assist on Fernandez’ goal, marking his ninth of the season.  The assist ties Montero with Freddie Ljungberg’s team record established last year.

Just as new foreign designated player acquisition Fernandez, a recent Uruguayan World Cup player, aided his team’s winning effort, credit must also be bestowed on midfielder Blaise Nkufo.

The Congolese star, who set a scoring record in Dutch football and was a performer on the Switzerland team that handed eventual champion Spain its only loss in the World Cup, contributed mightily to the Seattle cause during his 87 minutes on the Xbox Pitch.

There is a smoothness and fluidity in the way that Nkufo works the midfield area.  There are no wasted movements, nor goal thrusts from excessive distances that provide the opposition with possession.

The Nkufo system involves solid linkage, sure and direct passes that enable the Sounders to play intelligent possession soccer.

There is also a solid physical presence that Nkufo provides, and it came last night against a Houston team noted for its emphasis on physicality.

As Seattle Coach Sigi Schmid noted after the match, relative to Nkufo’s formidable presence, “It certainly helped us.  His ability to occupy a defender and be strong on the ball and bring the other players into the game is important.  It’s something that (Nate) Jaqua gave us last year early in the year.”

Schmid was delighted to see his team get its fourth successive MLS win and fifth league match in succession without a loss, propelling the Sounders to an 8-8-4 mark with 28 points and fourth place occupancy.

"We're happy with the win,” Schmid said.  “Something that we've been talking about is getting to .500. We've also been talking a lot about making our home games our home games again and making sure that we win at home.

“Today was a good result, especially against Houston. Last year and in the past when we've played teams that are more physical or robust are teams that have given us a hard time. We were able to match that and came out ahead at the end of the day, so I was very pleased."

The setback left Houston with a 5-9-5 record and 20 points.  Coach Dominic Kinnear’s team has not tasted victory in its last nine MLS matches.  The Dynamo reside in seventh place in the Western Conference.

When asked after the match if the Sounders are playing their best soccer of the season, Steve Zakuani spoke directly to the point.  “For sure!”  Zakuani enthused.  “I don’t know what it is, but you can feel it in our practices.  You can feel us getting better.”

An important force in the recent Sounder surge has been owner and general manager Adrian Hanauer.  When the Sounders were struggling and finding it difficult to score goals, Hanauer put on his thinking cap and began evaluating talent.  One of his efforts in that direction was to attend the World Cup in South Africa and do some scouting.

The two main moves Hanauer implemented on the foreign scene are paying current dividends and have made the Sounders a stronger team.  Nkufo has become the Great Facilitator at midfield, making intelligent passing choices and running the offensive attack, seeing that scoring giants like Montero and Zakuani get goal-producing opportunities.

Meanwhile, the other foreign player Hanauer acquired, the versatile Uruguayan Fernandez, is also a main cog in the Seattle scoring arsenal, possessing the swift moves to drive the ball upfield, to pass and generate scoring opportunities for others, and last but certainly not least, to drill winners home into the net.

The Sounders are back in MLS action when they travel to Home Depot Center in Carson, California to face Chivas USA Saturday night at 8 p.m. PT.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Yesterday's game between the Fire and the Red Bulls may have been one of the most anticipated games in the league's history. The Red Bulls controlled the tempo for most of the game and got opportunity after opportunity to score. Although they didn't score, we got to see what they were made of. And trust me, it will only get better from here.

Over the span of about a month, Red Bull GM Erik Soler has signed former Barcelona stars Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez. Making these moves shows that the Red Bulls believe they can win the MLS Cup this year. And now that they have made these moves, they should win the MLS Cup.

Pairing Henry up front with Juan Pablo Angel (one of my personal favorite players) gives a dynamic duo that will give defensive lines nightmares. Right now, Angel has twelve goals and one assist.  

With Henry giving teams more to worry about, those numbers will grow, and in time, they will learn each other's tendencies (such as Angel holding the ball for a split second before shooting). I think this is the best forward combo in the league.

Adding Marquez into the mix gives the Red Bulls another world class player who is a great passer and can control the tempo as well as anyone in MLS.  If the Fire game is any indication, he will be a big star in this league. And as he gets fitter and fitter, the Red Bulls get better and better.

Putting these two great players into a team that was already second in the East makes them a threat to win the title. And if they don't, I think that will be a disappointment.  

This will be the most exciting team in the league and as long as Angel, Marquez, and Henry stay, they should be in the title hunt for years to come.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

After an underachieving stretch of matches that highlighted (or lowlighted, depending on your side of spectrum) July and early August, the Los Angeles Galaxy return to Major League Soccer play with nothing else to play for other than the trophies the league has to offer.

The home stretch of the 2010-11 season for Bruce Arena's club begins with a road trip to the Red Bull Arena, where the New York Red Bulls await.

The Galaxy's lead in the overall standings has been reduced to a mere three points. That's because the Columbus Crew sit at 37 points (11-4-4) while the Galaxy are stuck at 40 (12-3-4).

With the race for the Shield entering the final two months of play, every game counts, and every victory will be important. Los Angeles cannot afford to let their efforts go to waste.

Especially with the revamped New York Red Bulls, who have Rafa Marquez and Thierry Henry among their new signings.

Combined with the scoring ability of Juan Pablo Angel, the Red Bulls will stop at nothing to make things miserable for the struggling Galaxy back line. Angel has scored 11 goals for New York this season.

Saturday's match will answer the question as to whether or not the combo of Omar Gonzales, Sean Franklin, Todd Dunivant, and Gregg Berhalter have learned their lesson and clamp down the vaunted Red Bulls attack.

The back line showed their mettle on Saturday against Real Madrid in the first half of their friendly, but will it translate to a result in Harrison, New Jersey on August 14?

A key player to watch outside of the designated players is Macoumba Kandji. He had a chance to get a goal for New York against the Chicago Fire last week in the 47th minute of a match that ended scoreless. Look for the playmaking ability of Dane Richards and Kandji to provide a change-up for Henry and Marquez.

Tim Ream and Roy Miller have done their part in the defense and have the unenviable task of stopping the chances given to Edson Buddle and Landon Donovan, who look to get back on track with their production.

Another key battle to watch out for is at the goalkeeper position.

The reliable Cameroon international Bouma Coundoul has a 1.17 goals against average with 70 saves and a 76.9 percent save percentage for the Red Bulls.

His counterpart, the Galaxy's Donovan Ricketts, has a 0.72 GAA to go with 49 saves and a 79.0 percent save percentage.

Buddle is still Major League Soccer's leading scorer with 12 goals to his credit. Landon Donovan has been the glue to LA's offense, with 11 assists and five goals this season.

Lately, the Buddlevan Connection's production has been lacking, but if midfielders Juninho and Michael Stephens as well as forward Tristan Bowen get open and stretch the defense, it will be trouble on the way for New York in the form of the Galaxy's No. 10 and No. 14.

This is a match the Galaxy must win. I see this becoming a goal festival, with one of the Red Bull designated players getting on the sheet. However, Los Angeles should get more out of this match and get themselves back on track. Let's try this result:

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM PT and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

For the fifth consecutive game, the New York Red Bulls missed their opportunity to earn a win. With a 0-1-4 record during this span, the Red Bulls are now nine points behind Easter Conference Leader, the Columbus Crew.

This game marked the debut of the Red Bulls' Rafael Marquez playing alongside Juan Pablo Angel and Thierry Henry. Rafa Marquez played for 61 minutes and he made it clear to his his team and Red Bull fans who's in charge. Thierry Henry played aggressively in the first half and almost scored an goal in the 21st minute. He did leave the game in the 45th minute because he suffered a groin strain.

For Chicago this was Nery Castillo's first match with the Chicago Fire, playing with recently traded ex-Seattle Sounder Freddie Ljungberg. When Castillo made his Fire debut in the 56th minute, fireworks went off and the crowd erupted into pandemonium as he entered the pitch. 

For the first time ever in a MLS match, a total of five designated players competed against each other. With all the star power in this game, the game belonged to Chicago Fire's goalkeeper Sean Johnson. With his Herculean effort, he negated the Red Bulls numerous scoring opportunities from Henry, Juan Pablo, and Kandji. Overall, Sean Johnson made seven saves.

Despite the 0-0 tie, both Red Bulls and Chicago fans have reasons to be optimistic for the remainder of the season. For the Red Bulls, with the signings of Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez, we're seeing a rejuvenated Juan Pablo Angel and Macoumba Kandji.

Currently standing at 5-5-6, Chicago has the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. With the tandem of Nery and Ljundberg, the Fire are capable of making a strong to push for the MLS playoffs.

For the second consecutive road game, the New York Red Bulls have drawn over 20,000 fans. Last week, 24,740 MLS fans were in attendance at Robertson Stadium against the Houston Dynamo in a thrilling 2-2 match to watch Thierry Henry make his MLS debut. Tonight Toyota Park had an audience of 21,868 enthusiastic fans in attendance. 

Next up for the 8-6-4 Red Bulls is Toronto FC on Wednesday, Aug. 11 at Red Bull Arena. For the Chicago Fire, they will continue with their late-season push against the New England Revolution on Aug. 18 at the Toyota Park.

Cesar Diaz writes for Latino Sports. Please send him your questions and comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

While the English Premier League season kicking off in less than a week, we know American star Landon Donovan won’t be playing in England this year, but across the Atlantic for his hometown Galaxy. Donovan had spent three months with Everton in the EPL last season, this year however a transfer to the premier league looks highly unlikely.

MLS commissioner Don Garber has put a hefty price on Donovan in order to keep Donovan in the states. Garber realizes that Donovan is the face of American soccer, the most recognizable American soccer player, and the best player the country has ever produced, he feels the league needs Donovan in order to succeed, but does Donovan need MLS?

 I understand that Garber wants to keep the best American player in America, but how does keeping Donovan in the MLS validate US soccer around the world? Which is the ultimate goal, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be better if America had its best player playing overseas against better competition, proving that the US can produce world class soccer players?

Garber said “MLS needs soccer heroes, and we have a great American soccer hero playing for us in LA, holding the torch for the sport in our country, and that’s very important. I don’t believe that it’s something we can do without.” However Garber is disregarding the fact that Donovan may have outgrown MLS and it may be time to let Donovan play overseas against stronger competition for the long term.

By keeping Donovan in the MLS, not only is Garber hurting Landon Donovan’s development, but the credibility of US soccer. Considering Donovan is coming off his best season overseas, why keep him in MLS where he won’t develop or continue to show the rest of the world that he can play on the world stage. 

At Everton Donovan was terrific, with Donovan Everton went 7-4-2, including wins over Chelsea and Manchester United. In the world cup finals, Donovan had three goals in four games, including an extra time goal against Algeria that allowed the US team to move on past the group stage. His time at Everton and in the world cup finals validated his status as a world class player.

At 28, Donovan is at the prime of his career, and his experience overseas has been limited. After appearances with Bayern Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, where Donovan got limited playing time, and three months at Everton, it’s time for Donovan to at least have the chance to play overseas for the long term, considering he’s at the prime of his career now.

After the world cup, Donovan drew great interest from the premier league. Teams like Everton and Manchester City, took a serious look at Donovan, however they were scared off by the price tag.  

Everton manger David Moyes would he’d love to have Donovan back, but Everton doesn’t have the finances to overpay for Donovan. Moyes said "Don't you think I've asked my chairman to make it happen? We'd love to have Landon but he looks too expensive for us and we just don't have it ... The price the MLS want for him is very big and it's an additional problem because of his age (28)."

MLS has put this hefty price on Donovan that has made it impossible for Donovan to play overseas. Garber claims it’s Galaxy and Donovan’s decision by saying "I am pleased that he renegotiated his deal for several more years and I hope that he will stay here for the rest of his career ... (but) it's not my decision, it's Landon's decision and L.A. Galaxy's decision." But by putting this hefty transfer fee on Donovan, Garber has done the exact opposite and gained full control of Donovan’s future.

  Donovan did sign a contract that would allow him to be a member of the Galaxy through 2013, but having Donovan continue to perform at a high level overseas not only allows Donovan to grow as a player, but it adds needed credibility to US soccer, and MLS.

Garber is selfishly keeping Donovan in MLS, but in reality it’s in everyone’s best interest if Donovan is playing at the highest level.

If Donovan continues to succeed overseas, MLS gains credibility as a potential hotbed for talent. More of the top teams in the world will want to continue to schedule exhibition games against MLS teams, more European players will want to come play in America, and most importantly more scouts will come to America and recruit, therefore improving the reputations of US soccer and MLS.  

Right now MLS is light years behind the top leagues in the world. MLS did take a step forward when many of the top teams in the world scheduled exhibition games against MLS teams. However the results showed that MLS is still ways away from competing with Europe’s elite. These exhibition games proved that MLS is making progress, but the gap remains huge. MLS is four or five years away from significantly improving and by then Donovan may be past his prime.

MLS commissioner Don Garber and the LA Galaxy need to lower the steep price for Donovan, and set him free. It’s the best option for Donovan, US soccer, and maybe even MLS in the long term.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Arguably the greatest trio in MLS history played their first game together at Toyota Park in Chicago. Despite numerous chances the game ended 0-0. 

New York's combination of Theirry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel and Rafael Marquez overshadowed the massive Fire trade for Freddie Ljungberg and acquisition of Nery Castillo during the pre-game hype. Yet, the story of the game was rookie Fire goalie Shawn Johnson, who made a number of critical saves to keep a clean sheet.

The majority of the talk surrounded Thierry Henry, who has looked very good in his two Red Bull appearances thus far. He has been involved in three goals and connected well with teammates, especially star striker Juan Pablo Angel.

Rafael Marquez signed last week  and this was his first game in a Red Bull uniform. He is expected to be a force in the midfield and at the back. Winning the ball and directing play are his strengths.

Meanwhile, Freddie Ljungeberg moved to Chicago in late July from Seattle for a couple of draft picks. He has much experience playing in the MLS and is great at moving the ball down the field.

The other Fire signing of Nery Castillo also debuted tonight. He is a mercurial Mexican attacker who has played very little in the last few years.

Here is a play-by-play:

First Half:

6th Minute: Ljungeberg nutmegs Roy Miller on the wing and wins a free kick. Baggio Husidic volleys the ensuing free kick well but it’s blocked.

11th Minute: After Wilman Conde concedes a cheap throw-in, Henry juggles the ball over two defenders and sends a 50-50 lob into the box. The Fire cleanup..

19th Minute: Chris Albright sends a curling ball into the box from the wing. Angel heads it towards the back post, but he gets no power on it. 

21st Minute: Angel sends a great cutting past to Henry. Henry stalls than sprints past the defense but his shot is tame.

24th Minute: Marco Pappa receives a pass from McBride across the top of the penalty area. His shot is wide. 

27th Minute: Henry gets warned for a late push but reacts with a raspberry at the camera.

28th Minute: Henry spins and stutters from 25 yards out and takes a shot that misses wide right.

29th Minute: Angel taps it to an on running Henry who gets the ball caught between his feet near the penalty spot. 

31st Minute: Yellow card on Husidic for a late sliding tackle on Marquez.

32nd Minute: Tim Ream is booked for tactical foul on a speeding Freddie Ljungeberg.

38th Minute: Ream sends a chip up to Miller but Sean Johnson is off his line to quickly and wins the ball.

41st Minute: Miller sends in a looping far post cross to Mac Kandji. His volley requires a good save, but he is called for handling.

43rd Minute: Logan Pause chips it to Brian McBride into space. The Red Bulls are on their heals but Ljungeberg scuffs a beautiful ball from McCbride.

45th Minute: Thierry Henry is subbed out for Dane Richards. Although he didn’t want to come out, he may have a head injury.

Second Half:

47th Minute: Marquez sends a diagonal straight through the defense to Dane Richards. Richards scathes it across the face of goal but Kandji managaes to miss.

49th Minute: Kandji heads a Lindpere cross wide of the upper corner. 

56th Minute: Albright chips a swerving cross onto the head of Kandji who misses again. Nery Castillo enters for Brian McBride.

61st Minute: Marquez is subbed out for Seth Stammler.

64th Minute: Richards recieves a great chip from Richards whose first touch goes through nutmegs the defender. He falls in the penalty area but nothing is given.

67th Minute: Logan Pause switches the field with a curving ball to Marco Pappa. He can’t get a shot off in the end.

68th Minute: Angel gets ball in space on the wing. He strikes a knuckle ball but Johnson makes the save.

73rd Minute: Mac Kandji breaks away but kicks the ball too far in front of him while avoiding a challenge.

77th Minute: Richards speeds by two players but his cross is a little bit too far behind Angel.

80th Minute: Carlos Mendes gets a yellow card for holding Ljungeberg in the midfield.

80th Minute: Castillo makes a few cuts on the end line and sends it back to Pappa who curls it wide.

83rd Minute: A mistake by Conde leads to a shot from Angel that beats Johnson and the post.

87th Minute: Richards gets the ball in space and passes it to Ibrahim who can’t get the shot off quick enough.

90th Minute: Ream hits a top drawer volley but Johnson pushes it over.

91st Minute: Albright sends another great cross in which Angel heads into the bottom corner. Johnson makes another highlight save.

92nd Minute: Johnson breaks up a Dane Richard breakaway by charging out of the box.

94th Minute: Johnson makes a diving stop on a Lindpere cross.

Analysis:

The MVP was Sean Johnson, no question. He made a wide variety of  quality saves. He knew exactly when to come off his line and his reactions were impressive to the say the least.

His last save in the 94th minute was spectacular. Angel made no mistake with the header but Johnson was too quick. It's impossible to say how consistent he is after only two games, but his potential is sky high. And he's only 21.

Now back to the players who get paid the big bucks.

It was unfortunate to see Henry leave early with an injury because he looked good in the first 45 minutes. Although he never actually tested the keeper he kept the defense on its toes.

It was also great to see him running around and pressing the ball. He helped the Red Bulls win back possession a few times.

For me, Rafael Marquez was the best designated player on the field. He basically controlled the Red Bulls when they had the ball in their half. It looked a training ground scrimmage for him as he yelled and gestured and pointed.

He came back very deep to receive the ball numerous times, which often gave New York five at the back. He didn't complete as many as passes as he could've because he chose to be very aggressive with his distribution. Numerous times he sent the ball 40 yards straight up the field to feet. His 47th minute diagonal ball sliced through the Fire defense.

His free kicks and defensive play was admirable as well but his passing was the best.

Freddie Ljungeberg looked good as well. He made numerous runs with ball right across the Red Bull defense. He even had a chance to score in the 43rd minute but he could not handle a bad bounce. He did little bit of everything for the Fire by also tracking back and taking free kicks. He added the pace and work rate the Fire were lacking up front.

Nery Castillo was less impressive. Besides setting up a shot for Marco Pappa he failed to make a real impact on the game. Luckily, the Fire do not need to rely on him up top.

But what I really impressed me the most was the quality of the Red Bulls wide play. Roy Miller, Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, and Chris Albright sent in a barrage of crosses into the middle and it was incredible that no one scored. No one could match Richard's pace and Albright was very accurate. Mac Kandji miseed multiple chances, most in the air, and couldn't do anything with the great service.

Juan Pablo Angel did better than Kandji in the air but still coldn't beat Sean Johnson. Angel took shots from all over but nothing was going in for him today.

Tim Ream was another player who stood out. Although he was shaky at times in the back, going forward he looked like a hand full. I understand that Red Bulls are still looking for another attacker, they are missing a player who can hold and knock down the ball like a Brian McBride, but I think what they really need is another central defender. 

Overall though, it's great to see this much quality in MLS.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Arguably the greatest trio in MLS history played their first game together at Toyota Park in Chicago. Despite numerous chances the final score was 0-0. 

New York's combination of Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, and Rafael Marquez overshadowed the massive Fire trade for Freddie Ljungberg and the acquisition of Nery Castillo during the pre-game hype. Yet, the story of the game was rookie Fire goalie Sean Johnson, who made a number of critical saves to keep a clean sheet.

The majority of the talk surrounded Thierry Henry, who has looked very good in his two Red Bull appearances thus far. He has been involved in three goals and connected well with teammates, especially star striker Juan Pablo Angel.

Rafael Marquez signed last week, and this was his first game in a Red Bull uniform. He is expected to be a force in the midfield and at the back. Winning the ball and directing play are his strengths.

Meanwhile, Freddie Ljungeberg moved to Chicago in late July from Seattle for a couple of draft picks. He has much experience playing in the MLS and is great at moving the ball down the field.

The other Fire signing, Nery Castillo, also debuted tonight. He is a mercurial Mexican attacker who has played very little in the last few years.

Here is a play-by-play:

First Half:

6th Minute: Ljungeberg nutmegs Roy Miller on the wing and wins a free kick. Baggio Husidic volleys the ensuing free kick well but it’s blocked.

11th Minute: After Wilman Conde concedes a cheap throw-in, Henry juggles the ball over two defenders and sends a 50-50 lob into the box. The Fire cleanup..

19th Minute: Chris Albright sends a curling ball into the box from the wing. Angel heads it towards the back post, but he gets no power on it. 

21st Minute: Angel sends a great cutting past to Henry. Henry stalls than sprints past the defense but his shot is tame.

24th Minute: Marco Pappa receives a pass from McBride across the top of the penalty area. His shot is wide. 

27th Minute: Henry gets warned for a late push but reacts with a raspberry at the camera.

28th Minute: Henry spins and stutters from 25 yards out and takes a shot that misses wide right.

29th Minute: Angel taps it to an on running Henry who gets the ball caught between his feet near the penalty spot. 

31st Minute: Yellow card on Husidic for a late sliding tackle on Marquez.

32nd Minute: Tim Ream is booked for tactical foul on a speeding Freddie Ljungeberg.

38th Minute: Ream sends a chip up to Miller but Sean Johnson is off his line to quickly and wins the ball.

41st Minute: Miller sends in a looping far post cross to Mac Kandji. His volley requires a good save, but he is called for handling.

43rd Minute: Logan Pause chips it to Brian McBride into space. The Red Bulls are on their heals but Ljungeberg scuffs a beautiful ball from McBride.

45th Minute: Thierry Henry is subbed out for Dane Richards. Although he didn’t want to come out, he may have a head injury.

Second Half:

47th Minute: Marquez sends a diagonal straight through the defense to Dane Richards. Richards scathes it across the face of goal but Kandji manages to miss.

49th Minute: Kandji heads a Lindpere cross wide of the upper corner. 

56th Minute: Albright chips a swerving cross onto the head of Kandji who misses again. Nery Castillo enters for Brian McBride.

61st Minute: Marquez is subbed out for Seth Stammler.

64th Minute: Richards receives a great chip from Richards whose first touch goes through nutmegs the defender. He falls in the penalty area but nothing is given.

67th Minute: Logan Pause switches the field with a curving ball to Marco Pappa. He can’t get a shot off in the end.

68th Minute: Angel gets ball in space on the wing. He strikes a knuckle ball but Johnson makes the save.

73rd Minute: Mac Kandji breaks away but kicks the ball too far in front of him while avoiding a challenge.

77th Minute: Richards speeds by two players but his cross is a little bit too far behind Angel.

80th Minute: Carlos Mendes gets a yellow card for holding Ljungeberg in the midfield.

80th Minute: Castillo makes a few cuts on the end line and sends it back to Pappa who curls it wide.

83rd Minute: A mistake by Conde leads to a shot from Angel that beats Johnson and the post.

87th Minute: Richards gets the ball in space and passes it to Ibrahim who can’t get the shot off quick enough.

90th Minute: Ream hits a top drawer volley but Johnson pushes it over.

91st Minute: Albright sends another great cross in which Angel heads into the bottom corner. Johnson makes another highlight save.

92nd Minute: Johnson breaks up a Dane Richard breakaway by charging out of the box.

94th Minute: Johnson makes a diving stop on a Lindpere cross.

Analysis:

The MVP was Sean Johnson, no question. He made a wide variety of  quality saves. He knew exactly when to come off his line and his reactions were impressive to the say the least.

His last save in the 94th minute was spectacular. Angel made no mistake with the header but Johnson was too quick. It's impossible to say how consistent he is after only two games, but his potential is sky high. And he's only 21.

Now back to the players who get paid the big bucks.

It was unfortunate to see Henry leave early with an injury because he looked good in the first 45 minutes. Although he never actually tested the keeper he kept the defense on its toes.

It was also great to see him running around and pressing the ball. He helped the Red Bulls win back possession a few times.

For me, Rafael Marquez was the best designated player on the field. He basically controlled the Red Bulls when they had the ball in their half. It looked like a training ground scrimmage for him as he yelled and gestured and pointed.

He came back very deep to receive the ball numerous times, which often gave New York five at the back. He didn't complete as many as passes as he could've because he chose to be very aggressive with his distribution. Numerous times he sent the ball 40 yards straight up the field to feet. His 47th minute diagonal ball sliced through the Fire defense.

His free kicks and defensive play were admirable as well, but his passing was the best.

Freddie Ljungeberg looked good too. He made numerous runs with the ball right across the Red Bull defense. He even had a chance to score in the 43rd minute but he could not handle a bad bounce. He did a little bit of everything for the Fire by also tracking back and taking free kicks. He added the pace and work rate the Fire were lacking up front.

Nery Castillo was less impressive. Besides setting up a shot for Marco Pappa he failed to make a real impact on the game. Luckily, the Fire do not need to rely on him up top.

But what I really impressed me the most was the quality of the Red Bulls wide play. Roy Miller, Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards, and Chris Albright sent in a barrage of crosses into the middle, and it was incredible that no one scored. No one could match Richard's pace and Albright was very accurate. Mac Kandji missed multiple chances, most in the air, and couldn't do anything with the great service.

Juan Pablo Angel did better than Kandji in the air but still coldn't beat Sean Johnson. Angel took shots from all over, but nothing was going in for him today.

Tim Ream was another player who stood out. Although he was shaky at times in the back, going forward he looked like a handful. I understand that Red Bulls are still looking for another attacker, they are missing a player who can hold and knock down the ball like a Brian McBride, but I think what they really need is another central defender. 

Overall though, it's great to see this much quality in MLS.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here