MLS Top 5/Bottom5: Week 3.

Where do Will Bruin and the Dynamo sit in my first rankings?

So I really wanted to try my hand at some rankings and trend spotting this year in MLS.  The fact that there is so much parity in the league makes this kind of thing really fun and challenging for me, and gives me something to think about during long lulls at work, and to keep me up at night with my mind turning over and over.  I decided to wait a couple of weeks though, until everybody had at least a couple of games under their belt, though I suspect that rankings like this are always fairly inaccurate this early in the season anyway.   What I'm going to present to you are my top five and bottom five, with comments on each.

TOP 5--   


1. HOUSTON DYNAMO --The Dynamo were quite impressive in their opening matches, and Will Bruin (above) was on fire.  According to the league site, he is one of the most captained fantasy players going into week four as well.  Dom Kinnear's side has also yet to give up a goal.  However, they still might be a paper tiger.  Their first match was against the Revs, who have been absolutely awful so far, and their second was against the almost equally hapless Montreal Impact, sans Marco Di Vaio.  Also, both of those matches have been at home, where they're always good.  This week they travel to Vancouver, who should provide a better test.

2. TORONTO FC--I've been pretty skeptical about TFC in the offseason and through the preseason.  These new additions are great, but at this point, I still have to see it to believe it from them.  However, I just might be starting to see it.  The win at Seattle was definitely a quality win, though a 1-0 victory over DC at home was slightly less impressive.  Defoe and Bradley have been the real deal for sure, and Cesar is big time keeper in net.  However, their job gets a little harder this weekend coming to RSL, especially without speedster Jackson, who has been suspended by the disciplinary committee. 

3. REAL SALT LAKE--RSL's biggest problem in the opening weeks has been a failure to land the knockout punch, or the inverse, letting some rather simple defensive mistakes put teams back on level ground.  Still, undefeated with 5 points from 3 games with LA and San Jose (2 of them on the road) is a pretty solid start.  The other issue is injuries, especially up top, with Big Dev, Joao Plata, and Robbie Findley all injured. 

4. SEATTLE SOUNDERS--It wasn't a pretty performance, but Seattle took down Sporting in the first match at home at beat the Impact on the road last week.  Those two results were sandwiched around that home loss to TFC.  The Sounders played well at Montreal and executed their game plan and counter attack very effectively, despite not having Clint Dempsey.  If Obafemi Martins stays healthy, he's gonna cause MLS defenses some issues this year, without having to compete with the large "Pay Me" ego that he used to partner with.

5. COLUMBUS CREW--The Crew opened the season with an absolute smack down of DC United at RFK, and then beat the Union at home in week three.  They had to hold on a bit in that one, but it was still an impressive performance against a Union squad that I think is gonna be pretty good.  This weekend they travel to Seattle, where the local supporters will be less than welcoming after the fiasco that surrounded the "Seattle is sending capos to Columbus for the USMNT" article that happened last summer.  They have potentially the biggest test of any of my top five this weekend.


BOTTOM 5--

15. PORTLAND TIMBERS--Sorry, I'm still not sold on the Portland Timbers.  Apparently "Porterball" still means draw at home and lose on the road, at least so far this year.  Their defense is still suspect, and while the midfield is a strength, they still lack a true target guy up front.  Urruti doesn't cut it for me, he's just a bull in a china shop.  The Timbers have yet to show me that they can take the next step by converting all those draws from last year into wins and gain points consistently on the road.  It doesn't get any easier for them this weekend as they play at FC Dallas, who just missed out on my top 5.

16. CHIVAS USA--The Goats are definitely an improved side, and looked decent in their first two matches, even though they had to largely resort to packing it in to try to keep the Whitecaps out after going a man down at home.  It didn't work.  This last weekend they were largely pasted by FC Dallas on the road.  They're better, but not good enough, yet.  This weekend they travel to New York, where the Red Bulls will be looking to smack them around and get their season on track.

17.  MONTREAL IMPACT--I'm not rating them lower because they've been without Di Vaio, and hey, that  road swing through Texas isn't going to be easy for anybody.  However, they never really threatened the Sounders at home either.  They were in the match, but I never really thought, "Oh yeah, here they come."  Getting Di Vaio back will help, but as of right now, I really can't see Montreal really making a push for anything.  This weekend they play at Philly, and I'm forecasting a Union victory.

18. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION--I'm so disappointed in the Revs so far.  I really thought they were gonna build on the playoff run from last year, and they still might.  However, it's hard to really find much that they did right in their opening three matches, though they did get their first point this last weekend, albeit without managing to score a goal.  It's too bad that they didn't get to hold on to Juan Agudelo.  This week they travel to play at San Jose, and you'd have to figure in a win for the Quakes, maybe without having to pull the "Goonie" stuff.

19. DC UNITED--DC was another team that ostensibly got better this offseason, at least they threw a bunch of money at players, particularly one Eddie Johnson.  They then paired Mr. "Pay Me" with Mr. "I Dive and Miss Big Shots" in Fabian Espindola, who also is known to be a bit combative.  Both Seattle and RSL fans predicted that this experiment was not going to go well.  For all their spending and revamping, DC have shown nada, zero, zilch.   This week they host the Fire, and Mike Magee will probably look to feast on DC's back line.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Bernardo Anor BLAST

You won't want to miss this sweet strike from Bernardo Anor (Dispatch.com)

It would be awfully easy for me to pick Wayne Rooney or maybe a goal from this weekend's remarkable Clasico for my goal of the week, but I decided to keep it close to home and Major League Soccer.  Check out this rocket from Columbus Crew's Bernardo Anor in first half stoppage time against the Union.

MLS Eastern Conference at the Halfway Point: Entirely Up For Grabs

The failings of Ben Olsen's DC United headline the first half back east.

Interestingly enough, the major story of the Eastern Conference in the first half is not who is at the top of the table, but rather who is at the bottom.  No disrespect to the Montreal Impact, who sit up top, but they've really slipped in recent weeks, and the fact that they remain in 1st place is more of a monument to the inconsistency of the teams behind them than a tribute to their play.  At the bottom though, DC United have been a league worst all season.  This from a team that I personally thought might compete for the Cup this year.  Here is my rundown of the teams and their top players for the first half.

1. Montreal Impact, 31 Points

The Impact have really shown that they are a force to be reckoned with this year, and they got off to a huge start, including road wins in Cascadia, to jump way ahead of the East.  However the shine has come off in recent weeks, especially on the defensive end.  The Colorado Rapids came from behind to beat them at Stade Saputo, and then last week they dropped points at home to the lowly Chivas USA, who actually led for a good portion of the match.  Still, the Impact lead the league in PPG, but my main concern for them going forward is can their aging roster (Di Vaio and Nesta types) keep up with the grueling MLS schedule in the second half, especially considering that they'll be playing in CCL.  

First half Team MVP--Marco Di Vaio.  The Italian leads the league in off-side calls, but he's right there in goals as well.  Until recently he has been a shoe-in for your three goal monte, but has kind of cooled off of late.  Still, he is a great scorer and gives opposing defenses plenty to think about.

2. Sporting Kansas City, 30 Points 
I didn't really think Sporting Kansas City was going to go away, despite the fact that they've struggled a bit more at home than they're used to.  In particular, they seem to be more prone at giving up goals at Sporting Park.  I still think this team has all the tools, particularly with the return of Kei Kamara from his loan in the EPL.  I think he's one of the most fun players in the league to watch and is almost always a danger man.    Like Montreal, Sporting will be dealing with CCL play later on this year, so it will be interesting to see how they hold up and if that gives some of the teams behind them an opening.
First half Team MVP--Graham Zusi.  Zusi is one of the best, if not the best, midfielder in MLS in my opinion, and he's made significant strides with the National Team. To me, Sporting seem to be lacking security in their play when he's not around, and he should help propel them through the congested second half.

3. New York Red Bulls, 28 Points.
I still don't think the Red Bulls have gotten it.  They seem to continue to believe that bringing in guys on basis of name recognition is the way to MLS Cup, regardless of the player's age.  At the beginning of the year they signed former Brazilian international Juninho.  Hey that's great, but he was 38 years old.  Did it work? Nope.  Red Bulls did help solidify their back line with the addition of Jamison Olave, but some injury issues, the same that affected him in recent years at RSL, have started to crop up again, as well as a red card every once in awhile.  However, I do like the signing of Ibrahim Sekagya, a 6'1 defender from Uganda.  He could step in beside Olave and help out a lot.  Tim Cahill has also started to come around, which should bolster their attack.
First Half team MVP--Tim Cahill.  Yeah, I'm not going with Henry here, mainly because I haven't been all that impressed with him this year.  To me the times when the Red Bulls have really been able to hit a higher gear is when Cahill has been in form and in the lineup.  They'll need him to stay consistent to keep threatening the top of the conference.

4. Philadelphia Union, 27 Points.

Well hello there, Philadelphia.  It seems like this team has finally recovered from the junk and the drama that Peter Nowak put them through at the end of his tenure.   Jack McInerney has been the star of the squad, and the return of Sebastian Le Toux has reignited his form and given the Union another weapon.  Speaking of weapons, how about Conor Casey?  Has there been a more underrated pick up in MLS this year?  I kind of figured Casey might be through after being jettisoned from the Rapids, but not only has he stayed healthy, but he has proven that he can still be one of the most productive big men in the league.  My question about the Union is in goal.  Zac MacMath is progressing, but the youngster is still essentially learning on the job and has been fairly inconsistent. I think he'll need to step it up a bit going forward, but still the Union look pretty solid as a playoff team right now.
First Half Team MVP--Jack McInerney.  This is pretty easy to justify.  He's turned into a big time goalscorer who has also proven his ability to pass off to teammates to help create.

5. Houston Dynamo, 26 Points.
Injuries and international absences have hit the Dynamo hard so far this season.  They've been without Brad Davis quite a bit, as well as Oscar Boniek Garcia.  Will Bruin has played well, but is also in the USA camp.  Meanwhile the Dynamo acquired former Rapids man Omar Cummings, but unlike Casey for the Union, Cummings has failed to yield any real dividends for Houston.  To make matters a little more pressing, Houston lost their unbeaten streak at home.  It seems like more and more opponents are figuring out the stadium, and the Texas summer heat only lasts for so long.  I have my doubts as to whether the Dynamo can retain their playoff position, but they always seem to stick around somehow.
First half Team MVP--Tally Hall.  I look at Hall a lot like I do Clint Irwin of the Rapids.  He keeps Houston in matches, and with a little more support he can keep them in the playoff hunt.

6. New England Revolution, 24 Points.
Don't look now, but here come the Revs.  They've been kind of quiet about it, but I think they're one of the more improved sides in MLS.  Diego Fagundez has really come on strong, as has Bobby Shuttleworth in goal.  As you probably know, GK Matt Reis's father in law was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, and the emergence of Shuttleworth has been great to let Matt and his family focus on that.  Saer Sene continues to be a force in attack as well.  Right now they're just a little too inconsistent, especially playing from a winning position.  They seem to be learning how to close matches out.  Still, this team just might fly under the radar right into a playoff spot.
First Half Team MVP--Diego Fagundez.  Sure, he isn't scoring all the goals, but he's proven himself to be highly capable both attacking and creating.  This young man is the future of this club and the future is now!

7. Columbus Crew, 23 Points.
The Crew have been a little disappointing for me this year.  However, they have a completely valid excuse.  They've lost a few key players, including Eddie Gaven, to season ending injuries, and it's wreaked havok.  Jario Arrieta has also missed significant time for national team duty.  Federico Higuain has struggled a bit more than last year, it's possible that the league is adjusting to him somewhat.  What is of more concern however is the fact that he is among a group of Argentinian players who have been suspected of doctoring their passports.  We'll have to see where this goes, but whatever happens, I think the Crew could use multiple reinforcements if they want to stay in the playoff race.
First Half team MVP--Dominic Oduro.  You may not have heard much about him in the rest of MLS, but Oduro has really settled in nicely in Columbus and fashioned himself into one of their top weapons.  His speed is always tough to deal with and his eight goals show an improvement in finishing.

8. Chicago Fire, 21 Points. 
When you talk about the story of the Fire's season so far, you have to talk about Mike Magee.  Some folks wondered if he could continue to play as well as he has after departing the Galaxy.  Yes he has, and he's been the man for the Fire.  Bakary Soumare came over from Philly and helped solidfy things at the back in front of Sean Johnson, one of the better young 'keepers in the league.  However, it seems like the Fire are still having a little trouble putting all the pieces together on a regular basis.  Right now I don't see them as a playoff team.  Sure, they've gotten better, but I can't see them cracking the top five.
First Half Team MVP--Mike Magee, cause duh.  #MikeMageeFacts

9. Toronto FC, 13 points.
At some point the long suffering fans in Toronto are going to get a winner, but it doesn't look like it's going to be this year as TFC have already lost touch with the playoff group.  Last week local media trumpeted the arrival of Diego Forlan, and MLS even asked via Facebook if TFC were now contenders.  Forlan and his agent shot down the reports the very next day, but for a few hours the fans had something to be excited about.  The revolving door of players continues, and I don't see Ryan Nelsen bringing in the stability that the club needs, at least not yet.  I look for the carousel of players to continue as Nelsen looks for guys that fit his mold, whatever that is.
First Half Team MVP--Robert Earnshaw.  One of the new additions that has stuck, Earnshaw has been one of the few bright spots for TFC.  He is probably their only consistent goal scoring threat, for what it's worth.

 10. DC United, 10 points.
How do you go about pinpointing what in the world is wrong at RFK?  Both Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius have been injured, and that hasn't helped, but the defense has been a disaster in front of Bill Hamid.  The front office has seemed clueless for much of the year, and Ben Olsen's penchant for blaming the referees has gotten real old, real fast.  United needs help everywhere.  If they can solidify the lineup and make a run ahead of Chivas USA and TFC, that might be something to build on.  If they can't, Olsen's days may be numbered.
First Half Team MVP--Dwayne De Rosario.  The former MVP has to get healthy and stay healthy.  He is the best hope this team has of getting out of the cellar.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the East.  In the end I suspect that Sporting KC, Montreal, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia, and the Revs will be your five playoff teams, but there is a lot of football left to be played.

Crew Close Down "New Look" Chivas in Season Opener.

Chivas USA tried their best to compete with Federico Higuain, to no avail. (TheCrew.com)

The folks behind Chivas USA have really been trying to convince everyone that they know what they're doing with their offseason, well, whatever strategy they had.  It really didn't look like it though Saturday night as they fell apart down the stretch to fall to an imposing Columbus Crew side at the Home Depot Center.

Much was made about Chelis, the Goats' new head man and his "eight second" philosophy.  If you missed that, basically Chelis wants his players to win the ball back within eight seconds of losing it.  That was nowhere to be found Saturday night, particularly in the first half.

Most of the joy in the first half went to the Black and Gold, with Dominic Oduro getting forward with his speed on 12 minutes, but the newest member of the Columbus strike force hit his shot well into the stands, it was not the last the Chivas defense would see of him though.  Josh Williams directed a header on frame in minute 16, forcing Dan Kennedy into his first action of the night as he saved the shot to keep the score level.

However it wasn't all Columbus as Chivas started to find their way a bit later in the first half.  Their best chance came on minute 27 when forward Julio Morales latched on to a turnover in the Crew defense and pushed toward goal.  However Andy Gruenebaum was up to the task, making a diving save to stone the Chivas man.  It's why I continue to believe that Gruenebaum is one of the best, and most underrated 'keepers in MLS.

Chelis made some attacking subs for Chivas to start the second half, bringing in the more familiar names of Miller Bolanos and Juan Agudelo.  The Goats attack was instantly better for it, probably since they brought in two guys who are actually, you know, used to playing in MLS.  Chances were still few and far between though as Gruenebaum wasn't seriously tested.

It was the Crew who drew first blood in the 51st minute.  Predictably, the first goal of the new Crew season came off the foot of Federico Higuain.  He collected a nice ball from Jairo Arrieta near the top of the area and blasted home his first of the year to make it 0-1.

After the opening goal Chivas pushed a bit and had what was probably their best stretch of the match.  Unfortunately for them, even on the rare occasion that they did get the ball on frame Gruenebaum was a wall in goal.  He parried an effort from Bolanos in the 59th minute that was the Goats' most significant chance of the second half.

In the end, the more Chivas pushed up, the more exposed their already weak back line became, and it all came crashing down in the final minutes.  In the 88th minute Williams volleyed home a beautiful goal off of a corner kick to make it 0-2.  It really was a finish worthy of a top class striker.  Finally in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Oduro got his first goal as a member of the Crew, taking the ball from his own half and charging all the way to the Chivas penalty area, where he promptly gave Kennedy the traffic cone treatment and deposited the ball into the empty net to make it 0-3 at the full time whistle.

The match went pretty much as expected, though the final scoreline might be a little unjust to the Goats.  Next week they host FC Dallas as the Crew travel north of the border to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps.

MLS 2013: Eastern Conference Predictions and Questions

With the MLS season finally starting tomorrow (yay!) it's time to sit down and pound this out.  I'm not gonna call it a preview this year, because hey, what we all come up with during these prognostications means exactly SQUAT.   I watch as much MLS as anyone who's not paid to do it, and hey, even I'm not sure what's going on.  I think the league could be wide open this year, especially in the Eastern Conference.  So, I'll give my predictions on the order of finish from the ground up, and make a couple of observations about each club.  Then I'll pose a few questions that I think might have an effect on the conference race.

10. Toronto FC--Sorry guys, I just can't see anything better happening for TFC just yet.  I really want to, for their fans' sake, but I just don't see it there.  Last year I predicted they would make the playoffs for the first time.  I'm not going anywhere NEAR that route.  Kevin Payne and Ryan Nelsen can provide a solid foundation, I think, but they don't have the players.  Robert Earnshaw could be a good signing though, and their fortunes might improve if Danny Koevermans can stay healthy.

9. New England Revolution--I'm not sure what New England has really been up to to improve in the offseason either, except for the addition of Juan Toja, which, while solid, isn't a huge "move up the table" move for me.  Jerry Bengston and Saer Sene have quality, Sene showed it more, but I think the Revs will need more from these guys.  Matt Reis is as solid as they come in goal, but they have to keep him from facing firing squads all season.  The other thing this team desperately needs is their own stadium.

8. Philadelphia Union--What do you do with the Union?  I put them above New England pretty much because they got Sebastien Le Toux back.  He'll do good things, but who else will?  Freddy Adu is, what exactly?  Gone I guess.  Carlos Valdes is out on loan, and come on, there is a reason the Rapids got rid of Conor Casey.  I would tab Antoine Hoppenot to up his contribution though.

7. Montreal Impact--The Impact continue to strive to be the first Serie A team from the last decade to be located in North America, but to what end?  Does anybody really think Alessandro Nesta is gonna last all year without getting injured?  The Impact were pretty decent last year, and they have most of their guys back, but I just don't see it as enough to catch the top 5 in the Eastern Conference.  Stranger things have happened though.

6. Chicago Fire--To me. the Fire are the question mark team out east.  They were VERY active in the offseason, and I think they made some nice additions.  Think Jeff Larentowicz, Joel Lindpere, and Maicon Santos.  Sean Johnson is certainly up to the task in goal, and the defense is solid.  They could easily be a 3,4, or 5 team, but I've got them just on the outside looking in.

5. Columbus Crew--The Crew were one of the toughest games for opponents late last year, and I think they've just gotten better.  If Dominic Oduro finds his form, watch out.  The team brings back Federico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta, plus they're always tough score against, especially at Crew Stadium.  I think they'll hit the playoffs this year, and they could do some big damage if they get there.  Don't sleep on this club.

4. Houston Dynamo--Ok, we get it.  Two-time defending Eastern Conference Champs.  The quality on this side is undeniable, and I think they'll still have a significant edge at BBVA Compass Stadium.  Ching is back as player/coach, so his influence is still there.  I don't see why this team couldn't at least follow the same map as they have the last couple of years.  Plus, I wouldn't bet against Dom Kinnear, unless they're playing the Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final.

3. Sporting Kansas City--The loss of Espinoza and Kamara are going to hurt this club.  The addition of Benny Feilhaber is cringe worthy in my opinion, but I will admit I'm biased because I don't care for his attitude.  Their trump cards are Graham Zusi and Jimmy Nielsen.  Plus, like Houston, they're one of the few clubs that I feel have an actual home field advantage at Cheatstrong, err, I mean Sporting Park.  It's not fair to chide Sporting over that though.  They're still one of the top sides out east and should continue to play like it.

2. New York Red Bulls--You'd think this team almost couldn't help but be in the top two just by showing up on the pitch.  The addition of Jamison Olave is a MAJOR step toward addressing their defensive concerns, provided he stays healthy and doesn't continue to fall prey to some of those mental lapses that seem to plague him the last year and a half or so at RSL.  They also have arguably the best player in the league in Henry.  If they can pull it all together, a big "if," they could finally get their hands on some silverware this year.

1. D.C United--I'm a huge fan of what Ben Olsen has done with this team, in fact I see it as being very similar to what Jason Kreis has done with RSL.  Sure, it would be nice if DeRo stayed healthy and stopped head-butting people, but Chris Pontius is one of the the most dangerous players in MLS to my mind, and they added Carlos Ruiz not only to score some goals, but help rub some people the wrong way.  Hamid is a great talent in goal, and their defense, though not the flashiest or meanest, is more than up to snuff.  This could be the year that DC adds another star over their crest.

Eastern Conference--Three Big Questions

1--Can the New York Red Bulls put it all together and make the run people have been predicting since Henry signed on?

My Answer--YES.  My big beef with the Red Bulls has been defense, and they've definitely improved.  Ultimatey I think DC takes the regular season, but I'd love too see these two squads in the conference final.


2--Who is the "sleeper" team in the conference this year?

My Answer--The Columbus Crew. The middle of the east could be pretty crowded with Houston, Columbus, Chicago, and maybe even Montreal all getting into the mix.  If the Crew can get to the playoffs, they could follow the Houston Blueprint very easily.


3--Is this year when the East catches, and eclipses, the West?

My Answer--YES, in a way..... I still see the top couple of teams out west being better than the top couple of teams in the east.  However, I really see this as being the year those middle teams in the east might outpace the mid-table teams in the west.  That would have a bigger impact, pardon the pun, if we still had a balanced schedule.

So there are my thoughts for the east this year.  Starting tomorrow, we'll get to see just how full of BS and hot air I am.  Good luck to all of the clubs and their supporters.  A couple of you are going to need it.

In Support of Robbie Rogers

I just wanted to take a moment here on the blog and reflect on something, err someone, in the football world that made a little bit of history, and I really hope made a little bit of progress.  If you haven't seen the news from yesterday that former Columbus Crew and USA National Team member Robbie Rogers came out as gay and retired from football, you're probably living under some kind of rock.  This isn't a post about the news, but a chance for me to express my admiration and support.

There's no doubt about the fact that men's professional sports is probably the most difficult profession for gay men to be themselves in, or to "be out" if you prefer.  Think about it.  Not only are you on the playing field with a bunch of other guys who consider themselves "men's men," but you also have the increased scrutiny of being in the public eye.  For Rogers, and men like him, they've spent their entire lives working toward a goal which few people ever achieve, being a top level professional athlete and competing for championships.  I'm sure the pressure that they feel to keep up that appearance in the face of who they are and who they love is probably insane at times, and for Robbie, he finally decided that he couldn't do both.

I hope that's just a temporary decision on his part.  He's too young and too talented to be gone from the game, but if I try to walk a mile in his shoes, I can see how he might feel the need to walk away.  His happiness is most important, so if stepping away from the game is what he feels the need to do, then far be it from me to suggest otherwise.  I had the privilege to see him play, and I hope to do so again in future.

I also want to say how impressed I am with the US Soccer community for their show of support of Rogers over the last couple of days.  By far the majority of things I read or heard about him were overwhelmingly positive.  There were a few bad apples, but I'm not going to dignify them with more print.  It was great to see so many players, coaches, and fans throughout the US Soccer community step up and stand behind him in this.  Someone as brave as he is deserves that support.

So I'd just like to say thanks to Robbie for standing up and saying that it's ok to be who you are, and to acknowledge it, even if it's the harder road to hold.  I think he serves as a great example, not just to LGBT folks, but to all of us.  He's a great example of what it means to be a human being, and of the strength we all should find to be ourselves.

MLS Hands Out More Awards Prior to MLS Cup

Sporting KC's Jimmy Nielsen was named Goalkeeper of the Year

Major League Soccer has handed out three more of it's major awards since announcing their 2012 Best XI on Monday.  None of them were particularly surprising, though I suppose one could make a case for at least couple other guys for each award.  Here's the rundown:

Sporting Kansas City's Jimmy Nielsen, aka the "White Puma," was named MLS goalkeeper of the year.  That's not shocking at all as he was named in the best XI.  Nielsen helped lead Sporting to a US Open Cup win as well as the Eastern Conference top seed before they bowed out to Houston in the Playoffs.  Chivas USA's Dan Kennedy finished second, for some reason, followed by Seattle's Michael Gspurning (who should have won in my opinion) and RSL's Nick Rimando.

The Comeback player of the year award is always one of the most controversial, as the criteria seems to be somewhat nebulous.  This year it was awarded to Seattle's Eddie Johnson, who returned to MLS after a stint in Europe and failing to catch on in Mexico.  Johnson helped lead the Sounders to the Western Conference Finals and made a major impact for the US National Team in World Cup Qualifying.  DC's Chris Pontius and San Jose's Alan Gordon were also in the running for the award.

The league also handed out it's Newcomer of the Year award, giving it to Frederico Higuain of the Columbus Crew.  There's no question that Higuain was a huge plus for the Crew after coming in, but the criticism of this award has been that he only played in 13 games, as opposed to other candidates who played more of the season.  San Jose's Victor Bernardez, Seattle's Gspurning, Vancouver's Y.P. Lee, and Houston's Boniek Garcia were also up for the award.

Match Thoughts: Crew Deal Gut-Punch to Union Hopes

Eddie Gaven celebrates his match winning goal. (Getty Images)

The Philadelphia Union were in dire need of three points at home in this one to keep their flagging playoff hopes alive.  Last Friday they had failed to capitalize on an RSL team weary from Champions League battles, and this week they faced a surging Columbus Crew side, who have playoff designs of their own.

The match had a rather cagey opening to it as both sides had reason to be a bit nervy.  As mentioned earlier, the Union were in need of the points, and were winless in their last five.  The Crew were minus starting goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum and were fielding rookie Michael Lampson in place of him.  The Union failed to test the youngster early, as he was more than able to survive a couple of half chances from the Philly attack.

That all changed in the 29th minute though.  Chris Birchall had dragged down Michael Farfan about thirty yards from goal, setting up a direct free kick in a dangerous spot.  Carlos Valdes stepped up for the Union and took the kick, which bounced off of two Columbus players before trickling past a helpless Lampson into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 to the Union.

The goal really didn't seem to stun the Crew much.  They began immediately chipping away at the Union defenses in search of an equalizer.  The Union were the next to concede a dangerous set piece chance, and the Crew made them pay.  Frederico Higuain sent his free kick in toward the six, where it met Josh Williams.  The Crew defender headed into goal to knot the match at 1-1 in the 41st minute.

The second half started as blandly as the first did, but things got rather spicy in the 68th minute.  The referee blew his whistle after a clearance and ran back into the Crew attacking third to confer with his assistant, who had witnessed an off the ball scuffle between Josh Williams and the Union's Antoine Hoppenot.  There really weren't any good replays available, as the camera had followed the ball up the pitch.  However, apparently Williams had at least shoved Hoppenot.  Williams was given a straight red card and Hoppenot was shown a yellow.  This put the Crew down to 10 men with just over 20 minutes to go and had the Union licking their chops.

Philly then pushed forward and put Lampson's goal under heavy bombardment.  The young keeper was up to the task, though he did give up a couple of scary rebounds.  He made the biggest stop of the match on 80 minutes against Gabe Farfan, who looked sure to give the Union the lead right near the goal line.

Unfortunately for the Union, they were so busy keeping up the pressure at the offensive end that they left their back door pretty much unguarded.  You can't really blame them, a draw would would have done them absolutely no good, but it created a brutal way to lose.  The Crew went on a counter attack right at the death in stoppage time.  Higuain again pulled the strings, before getting the ball to Justin Meram in the area, who smartly dished over to Eddie Gaven who slotted the ball home to give the Crew the 1-2 win.

The 3 points for the Crew ties them on 39 points with the Montreal Impact.  Both clubs sit two points behind the Chicago Fire and DC United for the 4th and 5th  playoff spots, respectively.  This makes the match between Spurs and l'Impact this weekend even more juicy. 

The Union are pretty much toast.  They're stuck on 25 points, 16 back of the last playoff spot and only 4 ahead of TFC for last place.  Yet after this match, they signed Hackworth as a permanent coach while Adu gets nothing but garbage minutes.  If I were a Union supporter, I'd want answers.  This was a playoff team last year.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: A Sublime Higuain Free Kick

We're back to MLS this week for our goal of the weekend.  It was a really tough call for me between Frederico Higuain and Freddy Montero.  Both players had absolutely outstanding matches.  In the end I decided to go with this frighteningly good free kick from the Crew's new addition.  A great strike.

What do you think? Will the Crew have a say in the Eastern Conference Playoff race before all is said and done?

Crew Midfielder Kirk Urso Passes Away

Crew MF Kirk Urso passed away overnight in Columbus, Ohio.

Very sad news out of Major League Soccer and the Columbus Crew organization this Sunday morning.  The club announced the passing of midfielder Kirk Urso.  He was a rookie out of the University of North Carolina, taken 10th in the last MLS Supplemental draft.  Urso was just 22 years old.

According to the club's statement, the circumstances surrounding his death are still being determined and no other information will be available at this time.  The Columbus Dispatch said that Columbus police were dispatched to Park Street Patio at 12:50 AM local time this morning.  Kirk Urso was transported to Grant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 1:51 AM.

Urso was a 4 year starter and captain of the side at North Carolina.  He participated in the US National team at the youth level, including representing the USA at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2007.  He started the first five matches of the year for Columbus, but had not played since April 28 due to injury.

Real Salt Lake's Will Johnson, a friend of Urso's, had this to say on Twitter this morning: "I'll miss my friend Kirk Urso, can't believe he's gone. Rest peacefully Kirk, you will be sorely missed. #devastated. For those who didn't know him, came from a great family, always worked extremely hard and loved the game. He will be missed by so many." 

MLS Commissioner Don Garber also passed on his condolences and confirmed that the league will hold a moment of silence for Urso at it's two matches today in Portland and Seattle.

I personally want to pass on sincere condolences to Urso's family, friends, and the Columbus Crew organization.  I'm asking all my readers to take a just a second today and say a prayer for his family or pass on positive thoughts, whatever fits your particular belief.  This young man had a very bright future ahead of him, may he rest in peace.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Jairo Arrieta's Winner Against Sporting

Our goal of the weekend for this last week occurred at Livestrong Sporting Park in KC. However, it's a rarity because it's a goal that Sporting conceded. Coming into this one they had only given up five goals at home all season. This one was the second of the match for the Crew's Jairo Arrieta and proved to be the match winner.

Match Thoughts: Columbus Crew vs. Real Salt Lake

RSL's Borchers & Tanaka battle the Crew's Tony Tchani (Getty Images)

A major storm system blew through central Ohio early this weekend and left many of the residents without power.  This included the guys from Real Salt Lake, who were in town to play the Columbus Crew Saturday night.  Power was restored to Crew Stadium and the match was held, but RSL continued to suffer a power outage on the pitch as the Crew roared to a convincing 2-0 victory.

RSL barely had time to get a feel for the match when the Crew took advantage of the Claret and Cobalt's continued defensive woes to tally the first score.  In the 16th minute Emilio Renteria took a ball from Sebastian Miranda and worked his way past RSL's Chris Wingert.  He laid the ball off to Tony Tchani, who was hanging out in the middle of the penalty area, and Tchani expertly slid the ball into the RSL net to make it 1-0 to the Crew'

However it wasn't just the defense that struggled for RSL in this one.  They also had issues getting anything going on offense.  This can be par for the course against the Crew, who can be pretty stingy in their half of the pitch.  Plus Andy Gruenebaum has been outstanding in net all year.  Javi Morales managed to get a free kick shot on target in the 36th minute, but it went right to the aforementioned G-Baum for an easy save.  It would be one of only two shots on target for RSL.

The Crew doubled their lead in the 44th minute, and it was yet another goal from a set piece chance.  These have doomed RSL of late.  Chris Birchall sent in a corner and Josh Williams managed to bring it down for Eddie Gaven.  Gaven then calmly stroked the ball past Nick Rimando to make it 2-0 going into the half.

There honestly wasn't much doing for either side in the second half as the Crew were in complete control.  RSL did have a decent chance to get one goal back in the 71st minute when Emiliano Bonfigli forced a late clearance from the Crew defense in front of goal.  In the end it was all RSL could muster and the Crew hung on for the comfortable 2-0 win.

NOTES:  RSL was without Captain Kyle Beckerman, who was suspended for yellow card accumulation.  Also Ned Grabavoy and Jamison Olave did not travel with the team due to injury concerns.  The match started 1 hour late due to the power issues, and RSL had no AC in their hotel for most of the weekend.  However, the team correctly refused to make excuses either for loss by blaming either of these conditions.  They'll look to right the ship at home Wednesday against Seattle.  The Crew will get some down time, as their next match is July 8 in Montreal.

Match Thoughts: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew

Olman Vargas and Steven Lenhart battle for the ball. (Getty Images)

San Jose had their momentum slowed a little bit last week when they had to come from behind late in the match to salvage a draw vs. Chivas USA at Buck Shaw stadium.  This week they were looking to get back on track versus a Crew side that's been struggling to score goals.  However, the Crew had managed a 2-1 victory their last time out against FC Dallas, so they were looking to build on that.

The Quakes were on fire in the first half, and it seemed like it was just a matter of time before they notched a goal.  The pressure appeared to come to fruition in the 21st minute when Steven Lenhart was fouled in the box, earning a penalty kick for the home side.  Chris Wondolowski stepped up to take the kick, but Columbus 'keeper Andy Gruenebaum absolutely stoned him to keep the score level at 0-0.  It was the fist of many great saves for Gruenebaum, who kept the Crew in it for most of the match.

It looked like things were going to go into halftime scoreless, but the Crew had other ideas.  In first half stoppage time Justin Meram sliced a gorgeous ball that slid just past John Busch and into the far side net to give the Crew the 0-1 lead at the break.  It really was a first class strike.

The Quakes offense slowed a bit in the second half, and the Crew grabbed some more possession.  However, they had a hard time trying to find the right combination to get their second, and one could just sense San Jose was itching for another comeback.

They did get their comeback, and it was really late on.  Alan Gordon, who came in as a sub was the man of the hour once again for the Quakes.  He rescued a point last week in stoppage time in against Chivas with an equalizer, and this week he did it in the the 90th, finally blasting a ball past the wall known as Andy Gruenebaum to tie the match at 1-1, which was the full time result.

NOTES:  Andy Gruenebaum made seven saves overall, including 3 point blank efforts in the first half.  Meram scored in his second straight match for Columbus, accounting for both of his goals on the year.  Alan Gordon's match tying strike was his third of the year for the Quakes.  Both goals from this one are up for MLS Goal of the week.

Match Thoughts: Columbus Crew vs. FC Dallas

Justin Meram hits the equalizer for the Crew.  (Getty Images)

In Major League Soccer the Pioneer Cup is contested by two MLS franchises founded by US Soccer Legend Lamar Hunt: the Columbus Crew and FC Dallas (Formerly Dallas Burn).  However, this pretty good rivalry has been tempered by MLS's new unbalanced schedule because as they're in different conferences, they'll only play each other once per year.  It's ok for my overseas readers to scratch their heads at this point.  Suffice it to say, there was silverware on the line at Crew Stadium.

The Crew announcers described it as a tough, physical battle between brothers.  That's pretty much what it was, though Dallas's continued poor discipline would come back to haunt them yet again in this one. The first half was heavily tilted toward the Hoops though, with Fabian Castillo getting the better of the Crew defense a couple of times.  In the 7th minute Castillo stormed past the back line and got a look at the open net, but put his shot wide.  However, in the 22nd he charged up the touch line, and was challenged by Crew midfielder Tony Tchani.  The ball rolled precariously on the line itself, but did not go totally out.  Tchani thought it did.  He stopped and raised his hand.  Unfortunately, the AR was watching the actual ball, hence play continued.  Castillo blew past the dumbfounded Tchani and roared into the 18, blasting the ball past Andy Gruenebaum to give FC Dallas the 0-1 lead.

Dallas would hold the lead into halftime, but Zach Loyd picked up a yellow card in the 43rd minute.  That would prove costly.  In the 63rd minute he received his second yellow for a foul on Justin Meram and earned an early shower via red card.  Once again Dallas was down a man.

It didn't take long for the Crew to capitalize against weary FC Dallas, who lost to Seattle midweek.  In the 67th minute Meram unleashed a shot from outside the box that beat Chris Seitz into the bottom of the goal to tie the match at 1-1.  Then in the 72nd the Crew took the lead for good as  Sebastián Miranda hit a 20 yard line drive header into the net to make it 2-1.

Dallas didn't give up though, as they managed a couple of chances late on set pieces.  Both of them ended up being headers by George John, one in the 81st and one in stoppage time.  However neither of them really tested Gruenebaum and the Crew held on to take the 2-1 win.

NOTES:  The win breaks a 5 game winless streak for the Crew, and ends a streak of two straight without a goal.  Both Meram and Miranda notched their first ever MLS goal with their respective strikes.  Crew forward Ethan Finlay was subbed out in the first half with concussion like symptoms.  FC Dallas are now winless in 6, and have lost three straight.

Frankie Hejduk Retires, Joins Crew Front Office

Frankie Hejduk hoists MLS Cup as Crew Captain in 2008

Today marks the end of an era for the Columbus Crew.  Former club captain Frankie Hejduk announced his retirement from professional football and also confirmed he will be joining the Crew front office.  Hejduk is a legend in Columbus and in my opinion, deserves league wide recognition as well.

Hejduk was often around major trophies.  He won the Supporter's Shield 5 times: Once with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, once with the LA Galaxy, and three times with the Crew.  He won the MLS Cup with the Crew and the LA Galaxy.

Hejduk was also a major contributor to US Soccer, earning 85 caps and appearing in two World Cups.  He also represented his country twice in the Olympic Games.

His career with Columbus spanned 147 games.  He scored 7 goals and tallied 16 assists with the Black and Gold.  Hejduk also spent time in Europe with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany and St. Gallen in Switzerland.

Hejduk will be a brand ambassador for the Crew, helping promote the team in the community through various means.  He should do really well at that.  He had this to say as reported by the Crew official Site:

“I want to thank my family and all of my teammates, trainers, equipment managers, front office staffers, coaches and fans for making my life that much more special, both on and off the field. We all share a special bond that’s tough to explain to anyone outside that circle, but the memories we share and the good times we had will never be forgotten or matched. Now I look forward to continuing my association with the Crew and helping to grow the sport of soccer."

The Puddle would like to congratulate Frankie Hejduk on a stellar career for club and country.  I look forward to see the end product of his continued endeavors with the Crew and MLS.

Bad News for Columbus, Hesmer, Heinemann Likey Done For Year

I know this is a little on the old news side, but I think this could be a very significant story in the Eastern Conference this year.  Yesterday the Columbus Crew announced two very big injury updates.

First off, starting 'keeper Will Hesmer will likely miss the rest of the season.  Hesmer underwent surgery on his right hip, and expected to be out 6 months.  The Crew are tentatively targeting a potential late October return date, right at the end of the regular season.

It looks like forward Tommy Heinemann will definitely be out for the year.  He had microfracture surgery on his left knee, and MLSSoccer.com is reporting that the surgery requires a 9-12 month rehab.

The Crew have experienced a bit of a power outage for goals, losing today 1-0 to Philly.  Though not always a starter Heinemann is a big guy who can make his presence felt.  He started 12 matches for the Crew last season.  In goal, Columbus has already turned to Andy Gruenebaum, and he's done pretty well.  Gruenebaum has 30 MLS appearances under his belt as well as matches in the CONCACAF Champions League and the US Open Cup.

The Puddle wishes both of these guys a speedy recovery.

MLS Injury and Suspension Round Up

Several Major League Soccer clubs will be facing injury and suspension issues going into play this weekend.  Here's my guide to some of the biggest news.

First up, the New England Revolution.  They'll be missing captain Shalrie Joseph after the league handed down a one game suspension earlier this week.  In the 62nd minute of last Thursday's game at FC Dallas, Joseph made a lunging tackle on Ricardo Villar of the Hoops.  It was a late tackle, and Joseph received a yellow card.  Villar suffered a right mid foot sprain on the play.  The league felt it deserved harsher punishment.  Benny Feilhaber is still listed as doubtful, but has trained this week.

Next we have the Houston Dynamo, who are still dealing with both injury and suspension issues as well.  Colin Clark is still in the midst of his ban from the ball boy incident in Seattle, and Adam Moffat will be missing the game through suspension as well.  Brad Davis will be out with a calf injury, leaving the team very short through the midfield for the match against Chicago. The Dynamo will perhaps be looking to former TFC man Nathan Sturgis to help plug these holes.

There's some slightly better news to report from the Columbus Crew camp.  Last week Julius James suffered a collapsed lung after training and was taken straight to the hospital for emergency surgery.  According to MLSSoccer.com, he's feeling better and recovering, but will be out for at least a month.  The Puddle wishes him a speedy and safe recovery. 

Last but not least, SoccerbyIves is reporting that NY Red Bulls defender Wilman Conde may miss up to a month after injuring his groin in practice.  Conde has already missed three matches for Red Bulls so far, and Ives is keying in on Markus Holgersson to step up.  Click the link above for the whole story.  Plus, if you're interested in MLS and you're NOT following Ives on Twitter at @SoccerbyIves, you should be.

Match Thoughts: Columbus Crew vs. Montreal Impact

The Columbus Crew celebrate after scoring.  (MLSSoccer.com)

It looks like the Crew really benefited from a week off between their opening loss at Colorado and their week three matchup vs. Montreal Impact.  Not that they played a perfect game, and certainly the Impact red card helped, but they looked a lot better and also seemed very capable of making some noise in the Eastern Conference.

The Crew got on the right foot in the opening minutes.  In minute two, Eddie Gaven was already up to his usual excellent work rate.  He sent the opening salvo in on the Impact goal, only to see it go wide.  Emilio Renteria also caused a lot of problems for Montreal.  He got loose on a break in the 13th minute but also saw his shot sail wide of the mark.

It wasn't all Columbus though.  The Impact are starting to look better and gel.  Don't forget that they have a lot of MLS veterans on their side that can do some damage once they're on the same page.  Former Colorado Rapid Sanna Nyassi had the Impact's first quality chance in the 16th minute, putting a header on goal that was well saved by Andy Gruenebaum.

The Impact continued to have some joy up the flanks, with Justin Mapp in particular creating with some nice balls in.  Unfortunately for the expansion side, it all came crashing down in the 19th minute.  Midfielder Jeb Brovsky went up for a ball against the Crew's Milovan Mirosevic and landed his elbow to the back of the Crew man's head.  He received the red card for his trouble, and the Impact would be down to ten for the rest of the match.

You have to give the Impact credit though.  They still tried to compete and didn't just totally bunker in.  Nyassi forced another save out of the Crew 'keeper from a set piece in the 23rd, and Felipe made some in roads as well.

The Crew finally got their noses in front in the 30th minute.  Felipe Martins brought Renteria down in the area and conceded a PK against the Impact.  They weren't very happy with this, and Nyassi was shown a yellow card in the process.  Mirosevic calmly iced the spot kick and the Crew took the lead into halftime at 1-0.

Montreal continued their high work rate and strong effort in the second half, but the Crew's man advantage began to show.  A lot of credit must be given to Impact 'keeper Donovan Ricketts, who pretty much stood on his head in the second half trying to keep the Impact in the game.  The former Galaxy man made save after save and generally withstood the Crew onslaught.

That all changed when Columbus finally got the better of him in the 66th minute.  Shaun Francis sent a cross into the area and Crew newcomer Olman Vargas rose and headed the ball into the bottom corner of the goal to make it 2-0 to the Crew.

Montreal would get a couple of half chances later in the match, but just couldn't really trouble the Crew keeper, and the match ended with the 2-0 score.  The red card was unfortunate.  The Impact really came to play in this one and I just can't help but think things might have been different had they kept everybody on the pitch.  However, you have to give credit to the Crew as well.  Crew Stadium is a tough place to come get points because the Crew supporters are great and the team is always up in the game for them.  In particular, Vargas and Mirosevic had great matches, and Renteria earned man of the match honors.

Columbus Crew 2012 Home Jersey

PHOTO: Worldsoccershop.com


Columbus Crew 2012 Authentic Home Soccer Jersey - WorldSoccerShop.com


Looks like the Columbus Crew are going with the collar on their new 2012 Home Jersey. I like. Looks sharp. Check it out at World Soccer Shop.

Columbus Cuts Loose Mendoza and Cunningham

Well, turns out that scoring 13 goals isn't more important than not being a douche bag on the pitch. Excuse my bluntness.

The Crew let DP Andres Mendoza go on Tuesday, as well as MLS All Time leading scorer Jeff Cunningham. Cunningham both tied and broke the career record for most goals this year, but didn't play a ton of minutes.

Mendoza is a different story. He spent most of his first full season making the team, the coaches, and the supporters mad. His attitude on the pitch always seemed like he couldn't care less. He also consistently put himself ahead of his teammates. He denied Cunningham a PK against RSL which would have tied the record, Luckily he got it anyway.

The Crew also jettisoned 5 more players, while making new offers to Robbie Rogers and Emmanuel Ekpo.

It will be interesting to see if anyone else in MLS gives Mendoza a shot.