My MLS All-Star media voting
by Steve Davis on Jul 8, 2010 7:21 PM EDT
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I am almost 100 percent certain that Bruce Arena is not going to dial up my Google Phone and ask for my thoughts on how he should arrange the MLS All-Stars against Sir Alex his mighty men of Man U later this month. Manchester United, of course, is the designated opponent for this year’s All-Star selections.
The latest word, by the way, is that Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, with their combined age of 114, will join the tour and the match at Reliant Stadium.
But if Arena does dial up my digits, here’s what I’d recommend. These are my selections, which I just turned in. The media vote accounts for 25 percent of the total vote for the MLS starters.
How does my team appear to stack up against the Old Trafford outfit? Eh, not too bad, I’d say.
Strong in goal with Long Donovan Ricketts. My MLS midfield wouldn’t be too bad. (By the way, MLS voting requires you to pick a 3-5-2, and the “positions” are set. So, you may know, for instance, that Landon Donovan has been playing midfield for most of the last two years. Apparently the person putting together this ballot didn’t. So don’t blame me for that one.)
If you haven’t seen Joel Lindpere play for Red Bull
My forwards will have at least one guy who has proven he has the chops for EPL action in Landon Donovan.
The defense is a wee bit shaky, really devoid of single, true international. All three of my starting selections are good, but somewhere south of world class. Wilman Conde is a great defender, although he’s had a couple of shaky minutes this year. Omar Gonzalez is on his way to greatness but still has one or two moments a game where the focus seems to drift. Cory Gibbs is my No. 3 in the back, but honestly that one could have been any one of about four guys.
Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts,
Defenders: Wilman Conde, Chicago; Omar Gonzalez, L.A.Galaxy; Cory Gibbs,
Midfielders: Shalrie Joseph, New England; Joel Linpere, Red Bull New York; Kyle Beckerman, Real Salt Lake; Brad Davis, Houston; Dwayne De Rosario, Toronto.
Forwards: Landon Donovan,
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he said LeToux deserves strong consideration. I am happy just for that.
"I will never have my best season," Brian Dawkins
"There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." Bruce Lee
"This fucking game is over!" Chuck Bednarik
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth" Mike Tyson
:)
My boys LD and Buddle
When I get older, I will be stronger.
They’ll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag
+1
Those are pretty much the only guys I can muster up excitement over in MLS
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Gibbs? Conde?
I am going to excuse your picks because you have had to spend so much time getting ready and covering the World Cup. You might want to check how many goals New England and Chicago have allowed, I would take Olave over any of them day in and day out. I also think Tim Ream has been one of the biggest impact rookies, New York went from worst to one of the best and it has a lot to do with defense.
Beckerman hasn’t played in 6 matches, but you put him in over Marco Pappa, or Javier Morales? Davis over Le Toux? I also want to know what world MLS lives in where they consider Landon a forward? Sorry he is a midfielder, and the two forwards should be Buddle and Saborio.
Sorry to bust your chops, but that really looks like last years ballot to me. I am a huge fan of Shalrie Joseph, but sorry nobody from New England should even be allowed to watch the All Star match this year. I did have a toss up on my ballot between Omar and Gregg, I went with Gregg for the leadership factor.
A couple of things to remember ...
… when you start picking apart somebody’s picks.
You can find a reason NOT to select pretty much anybody. You don’t like Gibbs, yeah I get that. But I can find fault with anybody you put in his place. Berhalter? Decent leadership. But the guy is sloooww. Not a terrible pick … just not my pick.
Davis over Le Toux … Sebastien is having a fantastic year. But who in MLS this side of LD hits restarts better than Davis?
Joseph? Beckerman over Morales? If you’re picking a team to start against Man U and you select too man attacking MFs, you’re asking for a 5-2 loss. Tim Ream as an impact rookie? Yep. He’s been fantastic … for a rookie. But maybe you can go back and look at a couple of ridiculous giveaways in the back. He’s a rookie and he has rookie moments … and if I’m picking the team, I don’t want him having them with Scholes et al around to make him pay.
Like I said, you can find a reason NOT TO pick everyone. These are subjective choices. You have yours and I have mine, and it’s OK to disagree. Just remember, I can rip apart your choices just as easily.
(by the way, not to bust YOUR chops, but what about Joel Lindpere or Edson Buddle says “last year’s ballot?”)
very true
OK, maybe you got a couple current players on there. I just think you have to look at individuals as well as their impact on their team, and with New England beating LA (after your picks) maybe they should get a player on there and I have always like Joseph but I am still left wondering where his head is, never seen him dive this much. Davis seems like a safety pick, and like you said just opinions but Le Toux is really a force this year and I would trust him with restarts. If you going to pick on Gregg for being slow (and he is) how do you pick Conde who only runs to his hair stylist and wow the move to him in the midfield was begging for a red card. I like Lindpere, he has shown he might be a quality player, Buddle when healthy is one of the best in MLS, he was 2 years ago until he got hurt.
Heck the lineup is going to be a hodge podge anyhow, LA plays a CCL qualifier in Puerto Rico the night before and Seattle plays on the same day. It is going to a mess no matter what, so I say bring a bunch of offensive players and play what an All Star match is in other sports, all offense and who cares what the score is as long as everyone is entertained.
I laugh
at the criteria you must hav used, Steve. Joseph has been a shadow of his shadow all year. Gibbs and Conde anchor 2 of the most porous defenses in the league. Beckerman hasn’t played since Mid-May, and ALL reports indicate that he is likely another few weeks away. What has Brad Davis done this year, except convert a couple of penalty kicks? (not much)
Obviously Lindpere and Buddle are 2010, but MOST of your picks are based on pre-2010 form. Your bias is obvious. From the top 3 teams in MLS, you have 4 galaxy players, 1 RSL player (hurt) and GBS. Nice. You fail.
I hate this format.
We get all excited because some English club comes over and uses us as its pre-season warm-up sparring partners. Makes us look bush league. And when we manage to win we yap like chihuahuas wanting to be a big dog, for winning a game that didn’t matter to the other guys.
It would be better if we quit taking this so seriously and went back to the old format and had fun again. Or if you must insist on a serious game, let’s play a Mexican league all-star team. Now there is a rivalry.
Maybe we should create a N American Champion's league?
I mean do something to give us a reason to watch please. Because I’m sorry that RSL/Chi game last night was painful.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
There is one
It just gets no attention here, in part because a Mexican team ALWAYS wins. In the two years of the current format, no non-Mexican team has eliminated a Mexican team.
CCL,
That is because by the time we get to the knock out rounds they are three weeks before MLS starts their season, and in the middle of the season for most Mexican teams, it will always favor them. MLS seems to care very little about the CCL, but they will schedule teams out of League play for 3 weeks if they are in their made for Mexican TV SuperLiga tournament.
I agree, kinda
I would love to see us do the MLS All Stars vs. USMNT, but with the horrible timing of this match it is unlikely to ever happen. I think the format is better than East vs. West or other formats used in the past, simply because it brings over a team that many fans want to see vs. a match that nobody would care about. Man U and most teams from Europe will never show up and just phone it in, they always will play to win, no matter who is on the pitch.
No hometown love?
Where’s David Ferreira? George John has also had a solid, albeit quiet, year.
Cut and paste from our thread on the subject at B&RU
Here’s my team:
GK: Donovan Ricketts There isn’t much of an argument for anyone else.
DF: Jamison Olave Still as athletic as ever, but now making fewer inexplicable bonehead plays.
DF: Omar Gonzalez Monster season. He’s developed so much faster than I expected, and I already had high hopes after watching him so often at Maryland.
DF: Todd Dunivant You barely ever hear his name, but Dunivant has been a constant source of solid, intelligent play for the Galaxy.
RM: Marco Pappa Not really his best position, but you’ve got to fit him in somewhere. Without him, Chicago would be no better than those of us bunched up at the bottom. Also, he’s got a habit of scoring golazos.
DM: Clyde Simms My homer pick. That shouldn’t completely discredit Simms, though, because he has gone above and beyond since returning from his early-season injury. He also did a pretty good job last week of neutralizing…
CM: Joel Lindpere Angel gets all the attention, but NY’s most consistent player is definitely Lindpere.
AM: David Ferreira I’d list him 3rd on my MVP ballot at this stage of the season. Outstanding player in good form, deserves much more attention.
LM: Dwayne De Rosario Another player that I’m listing out of position. If not for Donovan, he’d be the easy pick for MVP right now.
FW: Landon Donovan You’ve got to pick him, even though he’s played maybe 1 game this season up front. MVP at this point in the season.
FW: Edson Buddle No surprise here. 10 goals, and he missed over a month for the World Cup!
Bench: Nick Rimando, Chad Marshall, Drew Moor, Michael Stephens, Daniel Hernandez, Steve Zakuani, Javier Morales, Sebastien Le Toux, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alvaro Saborio
