Tweaking the MLS All-Star game

I love the MLS All-Star format and don’t think they should change – and definitely don’t believe the league should acquiesce to a fresh round of reactionary East v. West sentiment.

But I certainly think some tweaking of the event is in order. Nothing says, “Tweak away!” like a 4-0 ass-whuppin, especially it comes one year after a 5-2 ass-whuppin.

Specifically, I believe the competitive balance needs reconsideration – lest this thing quickly becomes counterproductive. Long story short, I think MLS has bitten off more than it could chew, opposition-wise.

Another match against mighty and majestic Manchester United on Wednesday turned into the next chance for MLS to walk slink away humbly, murmuring excuses.

I’ve heard some of the comments, including one from Alex Ferguson himself, suggesting the 4-0 score flattered United. To which I say: nonsense.  The visitors were always in control (after about 20 minutes, at any rate) and never really needed to shift into high gear to remain so.

I’m also hearing that Hans Backe got the MLS tactics all wrong. I agree to a point, but with this caveat: I don’t think it mattered. Backe could have arranged the group into something slight more orthodox and I’m sure the result would have been about the same. (I predicted 2-1 or 3-1 for Man U on SI.com’s podcast.) You may say that a conventional 4-4-2 would have given MLS a fighting chance, at least. But I would counter with this: last year’s 4-4-2 didn’t work out so swimmingly either. (Funny thing, I don’t remember anyone kicking the crap out of Bruce Arena’s tactics in that one, nor should they.)

Essentially, Manchester United’s personnel is superior even to Major League Soccer’s elite. That’s the bottom line. Consider the starting lineups: (Click forward ...) 

Player ratings for the Major League Soccer selections at SI.com are here. 

Manchester United’s first XI on Wednesday brimmed with internationals, men at the tip-top of their profession. Major League Soccer’s starting XI included three current internationals – and that’s stretching it just a little by counting Shalrie Joseph (for tiny Grenada), Tim Ream (a U.S. part-time starter) and Omar Cummings (Jamaica). There are four (mostly) famous names and former internationals in Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Faryd Mondragon and Omar Bravo. They remain good and talented players, but there’s a reason they aren’t full internationals for their countries anymore. Heck, I count three players who aren’t anywhere near the top of the pool for the United States, a mid-level national team (Brad Davis, Bobby Convey and Sean Franklin – and please save the “Davis and Convey should get call-ups” arguments for another conversation.)

So, nobody could look at Wednesday’s matchups and truly expect a different result. Even if you allow the “preseason” factor (that Manchester United is neither fully sharp nor fit) to mitigate the “real team” factor (that MLS is a collection of talent but not a cohesive unit that practices together, etc.), then you’re left with a huge personnel imbalance that will almost always tip the competitive balance.

That’s no shame in it. Manchester United resides in the toniest of neighborhoods in global soccer, expecting to compete for EPL and European trophies every year.

So what’s the answer? Simple: don’t play them in the All-Star game.

As I said, I like the format. I’ve seen complaints about the quality of certain MLS All-Stars (“Some of those guys aren’t truly All-Stars!”) by the very same people advocating a return to the old East-West format. Well, which one do you want? Because some of those fellows who might have caused you to grimace when they trotted on in the second half Wednesday would be starters in a (more diluted) East-West format.

I’ve said before, arguments that favor an East-West format usually identify “tradition” as one of the reasons to favor it. But they fail to acknowledge that the East-West format is pitifully tired, and that the sister events in professional baseball, basketball and football are limping along like old three-legged dogs, with interest long on the wane.

THAT is what you want for MLS?

So I say, keep the format – but identify a more fitting level of competition. There was nothing wrong when Celtic, Fulham, Everton or West Ham represented the opposition. Or, if fans and league officials aren’t so smitten with mid-level sides from the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, etc., then go lure Ajax, Bayern Munich, Juventus or similarly high-profile European (or Mexican) clubs. No, they won’t come with the same “Wow Factor” as Manchester United – but the end result will probably be more valuable.