Mid-season MLS awards, Best 11: Who you got?
by Steve Davis on Jul 8, 2011 11:33 AM EDT
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Pet peeve about most soccer awards processes: holding midfielders get very little love.
It really is such an important position. Show me a team with a good holding midfielder and a I’ll show you a team with a great chance, at least, to go places.
But a holding midfielder will never be a league MVP, mostly because so much of their important work is low on the glamour scale. Call it the Shalrie Joseph factor. That guy was easily the gold standard for D-mids over a lot of years in MLS, and probably deserving of a league MVP back in one of New England’s better seasons. But as we know, those awards generally go to attackers – yet another clear sign of the world’s imperfections.
Either way, I think Seattle’s Osvaldo Alonso may have now lapped Joseph. The Sounders little ball of midfield destruction is having a great season at Qwest Field whatever they call that place now. But in my mid-season awards (the piece went up yesterday at SI.com), I really couldn’t do much for him other than find a place on the Best XI. It’s really a pity on the one hand.
On the other hand, there are no cash prizes for being picked by Steve Davis. So, I’m sure ol’ Osvaldo isn’t too broken up about it.
Here is the Best XI. You’ll have to check out the piece at SI.com to learn about my choices for Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year (that one will probably surprise you), Coach of the Year, Newcomer, etc.
- Goalkeeper: Kevin Hartman (Dallas)
- Defenders: Jan Gunnar Solli (New York), Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake), Chad Marshall (Columbus), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA).
- Midfielders: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle), Juninho (Los Angeles), Brek Shea (Dallas).
- Forwards: Thierry Henry (New York), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose).
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Dirty Alonso!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBx3eOmxuuE
Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.
Yep
There’s no question there’s a naughty element to his game. And I don’t condone it. On the other hand, I can’t ignore that he’s a very effective central, defensive midfielder. I don’t think he needs the dirty stuff; he can help his team plenty without the cheap stuff.
According to the “MLS Castrol Index”http://www.mlssoccer.com/castrol/index the best XI (skipping past the 5th-8th best defenders) so far have been:
Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts (LA)
Defenders: George John (FCD), Nat Borchers (RSL), Omar Gonzalez (LA), Ugo Ihemelu (FCD).
Midfielders: Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Alvaro Fernandez (Seattle) Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle), Brek Shea (Dallas).
Forwards: Thierry Henry (New York), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose).
So, you’re in agreement with the computers in most of your attacking selections. Of the Castrol selections, I think George John most deserved a spot in your XI. But unlike the computers that analyze stats for Castrol, I’m a biased FCD fan.
Solli
how does a NY defender get on there when they have 23 goals allowed?
Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Jul 8, 2011 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Exactly
Valdes should be on this team, he’s having a better year than all four of these defenders.
by Phil McCrack'n on Jul 8, 2011 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
agreed
Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Jul 10, 2011 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Gonna guess it's his ability to go forward
Plus, this is an individual acknowledgment, right? If a player can have a great season on a bad team, then surely Solli can be considered despite NY being only an average defense as a team.
Writer - Black and Red United
by ChestRockwell on Jul 9, 2011 6:20 AM EDT up reply actions
but
NY also has golden boy Tim Ream and DP Rafa Marquez on the back line so it’s not like he’s some lone wolf surrounded by losers… there is a ton of talent on that back line and they still are not an elite defensive unit
Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Jul 10, 2011 1:40 AM EDT up reply actions
for holding midfielders Tainio should get a mention
w/o him the red bulls GA would be more like 30-35
My team from the SBN writers group
I listed it as a 4141, but were I coaching them, I’d tell them to play in a 433:
GK: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
RB: Sean Franklin (LA Galaxy)
CB: George John (FC Dallas)
CB: Nat Borchers (Real Salt Lake)
LB: Jordan Harvey (Philadelphia Union/Vancouver Whitecaps)
DM: Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders)
RM: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
CM: David Beckham (LA Galaxy)
CM: Nick LaBrocca (Chivas USA)
LM: Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
FW: Thierry Henry (NY Red Bulls)
Writer - Black and Red United
really?
Harvey over Valdes, Califf, or Williams? As a Union fan, I feel all three of them were having better years then Harvey. I liked Harvey but if I had to point to a weak spot on that back 4, he woulda been it. If you thought he was good enough to make the All Star roster then that should say something for our D this year, tied for 2nd least amount of Goals Allowed.
Alas, no they will select three defensive players from NY who is tied for 3rd most Goals Against in the East, tied for 5th most against in the league. Great choices from the “professionals”.
"I will never have my best season," Brian Dawkins
Mike Vick is a piece of shit
by Talon Talent on Jul 11, 2011 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Dirty Alonso?
Sure hes got a little bit of a nasty streak in him, but what good Dmid doesn’t. I wouldnt call him a dirty player based off of one 2 second video clip in which you can clearly see he has no idea anyone is behind him.
