Major League Soccer (MLS) Thread

Jermain: "I never thought I was going to move. I am totally committed to the cause." That sad face tells a different story

Chris Pontius is back! First goal in what seems like forever (adios hamstring issues). (Just seent it, 9/14/13 was his last goal). 

First team to qualify for the Champions League Quarterfinals. Come at us, mfs.

And Red Bulls knocked out of a group with Montreal 

You mentioned that the Open Cup winner goes into the CL.  With the Sounders winning that, if they win the MLS League/Main Cup/whatever it's called, does the CL place go to the Union as runners up?

Don't think so. Think it goes to someone in the league. But I'll look it up.

Right now, it's 

MLS Cup Winner
MLS Supporter Shield Winner
Winner of the other Conference
Open Cup Winner

Think if one or more of those overlap, they go with points in the league.

That is a shame.  I might just start following DC.

Good year to do that, but beware, we might just go back next season and win three games then. And yeah, that is how the bids go out.

So, Seattle already has the US Open Cup one. If they win the Supporters Shield and then the MLS Cup, then the other two spots would go to teams who had the most points.

D.C. is in the best position to take the Eastern Conference CCL bid based on their six point lead with four games left. So LA and Real are the most likely candidates to take a spot should D.C. or Seattle double up on a spot.

Miguel Ibarra of Minnesota United is going to be called into the USA squad for the friendlies next month. First second division player to be called in since Clyde Simms in 2005 -- though Simms was called into camp, when the regular national team players were on strike over pay, and then featured in the game in May of that year against England after he impressed Bruce with his performance in the camp.

2 year hiatus for Chivas USA. But it sounds like a buyer has been found. So the next two years will be used to rebrand/find land and build a new stadium.

lol wtf

Robbie Keane best DP thus far?

Probably. Beckham's got that legacy as being the first, but there were a bunch of ups and downs with him. Henry is up there as well, but Keane has had a bigger impact with the results on the field. Not much other competition at the moment.

Course that doesn't count Landon Donovan, who was a DP before the DP rule was even a thing. Also, Raul might be signing for Cosmos. Decent pickup for a second division side (oops. Forgot he retired recently. Maybe its more of a publicity stunt, though they were able to get Senna to come play for them as well).

Raul? Nah.

Don't hate. Also, Crew just about to unveil their new look. 

Jozy said he'll leave Sunderland in January if his playing opportunities don't increase. Maybe he'll come to DC since we got that club partnership with Sunderland.

Not bad. Circle is kinda lame, but good look otherwise.

Adios Chivas. Also, just New England left for fixing their logo. Definitely in need of an upgrade.

New Landon scores in Old Landon's going away party.

Yeah but that goal from Enner Valencia.

It's hard for me to grasp how American fans were going on about Donovan on Twitter. When I think about him all that comes to mind is the tag of slightly above average player.

Rei Andros wrote:It's hard for me to grasp how American fans were going on about Donovan on Twitter. When I think about him all that comes to mind is the tag of slightly above average player.

I would have thought Dempsey is/was/has been better.

In the grand scheme of things, you're right. He's not that much to get excited about. But it's the fact that he's been the face of the team since most people in this country have been soccer fans that makes the situation a bit different. 

Yes, there was 1990, 1994, and 1998, but none of those teams featured players with star potential, though a couple of them were probably just as good as Donovan. But then Donovan came along, started winning things in MLS, and scored against Mexico in his debut (remember back then, Mexico was the big bad older brother. Donovan's tenure changed that).

Then he spearheaded the best WC run in US history. I'd argue that some of the other players in that squad were just as good as Donovan, such as Pope and Reyna (maybe Sanneh, but that might just be my infatuation with him at that World Cup), but Donovan had a great tournament, and scored that memorable goal against Mexico. He was also the Best Young Player at the '02 World Cup, so that helped his "star".

Then there was the goal against Algeria, goals against Italy and Brazil in the Confederations Cup, his overall play against Spain in that tournament. He's been part of every big thing that's happened with the US team since 2000, sans the 2014 tournament (and he really, really should have been there). 

This has turned into nonsensical rambling at some point. I think a lot of US fans just grew up on Donovan, and that's why his star burns so brightly in our circle. There are players who have played for the US team that are just as good if not better, but none of the them have had the US career that Donovan has. Think that's the difference between him and say Dempsey, or Bradley, or Reyna, etc. 

Also, Mexico hated Donovan, so that helped even more.

Donovan's never been a personal favorite of mine, so I'm not in that group, but I understand them.

Just saw this now. Thanks for the perspective.

Agreed, a fair account.

New York Red Bulls striker Bradley Wright-Phillips moves to within two goals of equalling the MLS single season record with the opener against Toronto FC.

What shit league.

Pretty easy to get that close to records when you take as many penalties as he does.

#bloodybigdeal

Hey, Steve your the resident American Soccer guru around here so I'm wondering if you could answer this question that came to mind the other day:

Which American soccer player has had the most successful career playing for a major European club? By major I'm talking about the Man Utd, Bayern, Milan and Barca's of European soccer.

I only know about guys like Onyewu, Donovan, and el Pato but those guys only had short stints I think.