It wasn’t exactly an easy week to pick an MLS Player of the Week.
You had David Beckham’s goal and assist performance for LA, braces for Jimmy Conrad and Kenny Cooper as well as a goal and assist outing for Sacha Kljestan. As good as those games were, this week’s MLS player of the week went to the one player among this group you would least expect to deliver a stellar effort.
Chicago Fire forward Chad Barrett, fresh off a weak showing in Olympic Qualifying, was all over the field for the Fire. He helped set up two goals and finished off one of his own in Chicago’s 4-0 victory against New England last Thursday. Barrett scored Chicago’s first goal, did the work to set up the second (though a deflection took away his assist) and set up the Fire’s fourth and final goal. My original vote this morning went to Beckham but upon further review it was Barrett who deserved the honor.
Beckham, Cooper, Red Bulls midfielder Dave Van Den Bergh and Jimmy Conrad all merited honorable mention.
Player of the Weak for Week Two was also tough to call between two players who saw red.
Jeff Larentowicz earns the honors (or dishonor) this week for his seventh-minute red card against the Chicago Fire. The studs-up challenge (shown below), which could have been just a yellow but was instead issued as a red card, left the Revs a man down against an inspired Fire attack.
Now Kevin Harmse’ clumsy tackle in Toronto FC’s 4-1 loss to D.C. United was worse than Larentowicz’s, but Toronto was already down 2-0 and on its way to a loss. The Revs were only down a goal to Chicago six minutes into the match when Larentowicz was sent off for this challenge, though the ugliness of Harme’s challenge and his track record for questionable plays like this made him a strong POWeak contender:
What do you think of Barrett and Larentowicz being named SBI MLS Player of the Week/Weak? Share your thoughts below