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MLS Week 6: My Best XI Observations

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Christian Gomez exacted revenge, David Beckham proved he can do more than just set up goals and the Columbus Crew won AGAIN.

It was yet another interesting week in the early MLS season and only the rash of Western Conference ties served to put a damper on the activities.

Here are my Best XI observations from Week 6 (in no particular order):

Christian Gomez sets up both goals AND Facundo Erpen scores one in Colorado’s 2-0 win against D.C. United. Talk about sweet revenge. Meanwhile, Marcelo Gallardo has no impact and is left staring at his MLS Goal of the Week prize from last week.

The Chicago Fire won again, and did so again without Wilman Conde. Denis Hamlett is right not to bother messing with a good thing, but I can’t see how Conde and Lider Marmol won’t be in the Fire’s lineup by mid-season.

The Chivas USA-Houston scoreless draw had a total of eight shots on goal…..and NINE cards! Yep, the two best teams in the West last season have been reduced to this.

The Columbus Crew has the best record in MLS. STILL. So how did the Crew get this good? Those paying attention will recall that the Crew played some good soccer in the final months of 2007, Chad Marshall has come back in 2008 playing at an all-star level and Alejandro Moreno is all over the place.

Kansas City will be happy to get a week off after losing second straight. The time off should help coach Curt Onalfo address an offense that has managed just one goal in the run of play in FIVE matches.

Wondering where Abel Xavier was on Saturday? He apparently doesn’t play on turf (bad for the knees). That sound you here is Toronto FC, the Red Bulls and New England ordering grass to be installed just for their home games against the Galaxy (Okay, I’m kidding).

Toronto FC’s fans had to deal with a 7pm weeknight kickoff, and cold and rainy weathe and still drew close to 20,000 fans to BMO Field.

Red Bulls fans might not be crazy about the team’s 2-1-2 record, but a long week of rest could see the club boast its full-strength starting lineup (including Juan Pablo Angel, Jozy Altidore, Dane Richards and Hunter Freeman) for the first time all season against Los Angeles.

New England hasn’t scored in two straight home games. So much for the Revs not missing Taylor Twellman.

San Jose had the excitement of opening its new venue, Buck Shaw Stadium, and still managed a grand total of one shot on goal.

FC Dallas was tearing up the league early on but now has been shutout in two straight matches.

What stood out in your mind from the past weekend of MLS action? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Ben – that’s all well and good, but Klein isn’t a right back. In the salary cap world, you can’t be paying a guy $190k to play out of position when you have such glaring holes in the back.

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  2. Ives — the Xavier line was hilarious.

    John — I couldn’t disagree more about Klein. He was their team MVP last year, and, having attended every home match, I can tell you it was a fair (and really the only reasonable) choice. He remains incredibly hard-working, steady on the ball, and willing to play any position the coaches throw at him. If sexy-Becksy weren’t around, he’d be a very good captain.

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  3. What continues to stand out is how close the Galaxy are to being a strong team — the obvious barrier is the back 4.

    Why this team continues to carry Xavier ($156k), Klein ($190k) and Vanney ($91k) is beyond me. You can also throw in Vagenas ($137k) who is now fourth choice holding midfielder.

    It would seem to me a trade with Toronto – Jazic for Dunivant – would benefit both teams. They are kind of the same player, and both count as International allocations on their current team.

    I would think trading Klein, who played well under Yallop, to San Jose would at least merit a draft pick.

    Make those trades, waive the other three players above, go buy two International center halves with the money, and move Franklin to his natural position at right back.

    With a new back four, the Galaxy could be looking at the #1 seed in the West.

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  4. Wow, you mean there are DC fans out there that don’t think their team is G-d’s gift to American soccer?? Am I to read their comments on this board as some sort of humility?? DC fans???

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  5. Cooments like the one I will list below should be laughed at by everyone. As a Crew fan, I just have one thing to say: Top of the table.

    I was at the Red Bull/Columbus game at Giants Stadium and the Crew looked like dung–Schelotto was asleep. It’s hard to take their record seriously.

    Posted by: Neumannator | May 05, 2008 at 08:05 AM

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  6. I was at the game too….the Crew had a 10 minute lapse at RBNY otherwise it was 80 minutes of scoreless soccer. It’s not as if NY dominated the whole game.

    To see your point however, most of their games have been at home but the only game they lost was on that fake turf crap at giants stadium (which they apparently water down before games?)

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  7. United lost its hard workers over the past few years– not necessarily its stars, but the guys who kept things together: Carroll, Gros and most of all, Ben Olsen. These guys aren’t the most talented guys in the league, but they were veteran leadership.

    The difference is that none of the pieces fit together now– and that makes all the difference.

    BUT you can’t say that Martinez hasn’t worked out for United. That guy’s been stellar.

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  8. I was at the Red Bull/Columbus game at Giants Stadium and the Crew looked like dung–Schelotto was asleep. It’s hard to take their record seriously.

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  9. I think the 3-0 win for Chicago will prove many of the critics wrong about the depth and strength of our squad. The first game against the Revs this season was viewed by many as a fluke because of an early red card and an unhealthy Revs team. However, even a healthy Twellman would not have been able to change New England’s fortunes last night.

    That being said, beating New York will be so much sweeter. Thinking that one coach can make the difference for NY, is like “taking a knife to a gun fight.” The Chicago-New York games this season are bound to be some of the best MLS has ever seen.

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  10. Why didn’t Burciaga play this week for Colorado? Is he injured, or was he just beaten out for the spot?

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  11. The offensive output is definitely up around the league and the class is increasing. More ball movement, better touches, more finishes= more goals. Now if we could just get the word out and start getting some more people to the games…

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  12. Interested in watching Columbus and Chicago play to see where their weaknesses are. Interesting that Chicago is achieving all this without Marmol and Conde.

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  13. The biggest difference I see in the Crew these days is that they actually shoot! Sigi must’ve finally pointed out that if they don’t actually kick the ball toward the opponent’s net, it’s not likely to go in. Over the past 3 years, we’ve watched the Crew lose a lot of 1-0 games where they got 4 shots on goal for the game. it’s nice to see some offense in Columbus.

    GO CREW!

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  14. Here is my observation. Where would the Red Bulls be without Dave Van Den Bergh? Give the guy crap if you want, but he works his tail off. BTW, his crosses actually hit the intended target more often than not.

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  15. The fact that the biggest win of the week was a 3 nil road win speaks volumes for Chicago right now.

    Especially considering 5 players considered to be starter quality (or better) are out or can’t get a game (Conde, Robinson, Brown, Frankowski, Marmol).

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  16. Disagree about Chicago’s defense. The first half of the long season should be used to experiment with line-ups to see how different players interact. Wait for the home stretch and playoffs to stick with what’s working. Plus, you have to use your depth throughout the season if you want to have legs in the playoffs.

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  17. Gomez was great. He’s always been one of the best players in the league. I’m glad he’s playing for the Rapids.

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  18. Mastroeni was very good tonight. Not overly emotional, he was the conductor of the orchestra. Having McManus up top is a plus (Omar doesn’t know what to do after 6 games). The midfield is intact and Urpen scores a great second goal. This team has prospects. The best need to play together.

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  19. Mastroeni was very good tonight. Not overly emotional, he was the conductor of the orchestra. Having McManus up top is a plus (Omar doesn’t know what to do after 6 games). The midfield is intact and Urpen scores a great second goal. This team has prospects. The best need to play together.

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  20. “That sound you here is Toronto FC, the Red Bulls and New England ordering grass to be installed just for their home games against the Galaxy (Okay, I’m kidding).”

    Yeah, just review the tape of Klejstan’s goal last Sunday… who can be afraid of Xavier after that?

    I’m just looking forward to the Fire – DCU game Thursday.

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  21. Early returns on the foreign signings this year:

    Not as good as last year.

    None of the eighty-six DC United signings have worked out nor have Lopez or the Columbian guys been burning up the leage. Alvaro in LA has already been benched. The Toronto Guys are doing OK but hardly look dominant.

    These things go in cycles. With Blanco, Angel, Luciano Emiliano, Fred and a few others doing so well last year, everybody started to think that any foreigner would automatically be dominant.

    Next year, MLS will be more conservative until we get a better class and get more optimistic.

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  22. Well, I’ve been saying for the entire season that ‘Next week DC will wake up, and it will be like last year.”

    I just keep setting myself up for disappointment. I should just face it. We’re not the class of the league anymore. This year, the league has made TREMENDOUS strides in the quality of play, and the top teams could easily do well in better leagues, like EPL or the Bundesliga.

    Sigh. I’m praying for that second DP slot to be filled. No, not Veron. He’s overrated. Bring on someone who’s in their prime in the English, Spanish, Italian, or German league. We need defense!! And maybe a keeper… Wells looks horrible, and no comment on Peralta.

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  23. The ex-DCU contingent for the Rapids had a nice day. Christian Gomez pulled off a pretty sick fast-paced spin move right before he set up Jacob Peterson for the Rapids’ first goal. I wasn’t terribly impressed by DC’s much-vaunted South American stars. And if only Colorado could properly finish, the score might’ve been 4 or 5 to nil. But I’m liking the look of recent signing Tom McManus, and the win vs DC today was a solid victory to hopefully get the Rapids on the right track.

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  24. “Meanwhile, Marcelo Gallardo has no impact and is left staring at his MLS Goal of the Week prize from last week.”

    as a DC United fan I totally agree with you.

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  25. as a Fire fan, very impressed by winning at New England, a house of horrors in the past few seasons.

    Columbus, how long will it last?

    Houston just looks lethargic. Brad Guzan looked good last night.

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