Photo by ISIphotos.com
Without making anybody's head hurt like an episode of Lost, Josh Wolff sure does look like the 2002 version of himself.
Showing the speed and finishing ability that made him a national team fixture earlier this decade, Wolff has emerged as a goal-scoring force once again and his two goals on Saturday helped the Kansas City Wizards climb up the East standings.
Wolff's performance was just one of several impressive ones this past weekend. While there were ties aplenty, we still had our share of great finishes, amazing goals and moments to make MLS fans feel good about the league.
Here is a rundown of the best and worst XI moments, plays, performances and images from MLS Week Nine, as well as the MLS Team of the Week:
MLS Week Nine Best XI
D.C. United's two-goal comeback.
Santino Quaranta's long-range equalizer.
John Wolyniec's stunning 88th-minute equalizer.
Eddie Lewis' Birthday equalizer.
The Telefutura announcer's impromptu rendition of 'Happy Birthday to You'.
Josh Wolff's brace.
Andres Rocha's volley finish.
FC Dallas managing a tie in a match most expect them to lose badly.
Jon Conway's impressive performance after getting back into the lineup.
The Chicago Fire fans that made the trip to BMO Field.
Alex Prus' officiating in the LA-Columbus match.
MLS Week Nine Worst XI
Jorge Rojas' "inadvertent" elbow.
Rojas getting into a shouting match and taking forever to leave the field AFTER the red card.
Tony Sanneh's costly turnover.
Toronto FC's finishing.
The blown offside call on Maykel Galindo's goal (close, but still missed).
Ugo Ihemelu's clumsy penalty-drawing challenge.
Louis Crayton's failure to get to the cross leading to Chivas USA's first goal.
Houston's inability to put away a 10-man Red Bulls squad.
Conor Casey losing his cool and being benched in order to avoid a red card.
The crowd of 8,247 at Pizza Hut Park for FC Dallas-Seattle.
Five ties in seven MLS matches.
SBI MLS Team of the Week (Week 9)
———–Chris Rolfe—————–Josh Wolff——-
——————Guillermo Barros Schelotto———
Colin Clark——————————-Santino Quaranta
————————Jack Jewsbury——————–
Wilman Conde——————————–Tim Ward
——Jhon Kennedy Hurtado—— Bobby Boswell——–
————————–Jon Conway————————
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Honorable Mentions: Kevin Hartman, Dejan Jackovic, Pablo Richetti, Kevin Goldthwaite, Emmanuel Osei, Andres Rocha, Brian McBride, John Wolyniec.
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Some more thoughts on Week Nine:
It wasn't the worst week for referees in my opinion (linesmen might be another story).
I always thought this would be a down year for New England, but things are looking a bit bleak in Revs land. Yes, they still have injuries and expect players to return, but the way the top of the East looks this year I'm not sure New England will be there in the end.
I'm feeling much better about including Tim Ward in my list of potential U.S. national team first-timers after he did so well against Dwayne DeRosario last weekend. I can't say the same for my Sean Franklin pick.
Alfredo Pacheco has gone from playing great his first two games to playing erratically and making costly defensive mistakes. He needs to step his game up if the Red Bulls are to climb out of the East cellar.
This week's Team of the Week wasn't as tough to pick as some other weeks.
What do you think of this week's selections? What player or play or performance is missing from the lists? Who should have made Team of the Week that didn't? Who's inclusion were you happy to see?
Share your thoughts below.
I agree with Ives in the Tim Ward front… he has the ability to be a very good attacking left back… we certainly lack depth at that spot on the NATS so why not give him a look if he is playing solidly..might boost his confidence. It is either that or slip Boca or Beasley out there because Bornstien while fast does not cut it and Heath Pearce is average and a prick to boot (who isnot even getting first team bench spot in Bundesliga 2)…
If you goto MLSnet and watch the highlights of his goal, he’s onside by a mile thanks to the RB of Seattle.
And to all the people wanting to move Dallas, lol.
Yes, move one of what, two? profitable teams in MLS? Don’t blame the fans for the horrible moves by the FO. Ya’ll act like it’s always been this way at FCD, well, it hasn’t.
I liked Andres Rochas goal, but was he offside when the long pass was made to him? That’s my only beef with the play.
How bout worst XI Josh Wolff throwing stuff back into the crowd…………..and worst XI RSL’s offsides trap
I don’t think its out of bounds to call out Houston’s inability to put away a team thats been very erratic at best, playing a man down. Tim, there’s only one tool here, and you look at him in the mirror every morning.
mb and phath0m – Gomez did not alter its trajectory and Gomez was onside.
What’s with calling Ives names? I mean disagree with him, but character assassination? He’s providing a great service that none of us have time for.
How about Mo Johnson’s inability to land a quality striker in the “worst” column.
TFC inability to finiish has spanned the ages- Esky, Samuel, Cunningham, Ruiz, Barett, Vitti, oh my.
Why can’t they score?
No mention of the handball 1 min before the first Chicago goal? I know these calls are suppose to even out during the season but thats 2 handballs against TFC and 1 missed for them, thats a lot of points that the League owes TFC, too many more of those and i’ll start wondering if the refs have something against TFC because that missed handball on the weekend was pretty obvious.
Whoops, G beat me to it.
Missing the cross was on the second goal Ives, the first was the offsides goal.
Worst – Tom Soehn’s decision to fly fragile Benny out to the West Coast and play him resulting in the need to sub at minute 6 and losing Benny for a lot longer than a game.
Crayton didnt miss a cross on the 1st goal. He missed a juke after a missed offsides call.
“why does Quaranta continue to get credit for the goal when Gomez clearly altered its trajectory?”
except he didn’t… and had he it would have been disallowed because he was in an offside position =)
NICE GOAL THOUGH… very exciting game
why does Quaranta continue to get credit for the goal when Gomez clearly altered its trajectory?
Ives, watch the replay. Ihemelu got a clean touch on the ball before Steve Ralston ran into him.
Dallas needing to be fixed may be a truth but don’t waste your breath (or key strokes) asking for them to be moved.
There is NO way MLS can afford to move franchises out of markets that have ponied up for SSS’s.
“QUOTE T
One of the worst has to be the Drew Carey glasses giveaway at the FC Dallas game. The visiting team being promoted by the home team, don’t see that too often…”
Except for every single other team in the league when they pimped David Beckham over their home team.
being from dallas, it’s tough to say this…but the league has got to start kicking ass down there. the attendance issues down there are unacceptable. period.
On point across the board!
Officiating should never make the best XI. You wouldn’t notice the ref in a game well officiated. Jhon Kennedy Hurtado scored a goal on his Birthday and he doesn’t get any love in the best XI.
Am I the only person who likes Wolyniec (even though he plays for a team I can’t stand)? I thought his goal was the best of the week.
Quaranta’s goal was well struck, and it isn’t often you see goals scored from that distance, but Woly’s trap, turn, and shot under pressure were excellent.
How about some props for the packed house in Salt Lake.
Sanneh has become an embarrassment. In prior weeks I was stunned by the number and ineptitude of his give aways. Replacing him with a merely competent player would have given LA two wins in the last two weeks. It’s a shame, too. He was so great in 2002. He’s painful to watch now
Move Dallas.
Dallas is just a disgrace for the league. Is MLS going to step in and put an end to this farce?
It is obvious that the fans do not believe in this team. The PLAYERS do not even believe in their coach. is it a a wonder why the attendance numbers are dwindling so fast?
Posted by: DCUfanTX | May 19, 2009 at 12:46 PM
It’s only going to get better if the Hunts sell the team.
I’ll admit Rojas deserves all the criticism he’s getting for the red card and also will admit I have a metro bias, but how is it that no one has a problem with Onstad’s blatent verbal abuse that bated Rojas back onto the field? Rojas needed to just ignore everyone including Onstad and get out of there, but not even a mention of how wrong it was for Onstad to start screaming at Rojas as he left. He acted as if he was a member of the Texian Army(who would’ve bean justified as fans) rather than an MLS veteran that many look up to. I was sitting 4 rows back right in front of the sideline where it all happened and once Rojas finally left the area of the penalty(where he stayed too long as it was) he was clearly walking off silently with his head down until he heard Onstad jawing at him. He would have quietly left at that point and not re-entered the pitch had it not been for Onstad’s antics.
You really have a boner for Tim Ward these season don’t you Ives? From what I’ve seen – and I’ve watched most games – he’s been a fairly solid if unspectacular player. Certaily a pleasant surprise, but not honor roll worthy and certainly not done anything to merit MNT consideration.
nice to see Jewsbury get some credit, he has been solid since moving to center mid last year…
Nice to see Jewsbury getting some love. I played high school soccer in the same town/time he did. I played against him once in a summer league game after his senior year when he had scored 70 goals in that season. I was playing stopper and had a 1 v 1 and got megged, watched him go by and score…. now he is a pro and I check soccer blogs all day to keep me sane at work 🙂
I don’t know about Conway as the GK of the week. He still looks a bit shaky to me..
Worst – Stuart Holden and Houston’s thuggish tackling going unpunished.
Tim, honest question, why are you here if you feel that way?
Seriously though, Wondolowski’s goal was nice, but not even close to being better than Wolyniec’s. As for the Houston not putting away a 10-man Red Bulls team, here’s a newsflash, ANY TIME a team with a better record can’t beat a team that is a man down for more than a half it will make my Worst XI. Good teams beat short-handed teams. At least they’re supposed to.
Also, the excuse about turf keeping Houston from playing better is a bit tired isn’t it? It didn’t seem to hurt Houston when they beat New England on turf two weeks ago, did it? What was the excuse for how Houston played in Houston when they only managed a 0-0 tie vs. New York?
Dallas is just a disgrace for the league. Is MLS going to step in and put an end to this farce?
It is obvious that the fans do not believe in this team. The PLAYERS do not even believe in their coach. is it a a wonder why the attendance numbers are dwindling so fast?
lol best the “happy birthday to you”
Worst….tony sanneh thinking its christmas giving away gifts
Why Osorio do not bench Angel if he do not perform? This is not good for the team.
I’ve always wondered about the linesmen and whether or not their perpheriral vision is tested before they are handed the flag and assigned a game.
The camera CAN NOT possibly give me, the viewer, a pure angle on the release of the ball off the foot of the passer AND an accurate look at where the offensive player is in relation to the defender ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
I played competitive basketball for years and know something about peripheral vision. While all humans have this ability, being able to actually USE it is another thing.
So, linesmen, how skilled are you with this vision.
That goal by Galindo was CLOSE… Was that linesman’s peripheral on or off?
I think that Sounders finishing is a strong canidate for worst XI. They botched so many chances in the first half.
Carlos Johnson undergoing surgery after a little girl by the name of Stuart Holden broke his foot…
Nah, I hate the S–T Bulls, but Ives is right, that Wolynieck goal was special.
Dallas’ attendance is ridiculous. I’d put an overall high attendance in MLS in the best XI as well, even the New York energy drinks brought in a good crowd.
Tony Sannah, I love your history, I admire your courage. Take the final step Tony… now its time to take that biggest step… The one where you step DOWN. You’re slow, you’re old, and Sunday you cost the Galaxy the game. I told my buddy and anyone in section 136 who was within earshot, Sunday, that putting you into the game for Franklin was a BIG mistake and you proved me right.
Its ok partner… you were good but only the truly GREAT can do at your age what you want to do.
Emmanual Osei was rock solid. Where the heck did this guy come from? It was great seeing Casey blow a gasket everytime that Osei beat him to a ball. I seriously thought he was going to break the kid in half, but Osei stood strong and in the end forced Colorado to take that hothead – and their biggest scoring threat – off the field.
Conway had one great save and one lucky one, but he still looks shaky out there.
Wow worst NY bias of all time. Houston’s inability to put away 10 man red bulls? Woly’s “stunning” equalizer?
More like, Wondolowski’s impressive goal in the best, and nothing about Houston playing about as good as they ever do on turf.
Ives you are such a tool.
One of the worst has to be the Drew Carey glasses giveaway at the FC Dallas game. The visiting team being promoted by the home team, don’t see that too often…
I loved that Telefutura Birthday son too.
Woly needs to get more minutes, but not at the expense of Macoumba
“The Telefutura announcer’s impromptu rendition of ‘Happy Birthday to You’.”
Jorge Perez Navarro and Diego Balado (and Troy Santiago and Jorge Caamano on Fox ESP) are fun announcers to listen to…good to see Ives giving Jorge props!
Glad to see Rolfe there, While his goal was good, i think the move he put on the defense to launch the blast that was saved and turned into the second goal was more impressive.