Photo by ISIphotos.com
The media ballot for the 2009 MLS All-Star Game has finally made its way to my inbox, which means its time to seriously consider which eleven players will be getting votes.
Selecting this year's group isn't easy, nor it should be. There are several worthy candidates in the pool, with only a few positions easy to call.
So what can you do? I am going to list my current ballot and I want each SBI reader to submit the one player they would change and who that replacement would be. Think I have the wrong forward or defender on my ballot? Let me know. Let me state clearly that this ballot is my CURRENT ballot. I will submit a final ballot just before the July 6 deadline.
Here is the SBI MLS All-Star Ballot:
SBI MLS All-Star Ballot
FORWARDS- Conor Casey and Landon Donovan. Yes, Fredy Montero has had a good year, but he went cold for almost two months so he doesn't get the nod. Brian McBride was a lock a month ago, but has also gone cold. Donovan was having a great year before national team duty, as was Casey.
MIDFIELDERS- Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Shalrie Joseph, Brad Davis, Amado Guevara and Paulo Nagamura. Plenty of ways you can go here, but I can't see how anybody can argue against the top three. Guevara has enjoyed a very strong season for TFC and edges out Santino Quaranta, who ha has been the key spark for D.C. United this year, though Chris Pontius merits his share of consideration. Nagamura has been a bulldog in midfield, but has also provided clutch goals. He gets the call ahead of teammate Jesse Marsch and Seattle's Osvaldo Alonso.
DEFENDERS- Geoff Cameron, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Brian Namoff. Cameron has pulled away at the mid-way point for Defender of the Year, while Hurtado is still in the conversation. Namoff has been a rock in the back and D.C. United's steadiest defender, playing every minute of the season. Wilman Conde was on this list before being sidelined recently with an injury.
GOALKEEPER- Zach Thornton. Seattle fans will clamor for Kasey Keller but Thornton has more saves, shutouts and victories. He's made more tough saves than any other goalkeeper as well. Pat Onstad is putting up insane numbers, but faces much fewer shots.
Here is the lineup:
—————–Donovan———–Casey—————-
Davis——————Schelotto—————Guevara
————-Joseph—————Nagamura————-
——–Cameron——Hurtado———-Namoff——–
————————Thornton————————-
That is eleven players representing nine teams. Only Houston and Chivas USA have multiple selections. No surprise they are currently the top two teams in MLS.
Now it is your turn. I'm NOT asking you to give me your All-Star Ballot. I want to know which one player on my ballot you think should come off, and what player you would replace him with.
Share your suggestions below.
MAC KANDJI should be there!
Yawn. The league office always rigs this thing to fit their marketing strategy, so it doesn’t really matter.
Thornton off, Onstadt on. Your selection makes it seem like you are not paying attention. This is a no-brainer.
I know you said to pick only 3 but there seem to be a few that could change so in descending order:
1) I’d seriously question the Guevara selection. He seems to have had as much of a cold spell as anyone you mention previously with 4 of his 5 goals coming in only 2 games and only 4 assists total. Obviously in soccer it isnt all about the numbers, but Toronto’s offense has been pretty unimpressive lately. Both Colin Clark and Santino Quaranta are more deserving than Guevara. I know you are leaning to Tino, but its hard to ignore just how good Clark and Colorado have been lately (and his 3g 5a compare pretty favorably to Tino’s).
2) Alonso deserves the nod over both Joseph and Nagamura in my book. As for which he should replace, Joseph got forced out of position (actually playing up top) quite a bit and is clearly a better player than Nagmura so I’d say your best bet is a Joseph/Alonso pairing.
3) I dont really get the Namoff nod. He has been solid, and it is really hard to value defenders other than just by watching them. In that vein I completely agree with Hurtado and Cameron. However, Namoff hasn’t looked to be in their class and DC’s total team defense this year is pretty bad. I’d argue Shavar Thomas has looked better… but he isnt alone.
Honorable mention: Casey. he has had a pretty good season without a doubt. However, I am not even convinced he has had the best season of strikers on his team. 8 goals and 1 assist in 10 games is nice, but is it nicer than 5 and 6 in 12. I’m not sure.
3)
Insert Stuart Holden for Brad Davis or Nagamura.
“The lack of education for these fans is absurb…”
I must be ignorant because I have no idea wtf absurb means.
Montero for Casey
As a dc fan, I am neutral on the Goalkeeping issue. However, from what I have watched of both Seattle and Chicago via the Direct Kick package it seem to me that Keller is far more valuable to Seattle, than Thornton is to Chicago.
Stats are one thing but command presence is another. The difference in Seattle with Keller betweent he pipes is palpable even over TV. You just don’t get that from Thorton. I see a very, very good team in front of Thorton that has made is job relatively easy compared to Keller.
“i think Mr.Beckham will feel offended..”
I think Mr. Beckham can suck it and f*ck off back to Europe on the first plane out of LAX. He left the MLS for AC Milan and hasn’t played at all this season. Just being David Beckham doesn’t earn him a spot on the team as far as I’m concerned. It’s not like he was helping LA get a bunch of wins last season either.
Keller for Thornton. I will be at the game and that is who I would like to see. By the way, I am an RSL fan, not a Seattle fan.
Quaranta in for Guevara. He is on fire right now and deserves a spot on the team.
Why do people think Joseph is having a bad year- the REVS are 500…they are only near the bottom of the East because they have played 12 matches (16 points)–Seattle has played 12 and only has 22 points…if you took the REVS and simulated the 3 games they have in hand assuming there current 500 pace- they would have almost the same amount of points as the Sounders…
The lack of education for these fans is absurb…
look at the REV roster for the bulk of the year…
Alston- Rookie
Reis- injured off and on- not a stellar year
Barnes- not high draft pick- and a rookie
Tierney- one of the worst players to every wear an MLS uniform
Heaps- surprising having one of his best MLS campaigns
Igwe- young player
Osei- just came from Africa and is missing most of his brain
Thompson- an out of control player who should never still be in the league
Larentowitz- a glorified role player who gets way more created than he desreves
Ralston- A classy player- but who at this point in his career can not handle the demands of playing in the center of the field
Phelan- A Player TFC practically payed the REVS to remove from their roster
Nyassi- an inexperienced young player
Mansally- also a young inexperienced player- who for the most of the year was the laziest player ever- doing better as of late
Dube- a talented player who has yet to return to his rookie form
Twellmen- when he plays he has been good- I wonder if he will ever be healthy
then Shalrie- who has played ever position, leads the team in goals and points, none of which has come from penalty, and has had to try to pull his awful roster together and has a 500 record
look at seattle
Montero- Spanish clubs are chasing him
Jaqua- been in league for a long time, won MLS cup, and has played in Europe
Evans- won an MLS cup in Columbus
Ljunberg- DP player- played for Arsenal- I think that speaks for it self
Zakuani- the #1 overall pick
Hurtado- was on trial with AC Milan last year
Keller- A DP player who has played for the US and in the EPL
Le Toux- an ok player- but an experienced one being named a former USL MVP
Marshall- experienced- but overated player- that has won MLS cups
then an assortment of other players that would be consider an upgrade over many of the REVS
Then Alonso- a nice complementary role player- but to compare to Joseph is comical–
To say that Joseph is only getting picked because of his reputation is ludacris- THIS IS HIS BEST SEASON YET
And I fogot anothing thing… it’s not really fair to blame Conde for missing 2 games b/c he was fouled in the penalty area and hurt his shoulder (resulting in a converted PK that ended up in a fire win). Especially if you are not going to mark down Casey for missing tons of time due to Conf Cup. Casey hasn’t been on the field for MLS for a lot longer than Conde was out.
And Conde put in 180 minutes this week in 2 Fire Superlega wins. As usual, he dominated everyone.
I think it’s criminal that Conde isn’t on this list. I think he’s the best defender in the league.
Speaking of great defenders, Segares is the best left back in MLS. He deserves recognition but I don’t konw where he’d fit in your line up with 3 defenders as a LWB.
I’m obviously a Fire fan, but with the roster changing over this coming year, I have to tell you, I would rather lose any players on the team, including Blanco, Rolfe, Mapp and McBride, rather than lose those 2 guys.
Wilman Conde and Gonzalo Segares are the best at their positions in MLS. They both are good on the ball, can counterattack and do not panic.
Seems like a very formidable starting 11- I see nothing wrong with it.
Anybody who does not agree with Cameron starting must have been living under a rock for the past few months. He has been playing out of his mind and deserves that spot more than anyone else out there….well, maybe not Schelotto.
@ Bill, calm the F$$K down!! There is no need to call people names and please grow up. Using terms like retarded to make fun of someone is an elementary school level joke and is insensitive. I wouldn’t be surprised if elementary school was your highest level of education.
Furthermore, I gave respect to Joesph so re-read the post!
I did not knock him at all, you unintellegant mug!
Keep hiding behind your computer screen and don’t come out to Gillette Stadium because true DIE HARD Fans will be waiting !!