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Dominic Kinnear is used to having loaded rosters to choose from when making out his starting lineups for the Houston Dynamo, but the task he'll have as MLS All-Star head coach will be a little bit tougher.
Kinnear has five selections to make of players he can add to the MLS All-Star Team. He has to start with the MLS First XI and then pick players to help him make an actual starting lineup that works effectively. This means that he will need to figure out who among Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Freddy Ljungberg stays on the bench in place of a defensive midfield option, while also figuring out what fullback to bring in to fashion a four-man back-line out of his crop of defenders.
So who will Kinnear pick for the team? Will he go the Steve Nicol route and avoid taking his own players while also going with the best talents as opposed to with players having the best seasons?
Here is the group of five players Kinnear should add to the team:
Pat Onstad. The 41-year-old Canadian is enjoying another stellar season and is deserving, but Kinnear may choose to give him a rest. If so, look for Zach Thornton or Donovan Ricketts to get the call.
Brian Namoff. With Wilman Conde more than capable of playing left back, Kinnear can run a 4-4-2 if he selects a solid right back, and no right back has been steadier this season than Namoff. The leader of the D.C. defense gets the call ahead of Tim Ward. If we're talking selections based on talent then you could see Frankie Hejduk taken, or perhaps Gonzalo Segares as a left back.
Osvaldo Alonso. One of the better and more underrated stories of the season is the rapid rise of Alonso, who has gone from Cuban exile to potential MLS All-Star in the span of two years. He has been the rock in the heart of the Seattle Sounders squad, providing defensive grit on an otherwise flashy team. Kinnear could be tempted to go with the home-town pick in Kyle Beckerman, or his own player, Ricardo Clark, while Paulo Nagamura is also deserving.
Brad Davis. Dwayne DeRosario's inability to play in the match took away a potential left-sided option for Kinnear. Who better to patrol the wing than Davis, the MLS assist leader. Colorado's Colin Clark could get the call if Kinnear leaves his own players home. Santino Quaranta also makes lots of sense but I see him being one of Don Garber's two commissioner's picks (at least he should be).
Fredy Montero. Probably deserving of being a starter, Montero is on form right now and easily one of the league's most dangerous players. He could start ahead of Conor Casey, or come off the bench to provide a spark. Kinnear could be tempted to call in the talented Juan Pablo Angel, but he's enduring a bad year, while Kenny Cooper could also be an option.
If Kinnear selected this group, this could be the MLS All-Star starting lineup:
——————————Conor Casey——————————
Brad Davis——————GB Schelotto————-Landon Donovan
——————Shalrie Joseph—–Osvaldo Alonso——————
Wilman Conde—Chad Marshall—Geoff Cameron—Brian Namoff
——————————–Kasey Keller—————————–
Yes, this starting lineup is without both Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Freddie Ljungberg, but will anybody really mind if the old-timers come on as subs? Of the two, I'd see Ljungberg getting a start in place of Brad Davis, with Donovan swapping to the left flank.
Now, if Don Garber selects David Beckham, and Kinnear starts Beckham, we would likely see this lineup:
——————————Conor Casey——————————
Landon Donovan———-GB Schelotto————-David Beckham
——————Shalrie Joseph—–Osvaldo Alonso——————
Wilman Conde—Chad Marshall—Geoff Cameron—Brian Namoff
——————————–Kasey Keller—————————–
What do you think of this group? Who would your first five reserve players if you were the head coach?
Share your thoughts below.
wells thompson.
enough said.
In 2006, Peter Nowak beat Chelsea using only centerbacks in a 3-man back line. IIRC, Conrad, Boswell and Erpen started, and later Eddie Robinson was subbed in.
@Graeme
ya..McBride!
Ives, you realize there are currently only 3 defenders on the roster, and all are CB’s.
Dumbass Don added two midfielders (like there needed to be another CAM on the roster, and Morales has been poor for half the year).
At minimum, there has to be two outside backs, and I’d go for three, pick from: Segares, Hejduk, Wynne, Bornstein.
————-Casey—————————-
———————Schelotto—————-
Donovan——Joseph—–Alonso——–Beckham
Segares——Conde——Marshall——Cameron
—————-Keller———————–
People ripping on Casey have not watched the Rapids this year. He wins about 75% of the 50/50 balls played toward him, can go at defenders in certain situations and has 8 goals while having not scored since May because of USMNT call up.
Charles, Casey will start ahead of Cooper because Cooper will not be there.
If we start a 4-5-1 with Conor Casey as the lone striker I will probably cry a little.
I like your picks. Beckham would be a horrible choice from either Kinnear or the Commish.
OMAR GONZALEZ. He’s Sean Franklin 2.0.
The way he, and also honorable mention AJ De La Garza(though not All-Star Yet), have manhandled opposition (esp. in the last few games) has been imprevise. Not for naught has Galaxy gone +270 mins without conceding a goal.
I know its the AllStar game but who are they playing? I really wish for the past years when MLS would just have an East and West game. Those were always fun. These are getting lame.
Uh… Brian McBride anyone?
ha what has Kenny Cooper done this year…nothing ha the guy does not deserve to be in this game
you can bet your first born that Beckham will be “the comissioner’s pick”
Namoff hasn’t played right back but a couple of times this year. DC is playing a 3 man backline most games. Still, I agree with all five of your picks.
Beckham shouldn’t be there.
montero, hurtado, alonso(wow sounder players are good), brad evans and ricketts
Conor Casey over Kenny Cooper? ABSOLUTELY 🙂
AND Colin Clark…Hmmmm
NY, Toronto and DC players are out as they all have Champs League games the day before or day of.
Conor Casey over Kenny Cooper?
LMFAO!
Namoff and Davis but not Quaranta?! Snubtastic!
Even though I am a Galaxy Club seat holder, no way David Beckham deserves to see the field, the bench, or a PR appearance at this game.
Knowing Dom, I think its a safe bet that you can throw the 4-5-1 out the window. GBS and Joseph will be the only ones in the center.
Two already announced from RSL? Surely that is not Garber’s picks? Dom’s not suppose to announce until Monday right? Not sure when Garber is suppose to make his. I would think before Dom has to round out the field.
As Lee said, Beckerman and Morales are in.
Fun fact: Youngest player to reach 200 appearances in MLS?
Oh yeah, it’s Kyle Beckerman, who has 207 appearances (187 starts).
One of the most underrated players this league has seen.
David Beckham and Macoumba Kandji
Good grief people, quit asking about players from DC United. They are playing in the CCL. The won’t be able to play.
he won’t pick anyone from seattle
We have received word from League sources that RSL midfielders Javier Morales and Kyle Beckerman will be named to the MLS All-Star team that will face Everton FC right here at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday, July 29th.
For the love of God, please play a 4-4-2. We aren’t trying to win a Confederations Cup Group game against Italy or Brazil.
No love for the man in the head band?
Where is Santino Quaranta or chris pontius ???
salt lake tribune are reporting kyle beckerman and javier morales have been selected by Dom……don’t really think that morales should get a nod over clint mathis. But we are hosting so we should atlesat represent with someone
IVES, what about a RSL player, it is being hosted by RSL… what about a Beckerman, Morales or Movsisyan… movsisyan is good enough that he is heading overseas next year and beckerman has been great for the US in gold cup. or are you leaving that up for Garber?
Scott Palguta
No Ricardo Clark?? funny how you were talking about putting a d mid in and didn’t mention him.
Donovan Ricketts has to be before Thornton and Onstad. They both have good defenders in front of them while Ricketts has two rookies, a washed up Berhalter and an Eddie Lewis/Dunivant Combo!
Posted by: Turd Meuller | July 15, 2009 at 04:26 PM
————-
Donovan Ricketts is the best GK in MLS, seeing how he’s keeping a mediocre LA team in the playoffs, and was a big improvement from Steve “Let It Through” Cronin…
Granted, my cat is probably a step up from Cronin, but you get my point.
IVES! Get off the Thornton bandwagon! This isn’t 2002! Thornton is mediocre at best, maybe a Coundoul type (so who knows, RBNY might make a run for him).
david beckham and danny szetela
Donovan Ricketts has to be before Thornton and Onstad. They both have good defenders in front of them while Ricketts has two rookies, a washed up Berhalter and an Eddie Lewis/Dunivant Combo!
I don’t recall how this works. Do all of the ‘subs’ eventually see the field in the All-Star Game or is there a limit?
Namoff and DC have a CONCACAF Champions League game the day before the All-Star matchup
Thornton, Namoff, Alonso or Beckerman, Davis, and Montero all make sense to me. Leave Beckham and JPA? to Garber.