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The 2010 MLS All-Star Game selections have been made, and as is the case every year, there are several deserving players who were left out.
This year we have one team that was left out in Seattle because the Sounders are playing a Champions League match the same day as the All-Star Game, so it's tough to call players such as Kasey Keller and Steve Zakuani snubs.
There are enough true snubs to go around, such as Real Salt Lake's Alvaro Saborio, and San Jose's Bobby Convey. While injuries could lead to the inclusion of some players who are now snubs, we felt it was right to give credit to those players we thought played well enough to be on the MLS All-Star Team.
Here are our picks for the 2010 MLS All-Snub All-Star Team:
2010 MLS All-Snub All-Star Team
————-Chris Wondolowski——Alvaro Saborio————-
Brek Shea———————————————–Andy Najar
—————-Joel Lindpere——Michael Stephens————-
Bobby Convey—-Tim Ream—–Adrian Cann—–Sean Franklin
—————————–Wil Hesmer—————————–
BENCH– Jimmy Nielsen, Nat Borchers, Brian Carroll, Will Johnson, Patrick Nyarko, Eddie Gaven, Kei Kamara, Justin Braun.
I'm sure there are players I am forgetting, but this is the squad I'll include now.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this team, and who else you think should be on it, in the comments section below.
A “snub” is someone who deserved to make the All-Star team but didn’t. Are you really saying all of these guys deserved to make the All-Star team? Nice idea but incorrect title.
Stefan Frei is far more deserving than either Hesmer or Nielsen. Also Nana Attakora is a serious omission IMO
I don’t think any Seattle players deserve it anyway. Convenient conflict 😉
That is ridiculous. You are picking out one example out of all those names Ives mentioned. I will do the same.
Saborio has beeen awesome this season and warrants an All-Star selection. It is a total snub or whatever else you want to call it. He is not “a level of play below”, he has been just as good and just as deserving.
Montero is the talent I would like to see with the All-Star Midfielders…One of the best in the league without a doubt
Before people just automatically assume that Najar goes with Honduras, remember, the Honduran FA has a history of badly screwing up things. They had an Olympic team with Suazo, et. al. at the airport waiting to find out if they were going to compete. They kick team captains off the NT “for life” and then invite them back. They renege on bonuses for WC qualifying matches.
Are you kidding? Stefan Frei, Adrian Cann and Nana Attakora. THe core of TFC’s defence, and the Philly loss was the first in 11 games.
hahahaha, read the fine print man …
no Daniel Hernandez?
no george john?
Najar is not at the All Star level quite yet but I think next year he takes the league by storm and then the Euro clubs will come knocking for him. The bigger question is what USMNT coach will be the one to try to convince him and his family to align themselves with the stars and stripes instead of Honduras.
Saborio’s putting up DP numbers. 7 goals, 3 assists, and that without starting every game.
It would be great to see the 2010 all-stars listed by position / depth chart.
My gut says that Lindpere should have been invited to be a member of the all-star team, with Beckerman ruled out due to his injury, but it is hard to argue with a starting midfield of DeRosario, Schelotto, Donovan and Joseph. I also feel that Tim Ream should have probably been a defensive option off the bench of the All-Star team.
1. I suspect that a team as bad as DC United was not going to get more than one player at best. Moreno made the team over Najar. I really don’t think it was about trying to hide Najar–he’s under a contract, it doesn’t end soon and DCU and the league would get a nice transfer fee for someone developed through the team academy–that’s a real win for the league–just think of how attractive it makes academies. Teams would think “we can make money off this things” and good promising players would think “I can stay home, don’t have to turn pro, have college as a fallback, could go with MLS but still get enough visibility to get bought by a big Euro team if I’m as good as I think I am.” Nah, Moreno was about awarding someone who’s been here since year one, is the league’s alltime scorer, has been a marque player for much of his time and unlike guys like Ruiz or Mattheus, is well-liked and respected and a good guy.
2. Agreed that Lindpere has had several weak games. But that just goes to show how critical he’s been to this team. Lindpere, more than any other addition, is the biggest personnel change for this team in terms of impact. Lindpere should be an all-star.
3. Brian Carroll is always under-valued. Not flashy, not physical, doesn’t do a lot with the ball. Just smart, hard-working, disciplined, makes his teammates better and when he’s on his game his teams always win.
Ike Opara! 🙂
Saborio (instead of Ching?) should be on that MLS squad.
Agreed. Attakora has certainly been better than Cann, so should be on this list at the least.
Frei has been the best keeper in MLS this year bar none.
20 goals allowed, that is how. Sorry but I can think of 4 better keepers. Hell I would rather see Bouna on their.
I was going to comment on this; I sincerely think Najar was left off the squad in order to ward off discovery by big European clubs. If there is any platform for a young emerging MLS star to attract foreign attention, it’s this game.
It’s a shame, because I bet he would impress, but I feel that, IF we all agree that he is good enough to make the team, the league did this on purpose just to keep him around longer.
Smart but sad, I say.
if you are going to split hairs, Wondo didn’t start at the beginning of the season either…
Marvel Wynne has been dominant in his resurgent role for the Rapids. I’d have to give it to him.
Berhalter has been a rock! I’d rate him higher than Omar in fact…He most certainly should be on the ‘all Snub’ list
A. Moreno’s last season so a fair well.
B. Protecting Najar from being found by Sir Alex.
Ives, the players you listed might be among the best not named to the All-Star team, but that doesn’t make them All-Stars.
As just one example, Tim Ream. A nice young player with outstanding potential. But no All-Star would make the kind of blunders he has made this season.
Brek Shea? Joel Lindpere? When fans talk about “All-Stars” I don’t think this is the level of player they have in mind. It seems you had a concept for a blog item and tried to fit the names into it, but it just didn’t work. These aren’t “snubs,” they are simply the next level of player below All-Stars who won’t be going to Houston.
Zakuani and Attakora should have made it.
Agreed
Call me a Philly homer, but I’d put Mwanga on the team before Wondolowski. Their numbers are almost the same (Wondo has one more goal, Mwanga has one more assist), but that comes despite Mwanga not starting the beginning of the season and having to play back in midfield in recent games due to injuries.
I’m not knocking Najar, either–he’s a promising young player and shows a lot of promise, and he’s been important to DC’s season. But Mwanga is just as promising, just as important to his team, and has the numbers to back it up, which Najar doesn’t yet. If you give him a spot, you have to put Mwanga on the bench, at least.
Justin Braun, last weeks MLS play of the Week. LOL!
No one from the Rapids D is in the game or on the “Snub All Stars”…somethings wrong with that.
Nyarko is recovering from concussion symptoms.
that’s true — the red bulls are their weakest (and there have been several weak games) when lindpere disappears in the midfield.
Najar was one of those players where his bottom line skill didn’t really equate into deserving an All Star selection but he has been a magnificent and exciting player this season who would have made the match ultimately more exciting.
wow, you are really sweating andy najar today. Its a bit much. Like I said, I think he is an impressive kid but lets take it easy with the accolades and hyperbole. He did absolutely nothing last Saturday night versus the RB. I sat there on his side in the second half and he was completely anonymous. In fact, he wouldve been completely invisible were it not for Moreno’s introduction at half (not unlike last night). Moreno is still one of the most inventive and game changing players in MLS and he deserves it. He makes everyone around him better.
Speaks to the Depth of MLS now that, in essence, our 3rd Team best 11 is still pretty darn good.
I hadn’t noticed…that is surprising! He, along with roughly half the forwards in MLS, would be a better selection than Moreno. What was Garber thinking?!
Oh, snap!
🙂
are you that dumb?
Interesting to see that while Bob Bradley thought he had to have Findley starting for the US in the world Cup, he’s neither an all star nor a snub ….
Lindpere definitely should be on the All-star squad. He is a huge part of the NYRB resurgence. Ream is 50/50 in my opinion. He’s had an up a down season thus far but will certainly be there in the future if he continues with his progress.
Check that… they can’t even make the snub bench. LOL!
I love the fact that the Sounders can’t even make the snub list.
Franklin has been solid, but so has Dunivant for LA. In fact, just put the whole LA backline on the All-Star team. They all deserve it.
Todd Dunivant?
That is a pretty good MLS squad.
Marko Perovic, was inconsistent for a stretch in May but lately has been the Revolution’s best player
Don’t players get a bonus for being named to the roster though? So despite not being able to play, someone in Zakuani’s position could feel the snub.
(SBI-There’s a larger roster that is named for roster bonus purposes, so I’d bet any Seattle players who were going to make the team would be on that list, and would therefore get bonuses.)
How is Nielson not on the roster? He is the single reason for any points the Wizards have this season.