By CALEB SONNELAND
The addition of six more top MLS players has completed the full squad of All-Stars for 2011.
The All-Stars take on EPL champions Manchester United on Wednesday, 8:30pm ET, but they will have to do it without these six top players from around the MLS.
The inactive players were voted onto the team by other players in the league, but who are they exactly? Find out after the jump.
– Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders) – Alonso has been at the heart of the Seattle midfield all season and has recently formed a nifty habit of popping up on the score sheet from time to time. One of the best ball winners in the league, Alonso has been key to the Sounders' success this season.
– Dwayne De Rosario (DC United) – Always part of the All-Star discussion, it just wouldn't feel right if the marauding midfielder weren't included in the squad in some way. Despite swapping New York for Washington DC halfway through the season, the Canadian has already found the score-sheet with DC against none other than New York itself.
РEric Hassli (Vancouver Whitecaps) РHis wonder goal against the Sounders is the crown jewel on the Frenchman's All-Star resum̩, but his goal-scoring record has been constant in his first full year in the MLS. He was under fire in the beginning of the year for his antics on the field, but the striker has weathered the storm and earned himself an All-Star nod.
– Juninho (LA Galaxy) – The engine room of the LA Galaxy. Juninho is one of the most consistent players in the league and rarely puts a pass wrong when he steps onto the field. The Brazilian has notched three goals this season (his second in the MLS) and has been instrumental in the Galaxy's journey to the top of the West.
– Joel Lindpere (New York Red Bulls) – With 5 goals and 5 assists already, Lindpere's exclusion initially had a lot of people scratching their heads. The Estonian has been a threat for opposing defenses all season long, and the players apparently agree after voting him into the All-Star squad.
– Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) – Rimando has been a rock at RSL for years, and this year is no different as the goalkeeper can currently boast a goals against average of .71, second best in the league. Salt Lake is renowned for being a tough team to beat, and Rimando is a big reason why.
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What do you think of the six inactive All-Stars? Were they all deserving of their place? Who else should have been included? How much different would the Manchester United friendly be with them involved?
Share your thoughts below
euro-trollin
All Star Games are another stupid USA perversion of the game. Period. So are play offs.
Agreed it should be East vs. West
Cannot stand watching ManUre
In time….The league is still very young. We’ll probably see East Vs West when there are more teams to pick from. Homefield advantage for the Cup would be a nice thing to play for.
Maybe there should be two All Star games? East All Stars vs a top flight foreign club … and West All Stars vs a different top flight foreign club.
Did you subvocalize a faux-British accent when you typed your comment?
Hard to argue against any of the six players chosen, but Jimminie Crickets, what does Carlos Valdes have to do to get on the All-Star team????
@$E#$ Brain fart, next to last sentence should have Galaxy and Union.
I think fans do a pretty poor job of selecting defenders in general. You never notice great defending since no one scores on it or gets much in the way of good chances. Fans tend to remember either goals scored by defenders, some runs up the touch or spectacular last-second blocks. This does not reward guys who snuff out attacks early or mark consistently so that attackers can’t get free. Ream, for example, made it simply because there is so much talk about his passing, but he is still young and naieve so gets taken advantage of too often.
Rio Ferdinand probably would not win the fan vote (if he had a different name and played in MLS.
Finally, if the Red Bull had a decent back line, the coach should select it so he could have an organized defense, since it does not, he should have picked the back 4 from the Crew or Chicago who have the lowest goals against in the league and at least can play together defensively. (Did any of the back line starters from either of those teams get picked by anyone?)
what part of, the PLAYERS voting did you not get? is it anyone’s fault the players didn’t pick anyone from FC Dallas? As i recall isn’t Brek Shea on the squad? so whats the bitching?
Agreed. Should be East v West at least.
Agreed. Dallas has a strong backline, one they’ll ride all the way back to the MLS Cup this year. Although not known now, give it 2 seasons and John will get his due (including a call-up to the MNT and probably some looks from some teams in Europe).
Lindpere with a stiff arm to the gut…must be excited about the NFL season…
He could have been an inactive player though. It’s sad one of the top teams only got one player in, while teams like Houston manage to get 4 guys in, despite having a pretty poor season. I am not picking on Houston, just commenting selections are a bit odd
relax, dude
He should have gotten a call, but Champions League is more important right now anyway…
FCD gets stiffed again
It’s completely absured that George John is not an All star but whatever, dallas has the best back line in MLS even if it gets no all star love
I can’t argue the addition of these snubs, you can’t take everybody. Other guys that deserve mention are Montero, Rochat, Hesmer, John, Borchers, Marshall, and Chavez. Montero has the offensive flair you want to see in a game like this.
This is the ultimate friendly…a shame Landon, Omar, Zakuani, Ferreira, and Morales aren’t there though
True, but how many GK’s do you need? It just happens to be an American area of strength.
+1
Then stop reading about or commenting on it genius. I don’t like cricket but I don’t go on cricket sites to say how much it sucks…
Shut the fook up biacth. MLS is good!
I agree go EPL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The MLS is trash
Players are always going to get snubbed when it comes to picking only the 19 best of the league. Also i agree the depth of the MLS is growing, slowly bbut its still happening.
good group of players, and good for them to get that recognition and respect from other players. agree with those who would like to see that group play in the game, feasible or not
the discussions on players getting snubbed, which make sense to me, reveal to me a growing depth in the league, too
+1
Hesmer and Marshall should have been locks. Miranda and Gaven are up there, as well.
Even someone like Ives picks Kevin Hartman over Hesmer?!? He fumbles routine balls, Graham Zusi chips him from 40 yards. Hesmer hasn’t made messes like that all year. What a joke.
I’d take Alonso over everyone on the squad.
I know right, who are the stupid people who didn’t vote him in….oh yeah that’s right, it was the fans and players.
1) Backe is coaching because the ASG is at RedBull Arena and its convenient.
2) The CBA stipulates 32 all-stars be named but that’s clearly too many players for one game. Even if these guys don’t get to play they still get a nice bonus and some recognition.
3) If you were a knowledgeable Sounder’s fan and not just a “correct” one (whatever that means) you would why it’s extremely unrealistic for Alonso to play let alone start in the ASG.
no its a SHAME that he, along with Borchers, didnt make it
Its a JOKE that John didnt make it
George John was robbed.
It would be one of the first times all season RBA has actually been full. We’ll see what happens Wednesday though.
I actually find the ASG more compelling than most if not all of these friendlies. If this was the only friendly and they treated it properly — full week off from league games, no CCL games, etc — it would be a nice little celebration for the league.
Meh, I agree from a soccer standpoint, but it reliably fills a stadium and is another ESPN game. Unfortunately, Major League Soccer ain’t at a point where either that revenue or that exposure is a waste of time.
Alonso wasn’t selected earlier because of travel demands imposed by CCL.
Still don’t care about the All-Star game. Waste of time.
chad marshall isn’t a name? Two time defender of the year, it’s a joke he didn’t make it
I don’t get the All-Star selection process.
So Backe, who everyone says has a superstar lineup and has his team in 8th place, coaches and selects the All-Star team ?
Am I correct and if so why ?
These guys are inactive ?
Why ?
Alonso should be starting, not inactive.
Full disclosure, I am a Sounder’s fan, but a correct Sounder’s fan. If they want to win, Alonso should be starting.
you guys just dont have the names… just points… could always put wittle wobbie wodgers on it
I’m glad Rimando got the players vote. It still amazes me that Hartman isn’t on the squad.
Labrocca has been seriously impressive this year.
I would’ve taken Alonso, Juninho, or Lindpere over Ashe and Beckerman in a heartbeat though.
I know i’m a homer but seriously, not a singe crew player out of, What are we up to now, 75 all star selections?
I wish these dudes were starting. I’d take Lindpere and Alonso over Ashe, Labrocca, and Beckerman.