The goals were flowing in MLS this past week, with many multiple-goal scorers making their case for Best XI recognition and some not making the cut.
Landon Donovan's three goals and two assists helped carry the resurgent Los Angeles Galaxy; Alan Gordon had a hand in all four San Jose Earthquakes goals during wins over Colorado and Real Salt Lake; and Danny Koevermans and Will Bruin each scored three goals over the course of two games.
Defenders even got into the scoring mix, with Heath Pearce salvaging a point for the New York Red Bulls in a mid-week draw with Vancouver, and Brandon Barklage following that up with the first two goals of his career in a win over the Red Bulls' rival and his former club, D.C. United.
It was not just about the goal-scorers this past week, though. Carlos Valdes was dominant in the back to spearhead the Philadelphia Union's clean sheet against Sporting Kansas City, and Sean Johnson was stellar in the face of Columbus Crew pressure with his team down a man for more than an hour in the Chicago Fire's win Saturday night.
Here is SBI's MLS Best XI for Week 16:
SBI MLS Best XI: Week 16
———Will Bruin——-Danny Koevermans——-Alan Gordon——-
—-Mike Magee———–Patrice Bernier———Landon Donovan—-
–Todd Dunivant–Heath Pearce—Carlos Valdes–Brandon Barklage–
——————————–Sean Johnson——————————
HONORABLE MENTION — Matt Pickens, Justin Morrow, Jason Hernandez, David Horst, Ashtone Morgan, Felipe, Dax McCarty, Brad Davis, Chris Pontius, Marco Pappa, Chris Wondolowski, Jack McInerney
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What do you think of this week's selections? Is there anybody else that you think merited Best XI or honorable mention that didn't get the nod?
Share your thoughts below.
Agreed all around, Benny should have been in the HM at least. Fortunately, MLS has taken notice and he is in their team of the week.
I thought the same until I saw that the other guys all played very well over 2 games this week. Maybe if CP had another game he coulda notched some more goals…!
Pontius deserved better than honorable mention
Marco Pappa played possibly his finest game, attacking and defending all over the field. His laser from 25 yards with his RIGHT foot (the foot he uses only to get on and off the bus) caught everyone including the keeper by surprise. Later he just missed a full volley again with his right. And with the Fire down a man he possessed the ball, pressured like never before, and showed true leadership in critical times. My son and I were amazed by his performance.
I’d argue a bit anti-Revs. As a Revs fan and avid SBI reader (multiple times a day), I am often frustrated by the lack of coverage. There are many Saturdays where I see a story about every game in the league but one. Revs are the odd man out, every time. Even days when they don’t overlap with other games, so there’s no decision to be made about which game to cover, it’s still the Revs that are skipped.
The Revs are, admittedly, less potent than they’ve been in the past, but I don’t quite see how they are less newsworthy than Chivas, for example.
I’d have Smith in before Horst.
Hah. There he is.
Horst is on the list.
And I mean newsworthy in general. I know Benny had a good game this week, and I was a bit surprised not to see him at least HM.
Is it anti-Revs, or are the Revs just not particularly newsworthy? And I say this as a Revs fan who knows about Ives’ NY connection.
Not a single player from the Timbers even got an honorable mention?
Smith, Chara, Horst, and Futty all put in excellent shifts, as did Troy Perkins, one of the league’s most consistantly underrated keepers.
Pearce is a Red Bull and did a rec league stepover. You’re surprised he made Ives best eleven?
I think Jason Hernandez deserves to be on the best XI.
Johnson was good but no way was he better than Pickens.
hard to argue with goal-scoring defenders; but if there was ever an exception to be made, the quakes backline sure put in a good case.
wahhhhhh…
As an RSL fan – Hernandez was amazing.
heath pearce allows 2 goals against DC and makes the team over Jason Hernandez who had 2 goal line clearances against RSL???
I was also expecting Benny to appear.
Doesn’t surprise me, this site is notoriously anti-Revs.
I would suggest Diego Chara for honorable mention…and maybe even Ozzie Alonso despite the loss. Both of those guys were beasts in that game.
Obviously didn’t watch much of the Revs game. Benny Feilhaber was impressive.