By IVES GALARCEP
The second week of the MLS season saw several forwards step up and carry their teams to positive results. Too many, in fact, to fit into the latest SBI MLS Best XI.
Most weeks, players such as Blas Perez and Fernando Aristeguieta would have an easy place on the SBI MLS Best XI, but not in a week when the trio of David Villa, Chris Wondolowski and Fanendo Adi put forth such outstanding showings.
The San Jose Earthquakes and New York City FC led the way this week, with three players making the Best XI for each team. SBI MLS Player of the Week Chris Wondolowski and goalkeeper David Bingham led the way for San Jose, while Villa and midfielder Ned Grabavoy starred for NYCFC.
Here are this week’s selections for the SBI MLS Best XI:
SBI MLS Best XI (Week 2)
HONORABLE MENTION
Bobby Shutleworth, Michael Parkhurst, Alvas Powell, Jamison Olave, Pa Modou Kah, Rafael Ramos, Brek Shea, Hernan Grana, Mix Diskerud, Kekuta Manneh, Mohammed Saeid, Darlington Nagbe, Darwin Ceren, Blas Perez, Fernando Aristeguieta, Innocent Emeghara
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What do you think of this week’s selections? Who would you have included that didn’t make the cut? Who are you happy to see on the team?
Share your thoughts below.
If any goalie had a better game than Shuttleworth, sign him up for the Nats
My team would have looked a lot different.
Dallas is Two and oh.
Zero players on the first team so far.
I don’t think that many pundits watch FCD play, honestly. They get caught up in all of the hype just as much as the fans do. It’s not fair and doesn’t give a true reflection of what is actually happening in the league, but it’s just how the media world works.
Its also notable that FCD’s narrative is kind of different from what pundits have expected or wanted to see happen. They expect to see Mauro Diaz dazzle, but don’t see much of him because he is struggling to find his place on the field and is not completing passes into the final third. The team is winning because its veteran defense led by Zach Lloyd and Matt Hedges is just ridiculous at times, because Blas Perez has been clinical, and because Fabian Castillo is a danger who can strike at any time. Another unexpected factor is that rookie Ryan Hollingshead is a creator who can make things happen.
Lloyd has been outstanding. He plays well from box-to-box and is just a stand-out player right now. Cherundolo-like.
FCD looks like a fantastic team.
Who in their right mind would watch a Fire game?
#Hauptmanout
Ives, did you watch the same Vancouver-Chicago game I did? I didn’t think Kah was very good, and certainly not worthy of honourable mention. Manneh was exciting but had no finish. Rivero, on the other hand, was good on offence and effective defensively. He was clearly the ‘Caps best player (other than perhaps Ousted) and more worthy of inclusion than either Kah or Manneh.