By Kevin Koczwara
The MLS Season is coming to a close, which means it’s time to start sorting out annual end of the year awards. The biggest award, and often most misunderstood award, is the Most Valuable Player Award. The award tends to go to goalscorers with gaudy stats rather than player who may be more integral to his team’s success. Well, this year, two of my three picks are holding midfielders because Major League Soccer hasn’t had a real stand-out forward all year.
Benny Feilhaber 's time with the New England Revolution hasn't gotten off to the winning way he may hoped.
By Kevin Koczwara
Freddy Adu and Benny Feilhaber both found themselves looking at a return to the United States after their careers in Europe stagnated. Adu was surplus to requirements at Benfica after failing to make an impression either on loan or in camp with the team. Feilhaber wanted out of Denmark and nobody worth his time seemed interested. So, to Major League Soccer they went with hopes and dreams of rekindling their careers in the country they represent. But, they found themselves looking at two very different prospects when they crossed the Atlantic.
By Kevin Koczwara
Chivas USA and the Philadelphia Union both passed on signing U.S. Men’s National Team Midfielder Benny Feilhaber in the Allocation Draft because of his league maximum salary of $425,000. The salary cap implications of signing the midfielder were too great for the two teams with the top picks in the draft lottery, so the Brazilian-born American fell to the New England Revolution with the third pick in the draft. The Revs didn’t pass on the chance to see the 26-year-old fall from their grasp; the team drafted him and his league max salary, bolstering its midfield and allowing the team to even shop the player around if it wants.
Feilhaber signed with the MLS from Aarhus GF in Denmark’s Superliga. The MLS paid for his transfer fee from the Danish club. Feilhaber’s contract was due to expire in June of this year. He scored four goals in 18 matches this season for Aarhus GF.
Here are some quick thoughts on the signing of Feilhaber:
The New York Red Bulls are clear favorites to win the East. The rest of the conference is open with no clear second favorite. (Courtesy Major League Soccer)
By Ryan Fleming
The Major League Soccer season is swiftly approaching us and it’s that time of year where we have to put up with silly conferences and even a more absurd playoff format. But put those things behind and here comes another year with Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel and Nate Borchers (what’s funny? I’m serious).
The Colorado Rapids are the MLS Champs, but that doesn’t matter anymore. It’s a new season. Here’s the Eastern Conference preview.
1. New York Red Bulls. The most notable loss for the New York Red Bulls is the departure of Juan Pablo Angel to LA. From ‘07/’10 Angel bagged 58 goals, leading his team in scoring throughout his tenure. Despite the departure, NY does have some replacements, most notably Thierry Henry. The former Arsenal great came to the Red Bulls in July of ‘10, when manager Hans Backe was searching for a possible deadly partnership with Angel. Two other forward options for Backe will be United States Men’s National Team youngster Juan Agudelo and Corey Hertzog. With the creative Joel Lindpere linking up with the forwards from the midfield, combined with defenders Tim Ream and Rafa Marquez, NY looks to be a lock at the top of the East.
2 or 9. Toronto FC. The Reds went under a revamping of sorts in the offseason. The team brought in Aaron Winter and former Ajax assistant manager Bob de Klerk. Just last week they imported three Dutch players to provide Winter with some assistance in deploying the old Ajax system of “total football” up in Canada. For me, the Reds boast a team that could do anything. They could totally flop or, end up near the top of the conference. In a football-crazed town like Toronto, losing is no longer an option. Quick reason for concern, Winter spent a lot of time with trialists and didn’t find any real replacements with the departures of O’Brian White, Joseph Nane, Maxim Usanov, Amadou Sanyang, Chad Barrett, Raivis Hscanovics, Martin Saric and Nick Garcia.
Kevin Alston's (right) long throw-ins came in handy against Seattle. In the second half his throw-in was flicked on by Shalrie Joseph to Chris Tierney who headed the ball into the net to tie the game. Courtesy Revolutionsoccer.net
By Kevin Koczwara
Major League Soccer doesn’t just crown a champion at the end of the season if the team is at the top of the MLS standings. No, the regular season allows teams to qualify for the MLS cup playoffs. Teams have to finish in the top half of the league to qualify for the end of the season tournament in the hopes of being crowned kings of American soccer.
Currently, the New England Revolution are on the outside looking in at the playoff crowd in 12th position with eight games left to play. Of the eight games remaining on the Revolution’s schedule, three are at home and five are away.
The Revs have a horrid away record this season, and they will need to improve on it quickly if they want to make any sort of push toward a playoff spot. The Revolution is 1-8-1 on the road this season, the one win was a 2-0 victory over last place D.C. United in the second game of the year back on April 3.
Carlos Queiroz has had a disappointing spell as Portugal's manager and the latest headlines surrounding him aren't promising. Courtesy RTPPT
The Guardian — Torquay raise ambitions after quickly completing tough turnaround — By John Ashdown
The last few years have been a long journey for Torquay. The West Country club was relegated to the Conference division and out of the Football leagues three years ago. The Gulls won promotion to League Two last season with a relatively inexperienced squad. Now, Torquay is on top of League Two and the only team in England to win its first four games in league play in any division. After all of the difficulties the club and its fans have endured over the last few years, the change and ascension of the club is remarkable.
MLSscoccer.com — For Union, friendlies part of learning process — by Shane Evans
MLS expansion team the Philadelphia Union took on 11-time Mexican champions Chivas de Guadalajara in an exhibition match yesterday. The Union scheduled the difficult exhibition match as another stepping stone for the club, a building block that manager Peter Nowak and the young squad can work with. Philadelphia won the match, 1-0, but they were far from in control of the game and have plenty of things to take away from Chivas.
Chris Tierney filled in at the right back position after Cory Gibbs was sent off in the first. Tierney and the Revs tried to hold onto their 1-0 lead but were unable too keep the Union at bay.
By Kevin Koczwara
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It took some late heroics from Justin Mapp and the Philadelphia Union to beat a shorthanded New England Revolution, 2-1, at Gillette Stadium.
The Union scored two goals in the last 10 minutes to take the lead and the win away from a Revolution side that played 50 plus minutes with 10 men after Cory Gibbs was sent off in the 40th minute. The loss is the third in a row for the Revolution and the team’s first since the Chicago Fire beat the Revs on June 26.
The Revs (6-12-3, 21 pts.)opened the scoring in the 31st minute when a Marko Perovic corner found Shalrie Joseph roaming at the back post unmarked. Joseph’s attempt on net was blocked, but the Revolution captain was able to push a pass to Ilija Stolica a few feet from goal. The Serbian forward quickly turned and sent a shot across the goal to the back post, beating Union goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
New England Revolution defender Darrius Barnes heads a ball against the Chicago Fire last week. The Revs fell to the Fire, 2-1, to end an eight-game unbeaten streak. (Photo Courtesy Getty Images/RevolutionSoccer.net)
By Kevin Koczwara
The last time the New England Revolution lost a game in any competition was an embarrassing 5-0 defeat to Real Salt Lake on July 2, just before the Major League Soccer All-Star break, at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City.
But, like most good things, the Revs’ winning streak had to come to an end at some point.
The Revolution lost two games in the past week as it made a road trip through Chicago and Kansas City.
The Revs lost a tough game on Wednesday to the Chicago Fire, 2-1. The game could have gone either way as both teams tenaciously battled for the much desired three points. If the Revolution had earned the desired result, it would have leapt over the Fire and into fourth place in the Eastern Conference and made up some ground in the Wild Card race for the MLS Playoffs.
What made the loss to the Fire so difficult was the way the Revolution lost the match. It took an 85th minute goal from a virtually unknown forward to seal the match for Chicago and a series of missed calls from the referee to keep the Revs out of the Fire’s net.
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Kenny Mansally against the Philadelphia Union. Courtesy Revolutionsoccer.net
By Ryan Fleming
What does a five-game unbeaten streak spell out for the New England Revolution? Things are looking up.
The Revs latest game, an entertaining 1-1 tie to Philadelphia at PPL Park just showed how much this team has improved over the last month. On the road coming back from a goal down against a tough Union team isn’t an easy task. The Revolution deserve their kudos.
Sure, the goal was lucky – a free kick goal by Marko Perovic that took a bad bounce past Union keeper Chris Seitz. But for now, things are going New England’s way. The Revs are in the midst of climbing their way out of the Eastern Conference cellar, currently in seventh place with Philadelphia, both having 15 points.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has made sure Landon Donovan has not been allowed to move to one of Europe's top leagues because of Donovan's importance to MLS and its success. Courtesy Jose Argueta - MLS Soccer
By Joe Meloni
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber made it clear this week that Los Angeles Galaxy captain Landon Donovan will play for the MLS side this season. Given the current popularity of Donovan and the Beautiful Game in the United States, Garber’s refusal is the right decision for the league and the game.
When European clubs came calling about Donovan in the past, Garber’s outright refusal to let the league’s talisman walk, bordered on selfish. His latest decision, while still selfish, just isn’t as important as the first few. Donovan’s performance in the World Cup was inspired, and, paired with successful loan spell with Premiership side Everton this year, silenced most of his primary critics around the world. Still, at 28, Donovan is quickly approaching his final few years of relevance. And by the time the next World Cup rolls around, he’ll likely be a shadow of his current self.
