19Mar/120
Major League Soccer Power Rankings: Real Salt Lake on Top
Major League Soccer has kicked off its season. Two weeks of games have come and gone, so it's time to start the early ranking period and put teams in their places. Players have settled in and teams have set the foundations of their rosters, and not too much has changed from last year.1.Real Salt Lake (2-0-0, 6 pts.) The Royals are plugging away again. Jason Kreis has the deepest team in all of Major League Soccer.2.Sporting Kansas City (2-0-0, 6 pts.) Kansas City got a break against New England on Saturday, but there was never any doubt Sporting was going to score. Kansas City may run away with the Eastern Conference if it keeps playing this way.3.Seattle Sounders (1-0-0, 3 pts.) The Sounders may have only played one game so far, but in their 3-1 win over Toronto, they looked rejuvenated and ready to play after being embarrassed in Mexico. 4. Colorado Rapids (2-0-0, 6 pts.) Colorado showed it can hold a lead against a very attack-minded Union side. The Rapids don't have a secret recipe for success, they just play their rough and tumble games and earn points.5. Vancouver Whitecaps (2-0-0, 6 pts.) With its first away win in its short history, Martin ...19Mar/120
MLS Weekend Review: 6 Underperforming Players
As we recuperate from all the St. Patty’s Day festivities and try to puzzle together the weekend’s events from our hazy memory, let us look back at week two of the Major League Soccer season. There have been great highlights and player of the week performances, but today I would rather break down six players who I thought did not perform to the standards expected by their team and fans.Begin Slideshow19Mar/120
MLS Week 2: 10 Things We Learned
There was a full slate of Major League Soccer games this weekend, with a host of teams (including Sporting KC, the Colorado Rapids, the Houston Dynamo, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Real Salt Lake) off to perfect starts with six points from two games. Here are 10 things we learned from this weekend’s action.Begin Slideshow19Mar/120
Exclusive: Football Writer Andy Mitten Talks Barcelona, Man Utd and U.S. Soccer
Editor of “United We Stand," one of the most respected independent football fanzines in the UK, Andy Mitten is a man who needs little introduction to any savvy football aficionado. He requires even less to any knowledgeable Manchester United fan. Having established the fanzine back in 1989, at the tender age of 15, Andy himself has gone on to become an eminent football journalist globally, regularly featured in publications such as Four Four Two and outlets including Eurosport. Furthermore, he has penned a number of critically-acclaimed football books and is arguably the most distinguished and prolific author of MUFC-related books. Yet, despite these professional achievements, he is perhaps most revered amongst the MUFC faithful for creating the folkloric Nicky Butt number, to the tune of "Give It Up" by K.C. and The Sunshine Band. Andy is indeed an authentic piece of Mancunia, a lifelong red born and raised a Schmeichel throw away from the Stretford End. He has endured the barren spells, far removed from the hegemony enjoyed by the club over recent times. Though he didn’t really have much of a say in the matter. MUFC is in his blood, literally, as his great uncle, Charlie Mitten, was a ...19Mar/120
2012 MLS Power Rankings: Week 2
And so, another week in the knock-down, drag-out world of Major League Soccer has come to an end. And once again, the Western Conference flexes its muscles, schooling its counterparts from the East...with the notable exception of the Houston Dynamo (who are really a Western Conference team posing as one from the East).Real Salt Lake rules the roost once more in this week's MLS power rankings, but what about the other teams? Let's find out.Begin Slideshow19Mar/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. D.C. United: Rating David Beckham’s Performance
You have to love players that believe in that one simple word: improvement. David Beckham, for all of the honors he has accomplished in his long storied career, is a player that continues to improve his game, even at the age of 37. On Sunday, against D.C. United at the Home Depot Center, the LA Galaxy midfielder—the man that changed the face of MLS indelibly in more ways that one—put on a much more solid performance and could have earned more en route to a 3-1 victory. Beckham had two chances to get on the score sheet: one on the run of play, and the other off the set piece. The first just sailed over the crossbar while the second missed the top left corner by a foot or less. Never mind that the Galaxy had six corners compared to D.C.'s three. Most importantly, Beckham is a provider, and he recorded his second assist in as many games by helping Marcelo Sarvas open his MLS scoring account in the 86th minute. Beckham's stamina and excellent play have been a hallmark of his game for many years, and the 18,000-plus that were in attendance saw firsthand why he gets all the ...19Mar/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. D.C. United: Rating the Galaxy Players
Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy recorded what many will hope to be the first of many wins in 2012 with a 3-1 victory over D.C. United at the Home Depot Center on Sunday afternoon. This was a much better performance from Los Angeles, the type of performance fans were used to seeing last year. The Galaxy put all the pieces together and now have plenty of confidence heading into the two-week break. Here are the player ratings for the Galaxy players. Josh Saunders 8In all honesty, it could have been higher had Saunders made a stop on Nick De Leon late. But for the most part, Josh Saunders made enough stops and relieved the struggling back line of the dirty work in the closing moments of the match. This is the type performance that will help Saunders this season. Next objective: first shutout of the year. Sean Franklin 7A better outing from the defender. Really frustrated D.C. on the right side of the field. Not a bad night from Franklin. Andrew Boyens 6Boyens would have had a very low score had D.C. converted the giveaways he surrendered. The good thing for Boyens is that D.C. are worse when it comes ...19Mar/120
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. D.C. United: 6 Things We Learned
This just in: the Los Angeles Galaxy still know how to win football matches after all!That's right, the defending MLS Cup/Supporters' Shield winners, on a day where they received their rings of power, were back to their winning ways, destroying a D.C. United side that never really got into the thick of things until it was too late.On Sunday, 3-1 was the final at the Home Depot Center. And with every match, we learn at least one new thing about the Galaxy. How about six? For both teams?Ah, that looks like a deal. All right then; here are six things we learned on Sunday after the Galaxy's breakthrough victory in Week 2 of the 2012 Major League Soccer season.Begin Slideshow19Mar/120
Real Salt Lake Making a Statement Early in Major League Soccer Season
Real Salt Lake is proving that they are the team to beat in Major League Soccer this season. In its two matches so far this year, Real Salt Lake has dominated two of the league's most popular teams and held their opponents' international superstars to frustrating performances. Following a season-opening victory on the road against the defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake returned home and easily took care of the New York Red Bulls.Although head coach Jason Kreis does not consider any of his contributing players to be "second-string" guys, Real Salt Lake is finding success with several key players and usual starters on the bench due to injuries.With Nat Borchers not playing in either of the two opening matches and usual scoring threats Alvaro Saborio and Javier Morales coming in as second-half substitutions, players like Chris Schuler and Paulo Jr. have stepped up to help the team to prove that the "team is the star" concept employed by Kreis can be successful.In addition to Schuler and Paulo Jr., other players are stepping up at the right time as well.Defender Tony Beltran and midfielder Ned Grabavoy have both played well in both matches, and striker Fabian Espindola is ...18Mar/120