MLS: Ranking the Best Stadiums for Soccer Fans

If you are a Major League Soccer fan, you must be proud of the evolution the league has experienced these last several years. From expansion to soccer-hungry cities in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, to the construction of more soccer-specific stadiums, all this progress has helped MLS become a more desirable league both domestically and internationally.  Of course, no league would ever grow if not for the passionate fans who attend these matches week in and week out. Therefore, I've created list to rank all 18 MLS stadiums based on the atmosphere that is created by fans. It is all about elements that make these stadiums an intimidating place to play for opponents, and exemplify the true definition of home-field advantage. I'm certain there will be many disagreements on the order of this list. So don't just bash the list if you disagree, but use it as an opportunity to prove to MLS why your team stadium's atmosphere should be considered one of the best in the league. Enjoy... *I am omitting the Houston Dynamo from this list, as its new stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium, is set to open May 12, 2012.Begin Slideshow

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers: 10 Bold Predictions

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy are finding their 2012 MLS Cup defense to be more and more challenging with every match, and it doesn't get any easier when they host the Portland Timbers on Saturday at the Home Depot Center (kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET, KDOC-TV and KWHY-TV). With just a paltry 1-3 record, the Galaxy have the worst record in the MLS Western Conference and take on a Portland Timbers side that is having similar issues with gaining results. Here are 10 bold predictions for Saturday's tilt between Los Angeles and Portland on Bleacher Report.  1. LA...simply snaps At some point in time, the Los Angeles Galaxy reach a point where they are simply fed up with their recent lack of form that they control the game early and actually play the type of soccer that defined them last year. In the first half, I see the Galaxy finally hearing the alarm clock and scoring early to break the game open.  2. Introducing...David Junior Lopes This match should debut the new guy: David Junior Lopes, formerly of Chivas USA. Traded to the Galaxy for Paolo Cardozo, Lopes should match well with Tommy Meyer and finally move A.J. DeLaGarza ...

Los Angeles Galaxy: Ins and Outs, April 11, 2012

A New Face Joins the GalaxyThis week, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy acquired the services of David Junior Lopes in exchange for Paolo Cardozo, who was traded after a poor early-season outing.Lopes will look to add some muscle in central defense, alongside Tommy Meyer and Andrew Boyens. "Lopes is a big strong center back, left-footed with good athletic ability and it gives us physicality in that position that we haven't had, and experience," Arena told reporters in a conference call on Tuesday, according to Luis Bueno of MLSSoccer.com. With Lopes in the lineup, a combination of him with Meyer could potentially move A.J. DeLaGarza  to his natural position of right-back. Alternatively, a three-man rotation of Lopes, Meyer and Boyens could be utilized if DeLaGarza remains in central defense. Arena has kept the details of the trade under wraps. "It's a discussion that we've had with Chivas for a while and gives us the ability to strengthen ourselves in that position,” Arena remarked. “It doesn't say anything. It's a move that we're making to make our team stronger." A special on David Junior Lopes as part of the "This Is The Los Angeles Galaxy" series will be posted later this week. 'We ...

Sporting Kansas City: 5 Reasons Why They Are Taking MLS by Storm This Season

This headline on an article 12 months ago would have looked incredibly silly and unprofessional, yet here we are five weeks into the MLS season and the title couldn't be more relevant.Sporting Kansas City is the only MLS club still undefeated in the league and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon.Playing in front a revived fanbase, Kansas City is one of the toughest teams to earn a point off of as of right now. However, it is not just the enhanced support that is helping the Wiz Kids earn the W week in and week out. Here are five other reasons why SKC is taking the league by storm this season. Enjoy!Begin Slideshow

MLS: LA Galaxy Trade Paolo Cardozo for Chivas Defender David Junior Lopes

In an apparent attempt to shuffle the deck defensively after what has been an abysmal start to their season, the LA Galaxy have traded Paolo Cardozo to Chivas USA for defender David Junior Lopes.Cardozo is a 22-year-old Uruguayan who was formerly with Argentinian side River Plate's reserve team, Quilmes. After briefly going on trial with the Columbus Crew, Cardozo was chosen by the Galaxy in the first round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.The slightly-built attacking midfielder made a total of 18 appearances for the reigning MLS champs, registering a total of nine shots on goal but failing to find the back of the net or make an assist while wearing a Galaxy shirt.Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena is apparently willing to take a chance on missing out on the potential that the forward displayed at times in an effort to shore up the Galaxy's badly ailing defense.A Brazilian-born defender who stands at 6'3", Lopes would seem like an apparent suitor for filling the gaping hole left in the Galaxy's back line by the absence of Omar Gonzalez. The 23-year-old Gonzalez suffered a long term injury during an offseason training loan with Bundesliga side Nurnberg, and the 2011 MLS Defender of ...

2012 MLS All-Star Game Will Be a Rematch with Chelsea

Fox Soccer confirmed today that the English Premier League side Chelsea will be the 2012 Major League Soccer All-Star Game opponent. The annual match will take place July 25 at PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union."The 2012 MLS All-Star Game will feature English power Chelsea, which will face off against Major League Soccer’s All-Star team on July 25 at PPL Park in Chester, Pa., sources within MLS confirmed to FOX Soccer on Tuesday," writes Fox Soccer senior writer Ives Galarcep.As he further mentions, this will be the second time Chelsea headlines the MLS All-Star match. The Blues faces an All-Star side in the 2006 edition, which it lost, 1-0.The MLS All-Star Game is just one stop of Chelsea's U.S. summer tour. The other confirmed stop is a match against the Seattle Sounders.Nothing further is known about the 2012 MLS All-Star Game, as MLS has yet to release any official announcement. Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

MLS: Is Thierry Henry the Best Designated Player Signing in League History?

With two goals—including an MLS Goal of the Week nomination—and an assist in the New York Red Bulls' 4-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Sunday, Thierry Henry was named MLS Player of the Week. It’s the third week in a row he’s earned those honors and he is the first player in MLS history to ever win three consecutive Player of the Week awards. His historic run and impressive start to the season—seven goals and four assists—has New York Red Bulls fans excited. Since coming to the team in the middle of the 2010 season, he has delivered the goods and has been a great Designated Player signing, worth his hefty contract (second-largest in the league). Signing a player as a Designated Player contract has not historically meant success on the field. Many players such as Luis Angel Landin, Blaise Nkufo and Geovanni have been failed signings. Henry has been a success. In 42 MLS regular season games, he has 23 goals and 11 assists. Has the Frenchman been the best DP signing in league history, though? To properly gauge his impact, we first have to ...

Landon Donovan vs. David Beckham: Who Has Achieved More for MLS?

David Beckham and Landon Donovan. They are, without a doubt, two of the most high profile stars to ever play in MLS.Both are skilled and can exhilarate fans in a way that very few other players in the league can.That they're on the same team, the L.A. Galaxy, would seem to be guaranteed powerhouse. And while they have achieved many wins, the Galaxy have managed to win only one trophy (last year's MLS title).Certainly the relationship between Beckham and Donovan has had its fair share of bumps. The two had a very public spat when Donovan accused Beckham of being a bad teammate in Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment.Yet the two stars seem to have found a way to coexist.Which has done more for the league though?It's an interesting debate. Let's explore.Begin Slideshow

MLS Week 5 Review: Positives and Negatives

Week five of the 2012 Major League Soccer campaign saw several teams reach important milestones. It was also a week where struggling teams didn't do enough to alleviate the worries of their fan bases.Records were broken, and streaks were stopped. Teams continued to dominate, while others still struggle at the bottom.   There are multiple ways of breaking down this week's actions, but let me simply start by naming the positive and negative trends that earned my interest this past weekend. Begin Slideshow

Major League Soccer Power Rankings Week 5: New York Red Bulls Surging

The New York Red Bulls sputtered in the first week of Major League Soccer action, but things have turned around in New York. Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry look like the best forward paring in MLS, and there doesn't seem to be answer to how to stop them right now. Real Salt Lake came back firing this week with two wins in a short week. Is this week's showdown with perfect Sporting Kansas City the game of the year? Short answer: Yes. Both teams are stingy and both are in prime form. 1. Sporting Kansas City (5-0-0, 15 Points)  Kei Kamara comes through in the clutch again, and Sporting K.C. becomes the first team since MLS's inaugural season to start the year 5-0. Oh, and Sporting hasn't allowed a shot on goal for 245 minutes.That's pretty impressive (an understatement if I've ever written one). 2. Real Salt Lake (5-1-0, 15 Points)Two wins on one week proved to be pretty easy for an RSL side that has come together again under Jason Kreis. 3. San Jose Earthquakes (4-1-0, 12 Points) San Jose finally allowed a goal, but Chris Wondolowski added two more to his tally, and the Quakes dispatched a good Whitecaps team at home.  4. New ...