Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Red Bull New York: 10 Bold Predictions

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy come into the Home Depot Center straggling on their hands and knees when they host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. With a record of 3-4-1, the Galaxy are off the pace in the MLS Western Conference and need a positive result against a New York team that is near the top of the MLS Eastern Conference standings at 4-3-1.Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and will be televised by ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Here are 10 bold predictions for this contest.Begin Slideshow

New York Red Bulls: Hans Backe, Let Ryan Meara Play for Ireland

Rookie goalkeeper Ryan Meara has had quite a season since being drafted 31st overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.On Tuesday, his stock rose again, with a call-up to the Ireland under-21 national team. However, New York Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe decided he won’t let Meara go to a camp at the end of the month that culminates in a friendly against Denmark and a European Championship qualifier against Italy. Backe told Big Apple Soccer: I just told him we will turn it down. He wants to play; I don’t want [it], so that’s why. Backe’s decision in this situation was terrible. At the very least, he should back it up with more than just that he doesn’t want Meara to play. The friendly against Denmark is June 4, at the start of a weeklong international break in the MLS schedule. However, because it’s just an under-21 call-up, the Red Bulls aren’t required to release Meara to Noel King’s Irish team. Still, getting a rookie goalkeeper more experience at a high level would be good for both the player and the team. There are only benefits to be had from letting Meara play for Ireland. New York doesn’t have ...

Sene and Cardenas Typifying Remade Revolution Attack

Starved for goals against Colorado on Wednesday, the Revolution turned once again to their cast of new faces. And in Saer Sene and Fernando Cardenas, they have found two very promising signings. Add in players like Jose Moreno, Kelyn Rowe and Lee Nguyen, and the Revolution have found a strategy to overhaul their struggling attack: strength in numbers. So far, only flashes of potential have risen to the surface (since New England still sits with two more losses than wins at 3-5), but last night’s 2-1 win against the Rapids was particularly representative of what this team is capable of when they're firing on all cylinders. That they were down 1-0 early was also significant. Gauging a team’s capability is best done when they’re losing. And watching Jay Heaps’ squad respond was heartening for New England fans. Rather than panicking, players like Benny Feilhaber, Shalrie Joseph and Clyde Simms simply settled down. They began grinding down Colorado’s passing game and winning the ball higher and higher up the field. And when possession was regained, almost every Revs player on the field avoided the panicky, rushed passes straight up field that soccer teams so often resort to when they’re trailing. Instead, ...

Seattle Sounders: Freddy Montero Scores Absolute Stunner Against LA Galaxy

The Seattle Sounders had plenty of chances in the first half to bury the Los Angeles Galaxy yesterday, but they squandered many of them.Eddie Johnson finished off an excellent move and ball from Mauro Rosales in the 40th minute to score his second goal in as many games to fire his ahead. However, the real clincher came in the second half. Fredy Montero lined up an ambitious shot from 35-yards out and sent a dipping blast into the upper-90 to beat Galaxy goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, who was filling in for Los Angeles' usual starting keeper Josh Saunders (Saunders recently entered Major League Soccer's substance abuse treatment program).The goal was Montero's first of the season, and probably his most ambitious and impressive goal in his short but already impressive career. "When you have the opportunity to shoot from that distance you just try," he said after the game, per ESPN. "Thank God that ball went into the net."Montero's newest strike partner Johnson tried his hand in Europe after a successful career in MLS. It didn't turn out so well for the former Fulham man. He bounced around Europe on loan, but didn't find any success.Johnson returned to MLS this season and ended up partnering Sounders. Injuries ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: Rating the Galaxy Players

The Los Angeles Galaxy were dancing with wolves on Wednesday night at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington, and the patchwork lineup sent by Bruce Arena was easy prey for a Seattle Sounders team in need of a league result against LA. Seattle shutout the Galaxy 2-0 in a match that proved to be one-sided, despite the stat sheets suggesting an equal contest. No star power leads to a bad result. And a bad result leads to poor ratings. Bill Gaudette 5 Gaudette was beaten twice in the match by the scoring tandem of Eddie Johnson and Fredy Montero. He didn't make enough saves to acquit himself and has to be wondering just exactly what happened to the now fallen star known as Josh Saunders. It was not one of his best nights, and he can only hope that an improved performance against New York is in the books. He can only hope. David Junior Lopes 4 Another off night for Lopes in the back line. Played out of position at times and couldn't stop Montero and Johnson from dealing irreversible damage. Sean Franklin 4 Turned the ball over one too many times, and when you can't beat the Sisters of ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: 6 Things We Learned

Bruce Arena is, for what it's worth, a very compulsive gambler. He hoped for a miracle by fielding a virtual B-team of starters and benchwarmers for the Los Angeles Galaxy against the Seattle Sounders...and lost, 2-0, at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash.As the Galaxy slink back to the Home Depot Center for Saturday's contest with the New York Red Bulls, here are six things we learned from the midweek tilt in Seattle.Begin Slideshow

20 Best MLS Goals of All Time

There have been hundreds of goals throughout the 17 seasons of Major League Soccer's existence.Among all those goals, there are many memorable ones. Goals that will never be forgotten for reasons of importance, caliber or just dumb luck.To narrow them down to the best 20 in history is difficult. I'm sure some were overlooked for the simple reason there is no video archive that's easily accessible.With that said, this list, I believe, does do justice to the best goals we've seen in MLS. We may not agree on the ranking order, but there's no denying that these 20 goals are among the best.And if there are some I missed, there is always the comment box below for you to share. Enjoy.Begin Slideshow

MLS Weekly Roundup: Rosario’s First Goal, Henry’s Injury, Dynamo’s New Home

There's no one even close to Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference and the San Jose Earthquakes are leading the pack in the West.And yes, Toronto is still the worst MLS team you've ever seen. Stop piling on.But what else is going on in Major League Soccer?Glad you asked.Here's the weekly recap of what you might have missed.Begin Slideshow

Del Piero and Raul: Who’d Be Better for MLS and Why

As has become a pattern in the MLS, famous European players eventually decide that instead of trying to sit on a bench one more season with their current team, they'd rather finish their careers in America.And now the headlines are slowly linking two more stalwarts of Champions League soccer to teams in the burgeoning American league.They are Alessandro Del Piero of Italy and Spain's Raul.Both are synonymous with success.Del Piero has had a lifetime relationship with Juventus, experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.Raul was thought to be forever clad in the famous white of Real Madrid, only to be unceremoniously dumped when the second round of the Galaticos arrived.In each case, MLS would be still be getting a very serviceable player, capable of scoring many goals and creating general mayhem for opposing defenses.But which one would make the better addition for MLS? Let's try to figure this out.Begin Slideshow

MLS: Rating the Designated Players’ Performances so Far This Year

As MLS continues to grow in the world of football, plenty of its teams are looking for foreign talent to help bolster their squad. Ever since the DP rule was introduced in 2007, more and more clubs are taking the Designated Player path and signing big names in order to enhance their chances at claiming MLS glory.There are currently twenty one players with this DP label in MLS, and I have grouped each one of these players into a specific category based on their 2012 performances so far. From those who are more than earning their paycheck (Thierry Henry) to those who aren't quite the fan favorites (Rafa Marquez), I have placed each DP into one of four groups that explains their current play this season.Enjoy!Begin Slideshow