MLS All-Stars vs Chelsea: Eden Hazard and Players to Watch

At your average All-Star Game, the entire roster is full of must-watch players. But when the European champions, Chelsea, are taking on the MLS All-Stars, there are a select few talents who stand above the rest.And most of them play for the Blues.But that doesn't mean the MLS doesn't have a few players of its own that you need to watch carefully on Wednesday evening. Let's take a look a few particularly intriguing players you'll want to watch when the MLS All-Stars clash with Chelsea. Eden Hazard, Forward, ChelseaOne of the top signings this summer, the 21-year-old Belgian is one of the most exciting young players in the game today. The young forward flashes brilliant control of the ball, ability to facilitate opportunities for his teammates and the ability to finish goals for himself.He had an excellent 2011-12 season for Ligue 1 side Lille, scoring 20 goals and dishing 17 assists in 44 appearances this season.Thus far at Chelsea, he's been slotting into the lineup centrally as a second striker, a role he is probably best suited for. With his pace and vision, he is also a possibility on the wing. One way or another, if there is one player you ...

Transfer News: Cahill Move Highlights Growing Lack of Parity in MLS

The New York Red Bulls have managed to add another top name to their MLS roster this summer as Everton's Tim Cahill gets set to join their ranks alongside Thierry Henry and Rafa Marques. But would a franchise like the Columbus Crew or the San Jose Earthquakes have been able to lure in a player of Cahill's caliber?The MLS is built on the idea of parity. It's what sells the game to prospective franchise investors and to the fans themselves.Anyone can win the MLS CupBut is there really parity in the league? The designated player rule is one that I've always had a little trouble with.It's great that it allows MLS to attract some of the biggest stars in the game to America's shores, but it is also beginning to take away that edge of fair play that the league is so proud of.Where have all the top designated players (DPs) in MLS gone to?Los Angeles and New York are two sides that spring to mind when looking at DPs in MLS.Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Rafa Marques, Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan and now Cahill, have all made their way to two of the biggest and most fashionable cities in the country.Not ...

MLS All-Stars vs Chelsea: MLS Players Who Will Shine Against the Blues

The MLS All-Star Game will feature the best players from the domestic league going up against the defending European champions in Chelsea. The Blues are currently on a preseason tour as they prepare for another Premier League season. It's a rematch of sorts from 2006, when the All-Stars knocked off Chelsea 1-0. Both sides will look a lot different this time around, but it should be another interesting game. Let's take a look at three players who will shine for the MLS side.  Jimmy Nielsen Nielsen figures to face plenty of pressure from a talented Chelsea attack as the goalkeeper suits up for his second MLS All-Star Game. Luckily, the Sporting Kansas City star has been on top form all season and should be up to the challenge. He leads the league in clean sheets with nine and has been a major reason Kansas City has been able to get in the race for the Eastern Conference lead. He makes up for a lot of the team's problems of front by coming up with crucial stops. Nielsen is a veteran who has played around the world, so he shouldn't have many nerves like younger players might. That should allow him ...

MLS All-Stars vs. Chelsea: 20 (Maybe Not So) Bold Predictions for All-Star Game

So can any European club outside of Manchester United beat Major League Soccer’s All-Stars in regulation time?On Wednesday, Chelsea FC will get its chance when the eighth meeting between the MLS All-Stars and a select European club takes place at PPL Park in Chester, Pa., outside of Philadelphia (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).The MLS All-Stars won the first four games, outscoring opponents 10-3 before Everton beat the All-Stars on penalty kicks in 2009. Manchester United then routed the best of the MLS the last two years by a combined 9-2 score.As expected, both coaches have said they are taking the game seriously but let’s face it, the entertainment value for soccer fans, the chance for Chelsea to see who can do what on the pitch in a friendly and avoiding any injuries are way more important than winning or losing from each side’s perspective.Here are 20 things I can see happening in the City of Brotherly Love on Wednesday night.Begin Slideshow

Sam Cronin Is the Engine That Powers the San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose Earthquakes central midfielder Sam Cronin rushed toward central defender Jason Hernandez, who was standing with the ball near midfield, and pointed with his finger to where he wanted Hernandez to play it—in front of him, just so, so Cronin could then dictate play.Hernandez acquiesced, and just like that, Cronin was in possession at center circle.The 25-year-old midfielder doesn't usually hold onto the ball for long—his style of play is a staple of the modern-paced midfield game, where one and two touches reign, coupled with uncanny vision and movement.Cronin pairs with Rafael Baca in the 'Quakes' midfield, which uses two central midfielders in a 4-4-2 formation. Baca usually plays a bit higher than Cronin, and to the left, roaming about the attacking third as Cronin holds his position a bit deeper.That makes his defensive acumen—tracking runs from opposing players, being sturdy in tackles—of utmost importance.Against the Los Angeles Galaxy in June 30's fabled California Clasico, at a Stanford Stadium filled to the brim (some 50,391 strong, with a heavy preponderance of Earthquakes supporters), Cronin was tasked with stymieing the prodigious attacking threats of Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane.Though the Galaxy managed to put three goals past 'Quakes' ...

LA Galaxy: Is the Club Close to Losing Two of Its Best Players?

The LA Galaxy have been one of the most dominate teams in MLS over the last year. A big part of that is that they have all three of their Designated Player spots filled up with world class players. These players are Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Robbie Keane.All good things must come to an end, and in the case of the Galaxy, this is also true. The core of world class players will eventually have to break up, and today I'll be examining what the future has in store for each of the big three. David Beckham has been with the Galaxy since 2007 and signed a two-year contract earlier this year. He will be 38 when the contract expires. After deciding not to take up any offers from Europe, citing that his family loved SoCal among other things, and stayed in LA. It's unlikely that when he's two years older that he will turn around and leave the Galaxy. He'll either stay in LA or retire after his contract expires, but with his quality and love of the game, I think he'll stick around a few more years.Landon Donovan's situation is a bit more interesting. Arguably the best US ...

Everton Accepts New York Red Bulls’ Bid for Tim Cahill

Another star is set to join MLS, and it might surprise you. It certainly surprised me. According to BBC, Everton have accepted a bid of roughly one million pounds from the New York Red Bulls for Tim Cahill.The Australian international has been a mainstay at Everton and a fan favorite for years, but he only managed to find the back of the net twice last year.At only 32 years of age (relatively young for a highly respected European player to make the move to MLS), Cahill is the latest of players to join MLS at a younger age. Scoring 68 goals in 278 appearances in the EPL and 24 goals in 55 caps for Australia shows that Cahill knows how to find the back of the net, something that could be desperately needed come playoff time.Two of the Red Bulls' designated player spots belong to Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez (the former has been outstanding this season, the latter not so much), and Cahill would likely occupy the third.  The Red Bulls already made noise this month by trading speedster Dane Richards for the veteran attacker Sebastian Le Toux.By adding Tim Cahill to the mix, the Red Bulls will be in ...

Tim Cahill Transfer Will Prove to Be a Bargain for the New York Red Bulls

Today, the New York Red Bulls completed a shocking £1 million deal to acquire Everton and Australian midfielder Tim Cahill.Cahill was one of the more notable names to play at Goodison Park in the Premier League era. Though he will leave Merseyside without any silverware, Cahill was still among the top midfielders in the EPL during his eight-year stint at Everton.In that stretch, Cahill played 278 times for Everton, scoring 68 goals. He also was a part of the Everton squad that reached the 2009 FA Cup final, where they lost to Chelsea 2-1.The capture of Cahill is certainly surprising, even though Everton are short on cash. But securing Cahill's signature is a coup for the Red Bulls.The Red Bulls, who already have designated players Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez, will likely give Cahill their final DP spot. After he arrives following the MLS All-Star game, Cahill will give the Red Bulls an attacking threat in midfield, something that they have been sorely missing.Though Kenny Cooper and Henry have worked well together, both players have faced their droughts this season, which is partially at fault for a disappointing June. But now, with Cahill, he will replace Mehdi Ballouchy and bring ...

MLS All-Stars vs. Chelsea: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

Chelsea FC will continue their US tour as they face the MLS All-Stars in the MLS All-Star Game. Last time the two squads met, the MLS All-Stars grabbed a 1-0 win as Dwayne De Rosario netted a shot in the 70th minute. However, Chelsea are entering play on quite the upswing. They took home the UEFA Champions League crown and roughed up the Seattle Sounders by scoring two goals in the first 11 minutes of play. Regardless, the MLS All-Stars boast a roster littered with talent and surely will be looking to reclaim their trophy, as they have lost the previous three All-Star games.   Where: PPL Park, Chester, Pennsylvania When: Wednesday, July 25 8:30 ET Live Stream: ESPN3 TV Info: ESPN2, Telefutura, TSN, RDS   Players To Watch Chelsea will feature some big names when they take on the MLS All-Stars. They may feature none bigger than defender John Terry, who joined the club during their last match against Paris Saint-Germain.Terry is a three-time UEFA Club Defender of the Year and is the most successful captain in Chelsea’s history. During his time with Chelsea, the club has garnered three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups. ...

Aston Villa Douses the Chicago Fire 1-0

Chicago Fire fans got a glimpse of players that they seldom get to see play against Aston Villa. In the international friendly, reserves such as Corben Bone, Rafael Robayo and Orr Barouch received some much-needed playing time. They started alongside, among others, Marco Pappa and Alex, the newcomer from Brazil. Jay Nolly also started for the Fire as the goalkeeper. It was his first game since tearing his Achilles. For Alex, this game should prove to be beneficial as he is still getting acclimated to his Fire teammates. For the rest of the reserves, they received an in-game experience that may prove vital in case an injury strikes the team going forward. After the game, Fire coach Frank Klopas acknowledged the obvious about his unusual first 11. “It was an opportunity for some guys to continue to have some rhythm. Since we don’t have a league this week, obviously an opportunity for some other players to get 45 minutes, 60 minutes in and make sure that they are in a position where they’re ready to help out in case we need them. So, I’m happy with the effort of players and we walk away luckily, with no injuries. Certain guys got 45 minutes, certain guys were ...