The All-Time 5 Best MLS Cup Finals

Major League Soccer has a unique playoff format. It tests the coaches, player fatigue and squad depth. The winner of the MLS Cup is usually one of the most disciplined, intelligent and deepest teams. With the 2014 MLS Cup being contested on December 7, Bleacher Report looks at the five best finals in the league's history. They'll be judged mainly on entertainment value, drama and the impact on the league now. Here are the five best MLS Cup finals in history.Begin Slideshow

What’s Next for Thierry Henry and the New York Red Bulls?

Thierry Henry has announced that he's leaving the New York Red Bulls, per the team's official website. This news comes just days after he was eliminated from the MLS playoffs by the New England Revolution and brings up questions about the Frenchman's next endeavor and the club's future. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger recently stated that he'd like to bring back Henry as a coach, via ESPN FC. The 37-year-old forward has also stated that he'd like to see the Gunners win the Champions League as a member of Wenger's staff, per Chris Waugh of the Daily Mail. However, there have also been rumblings of Henry playing in France. Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol said he'd love to sign his former France teammate (h/t Robin Bairner of Goal.com). There's also the possibility of Henry going back to Monaco, the club where he began his professional career. Even PSG was linked with the ex-Arsenal man along with the team from the principality, per Jack De Menezes of The Independent. What's certain is that Henry will make a decision fairly soon. He posted a statement on his Facebook page shortly after it was announced that the French legend was leaving the Red Bulls. He claimed that he will "take ...

Charlie Davies Inspires New England Revolution’s Relentless Drive to Win

The New England Revolution advanced to the MLS Cup final following a 4-3 aggregate victory over the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference championship. Charlie Davies was the hero who helped New England advance with two goals in the game. Just like his team, he has returned to top form after overcoming hardship. New England hasn't been to an MLS Cup final since 2007. Since then, the Revolution have only made it as far as the conference semifinals. They also missed the playoffs between 2010-12. The Revs were underachievers. But since Jay Heaps took over as head coach, they've become one of the most dynamic teams in the league. Davies was also at the top of his game up until 2009, just before New England's decline began. The striker was a member of the U.S. men's national team and contributed to its eventual qualification to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, in June of 2009, Davies was involved in a horrific car accident in Washington, D.C. He suffered a broken fibula, tibia, torn ligaments in his knee, severe head trauma and a lacerated bladder, plus numerous minor injuries. It was a near-death experience, and this tragic crash kept the American out of the World Cup—and ...

Thierry Henry Has to Stay Hot If the New York Red Bulls Want to Advance

Thierry Henry is still making an impact on his club, the New York Red Bulls, at the age of 37. However, the Red Bulls are down 2-1 on aggregate against the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference final. New York will need the ex-France international to continue to excel if they want to finally claim the MLS Cup. Henry has typically underwhelmed in the playoffs. However, despite not scoring, the Frenchman has recorded four assists, all of them crucial to New York's postseason run.  Henry assisted Bradley Wright-Phillips' first goal against Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference knockout round to tie the match in the 77th minute. The veteran was involved in all three of Wright-Phillips' tallies in the conference semifinals against D.C. United as well. This past weekend in the first leg versus the Revolution, Henry wasn't as noticeable. Despite that, the Red Bulls are only down 2-1, but New England has two away goals, meaning New York has to rely on their star designated player. Golden Boot winner Wright-Phillips is suspended for the second leg, which puts extra pressure on Henry to deliver the goods. The forward will be playing his first game at Gillette Stadium, which has a turf surface ...

MLS Players Who Should Get a Call-Up to the USMNT

The final international window closed last week, and it ended with a whimper for the U.S. men's national team after dropping two friendlies. They lost 2-1 to Colombia before a lackluster 4-1 defeat against Ireland. Jurgen Klinsmann's recent team selection has been odd, to say the least. Calling up veterans such as Kyle Beckerman and Matt Besler is counter-productive, since they'll be stalwarts for the USMNT for awhile.  There are several players in MLS that can fill voids in Klinsmann's squad. The names in this slideshow address a positional issue with the team, provide experience and/or depth in certain positions. They also have to be under the age of 30 or they would not be realistic options for the 2018 World Cup. Here are 12 players that Klinsmann could add to his team in future friendlies and tournaments.Begin Slideshow

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: 5 Things We Learned

The Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Seattle Sounders 1-0 in the first leg of the Western Conference Final at the StubHub Center on Sunday. Marcelo Sarvas scored the only goal of the match. This scoreline gives the Galaxy a slight edge entering the second game in Seattle. The Sounders may be in tough given that they failed to get a decisive away goal. There were a few takeaways from Sunday's affair which decided the match and could have an impact on the second leg. Here are five things that we learned in the conference final.Begin Slideshow

Landon Donovan and LA Galaxy Have a Shot at Redemption vs. Seattle Sounders

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders faced one another for the Supporters' Shield in the regular-season finale. Marco Pappa netted a brace late in the second half to give the Sounders a 2-0 win and the Shield in the process. Now, the two teams meet again in the MLS Western Conference final. “We were kind of hoping for this,” forward Alan Gordon told MLSSoccer.com. “It's going to be a good series, similar to what we saw a couple weeks back, and may the better team win.” LA actually had a chance to claim the Shield at the StubHub Center in the penultimate regular-season match. However, they blew a 2-0 lead over the Sounders and drew 2-2. This meeting between the league's two best sides is a dream matchup for the teams' supporters, the MLS offices and neutrals across North America. The Galaxy and Sounders had the best attacks in the regular season, and LA conceded the joint-fewest amount of goals. The chance for the Galaxy to make up for a crushing defeat at CenturyLink Field is just one of the many enticing storylines surrounding the match.   Landon's Last Hurrah? Landon Donovan could potentially play his last games in this two-legged affair. This phrase was uttered in the conference semifinals ...

Dan Kennedy Chosen No. 1 by FC Dallas in Chivas USA Dispersal Draft

FC Dallas selected goalkeeper Dan Kennedy with the first overall pick in the Chivas USA dispersal draft, which had just seven players chosen in the first round, per MLSSoccer.com. The complete results can be found on MLS' official website. New York City FC picked 20-year-old midfielder Matthew Dunn with the second selection. Forward Thomas McNamara, who was impressive early in 2014 before suffering a season-ending knee injury, was DC United's fourth overall pick.  Defender Danny Toia (sixth, Montreal Impact), midfielder Caleb Calvert (eighth, Colorado Rapids), Kristopher Tyrpak (ninth, San Jose Earthquakes) and Marco Delgado (14th, Toronto FC) were the only other players that were picked in the draft. The best selection of the day probably goes to Toronto, who picked the 19-year-old Delgado at 14th overall. The homegrown player made 37 appearances in MLS with Chivas and is a valuable option for head coach Greg Vanney. The youngster can play out wide or in any central-midfield position. It will also be interesting to see what Dallas does with Kennedy. They currently have Raul Fernandez and Chris Seitz on their roster, who were both solid when given the nod by head coach Oscar Pareja. It could be a plan in case the Hoops cannot protect ...

Why the Columbus Crew Are on Course for Big Things Despite Playoff Elimination

The Columbus Crew were eliminated from the MLS playoffs after a 7-3 aggregate defeat to the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. However, despite being knocked out of the postseason, the Crew is set for a successful campaign in 2015 and in the coming years. Even before Columbus rebranded, there were signs that ownership was willing to make the Crew serious competitors in MLS. They signed defender Emanuel Pogatetz to replace the outgoing Giancarlo Gonzalez and then inked Kei Kamara shortly thereafter. There's also been rumours that Atalanta striker German Denis might arrive next season, according to MLSTransfers.com.  The ambition that the club is showing is a great sign for fans, especially now that the Eastern Conference won't contain Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo beginning in 2015. Therefore, the Crew could realistically compete for first place providing they stay competitive in the transfer market. Columbus already has a solid coach in Gregg Berhalter, who is one of the best young coaches in the league. Despite some struggles early in the campaign, Berhalter led the Crew to 10 wins in their final 15 games of the regular season, which ultimately resulted in their third-place finish. The ability to steer the club away from disaster and guide them into the playoffs was a great ...

New England Revolution to Face New York Red Bulls in Unlikely Conference Final

The New England Revolution have advanced to the Eastern Conference final after defeating the Columbus Crew 7-3 on aggregate. The Revolution will face the New York Red Bulls in the next round. Both New York and New England are flying high at the moment, which makes this a matchup between two “teams of destiny” that are very motivated to silence their critics. The Red Bulls have been in terrific form recently, which has resulted in their first conference final appearance since 2008. New York has lost just twice since October 4, and one of those defeats was to D.C. United in the second leg of their semifinal, which ended up as a meaningless result. However, New England has been equally, if not, more impressive. The Revolution won 10 of their final 14 matches after losing their previous eight. MVP candidate Lee Nguyen has led the charge with 18 goals and five assists in 32 appearances. Nguyen has continued his impressive 2014 in the playoffs. He scored twice in the semifinals against the Crew, and has been a standout on one of the most entertaining teams in MLS. The Red Bulls are no slouch, though. The likes of Thierry Henry and Peguy Luyindula have contributed to ...