Report: Vincent Tan, Peter Guber Part of Group That Could Buy Chivas USA

Chivas USA, which will suspend operations for at least the next two seasons, per Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC, may have found a new owner quicker than expected. Vincent Tan, the controversial owner of Cardiff City, which participated in the Premier League last season, is part of a group that's interested in purchasing the troubled MLS side, according to Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated.  Tan is one of many names that are involved in the group that's on the verge of purchasing the California club. Peter Guber, a Hollywood producer and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Golden State Warriors, is also part of the setup. Tom Penn, a former NBA executive, and Henry Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American businessman, are the two others who are involved. According to Carlisle, the league says it's looking for $100 million for the sale of Chivas USA. The club will return once the new owners build a new stadium for the team. Exposition Park is a potential site, but the group wants a stadium in downtown L.A. Assuming the four partners buy Chivas USA, it would most likely begin operations in 2017 under a new brand, dissolving the current Chivas name. MLS could approve the sale by next week at the ...

Top 10 Defenders of the 2014 MLS Season

As the 2014 MLS campaign comes to a close, Bleacher Report will examine the top 10 defenders, midfielders and strikers from this season. The goalkeepers list can be found here. In this edition, the best defenders will be analyzed based on their technique, communication skills, positioning and frequency of individual errors. All stats used are from WhoScored.com and MLSSoccer.com. Here are the 10 best defenders of the 2014 MLS season.Begin Slideshow

Top 10 Goalkeepers of the 2014 MLS Season

As the 2014 MLS campaign comes to a close, Bleacher Report will examine the top 10 goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and strikers from this season.   In this edition, the best goalkeepers have been selected and critiqued based on shot-stopping ability, command of the penalty area, frequency of individual errors and technique. All stats used are from MLSSoccer.com. Here are the 10 standout goalkeepers of the 2014 MLS season. Begin Slideshow

Ranking Every MLS Head Coach

Head coaches are crucial in sports, but in soccer, they are very hands-on in both training sessions and games. In MLS, a club won't go very far if they do not have a manager who knows the ins and outs of the league.  This slideshow will feature synopsis of every MLS head coach, and their ranking.  Experience, wins, tactical knowledge, man management and accumulated trophies will be discussed.    The best coaches possess all of these attributes, while the ones who are ranked lower either lack experience or have not achieved any notable success in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Addressing the Biggest Weaknesses for All Playoff Contenders

The MLS playoffs are on the horizon, and as always, there are several teams on the brink of qualifying for the postseason as the regular season comes to a close. This slideshow highlights eight teams battling for the last few playoff spots in both conferences. Four are from the East, ranked fourth to seventh place, while the other four play in the West, lying from fifth to eighth. Each club's biggest issue will be addressed, and a solution to each problem will be suggested in order for those teams to make it into the playoffs.Begin Slideshow

The 10 Most Overrated MLS Players

MLS has a lot of talented players, whether they're former European stars like Thierry Henry or U.S. stalwarts such as Landon Donovan.  However, there are several others who receive undeserved praise. They will be highlighted in this slideshow based on the fanfare they receive and whether their stats correlate with their salaries. All wages can be found on the MLS Players Union website. Here are the 10 most overrated players in Major League Soccer.Begin Slideshow

Wright-Phillips’ Record-Breaking Weekend Completes Dramatic Career Turnaround

Bradley Wright-Phillips has had to deal with various struggles during his career such as disciplinary issues and serious injuries. The New York Red Bulls striker has put that behind him with his 20th MLS goal of the season against the Montreal Impact. No other Red Bulls player has scored as many as Wright-Phillips in one season, a record the Englishman broke on Saturday. He's now leading the Golden Boot race by four goals. While in England, Wright-Phillips had some problems off the pitch. Both he and former Southampton teammate Nathan Dyer were charged with burglary in 2008. Dyer was sentenced, while his accomplice was acquitted. A year later, Wright-Phillips was accused of assaulting a Saints supporter.  Wright-Phillips' problems extended to the pitch. He started just once in the Premier League with his previous club, Manchester City. In three seasons with Southampton in the Championship, he scored 23 goals in 112 league appearances. Wright-Phillips didn't fare much better at Plymouth Argyle after being released by the Saints. He struggled with injury, but when he did play he was a lethal forward. In 2010/11, Wright-Phillips had 13 goals in 17 games in League One but was sold to Charlton a few weeks later. It looked like the Man City youth product wasn't going to soar to new heights. All that changed ...

Why Real Salt Lake Should Be the Favorites to Win MLS Cup

Heading into the 2014 MLS season, Real Salt Lake appointed a new head coach in Jeff Cassar to replace the highly successful Jason Kreis. Given Kreis’ accomplishments at Rio Tinto Stadium, a lot of fans were nervous about the upcoming campaign under new leadership. However, RSL has quietly surged to the top of the Western Conference following its 2-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday afternoon. Salt Lake has 42 points after 24 games, with a one-point lead over the Sounders. Seattle has two games in hand on RSL, but don’t be surprised if the Claret and Cobalt are the No. 1 seed in the West by the end of the season. Cassar has had an impressive debut campaign with RSL, and the key has been creating a close-knit squad. No key players departed from the club in the winter, and that’s due in large part to general manager Garth Lagerwey, who’s arguably the best in MLS. Real Salt Lake has made the playoffs every year since 2008, which is a fantastic record given that it is relative newcomers to MLS and play in a smaller market.    RSL is underrated every season mainly because the team isn’t the strongest on paper, yet it ...

5 USMNT Players That Could Succeed Overseas

The U.S. men's national team members at the 2014 FIFA World Cup have made more headlines over the last couple of months. Defender Matt Besler and winger Graham Zusi signed designated player contracts with Sporting Kansas City, per MLSSoccer.com. These signings will keep the pair at the club through the next World Cup. The details of the contracts were released by Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated. It signals that the top American stars are willing to stay in MLS long term despite interest from clubs overseas.  Besler, Zusi and others are clearly very talented, as are many others involved with the USMNT. Current players and past call-ups with the USMNT who also play in MLS will be featured in this slideshow. Those who don't make the cut are those who have already played abroad or are too old to make the jump. Five who could make an impact overseas will be highlighted in this piece.    Begin Slideshow

MLS All-Stars Defeating Bayern Munich Is an Insignificant Result

The MLS All-Stars defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 on Wednesday night in Portland. Bradley Wright-Phillips and 14-time all-star Landon Donovan struck for the hosts, Robert Lewandowski registering a goal for Bayern. It's the second win for the All-Stars in the last three meetings against an international club team, per the official website. Two years ago, the All-Stars beat Chelsea, who were the holders of the 2011-12 Champions League title at that time. There were claims that the win was a significant one for MLS, but it wasn't. Half of the Chelsea starting X1 weren't regulars. The likes of Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, etc. took part, but they were also in preseason condition. The same situation occurred with Bayern Munich. It is a great result to defeat one of the top clubs in the world, but it will be forgotten about very quickly, just like the Chelsea match.  Bayern started backup goalkeeper Tom Starke, with a back three of Javi Martinez, David Alaba and Rafinha. The latter two were regular starters in the 2013-14 season for Bayern, while Martinez was rotated.  However, manager Pep Guardiola hasn't used the three-man defense until recently. Youngsters such as Pierre Hojbjerg, Sebastian Rode and Gianluca Gaudino were also on the pitch. The German World Cup stars such as Manuel ...