Didier Drogba Could Have a Long-Term Influence on Montreal Impact

Didier Drogba signing with the Montreal Impact, per the team's official website, was well-received based on the comments in the announcement.  Fans should be pleased with this move. Drogba may have only been offered an 18-month contract, according to ESPN FC, but it could have a lasting impression on soccer in Montreal. Drogba is 37 years old, which is a slight worry. In his final season with Chelsea last year, it was evident how much slower he was compared to his previous swansong in the 2012 Champions League final. A forward's speed declines with age. Marco Di Vaio was clearly not as agile during his final season in Serie A, but he was still quick enough to score an astounding 34 goals in 76 appearances with the Impact. In fact, Di Vaio was 37 when he finished third in scoring in 2013 with 20 goals. He was a major influence during Montreal's run to the playoffs that year. Di Vaio and Drogba are different players, but the Ivorian forward is in incredible shape. He'll still be able to muscle off defenders and win aerial duels. Plus, with a quality playmaker in Ignacio Piatti, the ex-Chelsea striker will have excellent service. Throw in wingers such as Andres ...

MLS Power Rankings: FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps Rise

Several MLS teams picked up significant wins this past weekend which have drastically altered the power rankings.  FC Dallas recorded a lopsided 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers to stay on top of the Western Conference. One of the biggest surprises was the Houston Dynamo, who dominated the defending champion LA Galaxy at home. Another wild affair involved Toronto FC as it overcame a three-goal deficit to tie the Columbus Crew on Saturday. New York City FC and Orlando City SC combined to score eight goals in the highest-scoring match of the round. With all of this in mind, here are the latest MLS power rankings.Begin Slideshow

MLS: Why the Houston Dynamo Desperately Needs Erick Torres

MLS may have one of Mexico's most talented players in Giovani dos Santos, but there's another Mexican forward who will make his league debut this month in Erick Torres. Torres' arrival has gone under the radar thanks to Dos Santos' move to the LA Galaxy, but the former could well be more integral to his new team.  The Dynamo are in eighth place in the Western Conference and are six points away from a playoff spot. Houston's defending has prevented the team from moving up the standings, but its attack has also been a major problem. Now that Torres has joined, the Dynamo have another clinical striker who will be able to finish chances. Houston has been shut out seven times in 19 games and recorded multiple goals in just six matches. The Texan side won five of those six contests. The Dynamo has a solid option in Will Bruin, who has scored eight goals in 18 appearances. However, he has mustered just 13 shots on target, per the official MLS website. Bruin is a solid striker, but having quality depth is important in MLS. Torres scored 15 goals in 29 games for a lackluster Chivas USA side in 2014. He also took 95 shots last season, which ranked ninth in the ...

MLS Player Salaries Released: Kaka and Sebastian Giovinco Among Highest Earners

The MLS Players Union released individual player salaries on Friday, with Orlando City's Kaka listed as the highest earner at around $7.2 million a year. Toronto FC's Michael Bradley ($6.5 million annually) makes the most money out of any American. The salaries were released less than a day after the MLS Players Union ratified the new collective bargaining agreement, per the official league website.  The LA Galaxy's newest signing, Giovani Dos Santos, will earn roughly $4.1 million this year. That's more than $2 million less than his teammate Steven Gerrard, who is on $6.3 million in annual salary. New York City FC's Frank Lampard is the team's highest-paid player this year at $6 million. Striker David Villa is on approximately $5.6 million, with Andrea Pirlo making just $2.3 million in 2015. However, the Italian midfielder is expected to be paid $8 million annually in the future, per Doug McIntyre of ESPN FC. Toronto FC is spending more than $18 million in yearly salary on its three designated players. Jozy Altidore is on close to $4.8 million a year and Sebastian Giovinco makes around $7.1 million on top of Bradley's $6.5 million. Giovinco is the No. 2 earner in MLS. The Seattle Sounders are paying U.S. international ...

MLS: Get Ready for the LA Galaxy-New York City FC Comparisons

The L.A. Galaxy signed Mexico international Giovani dos Santos on Wednesday, as announced on the team’s official website. This is the latest move in a crazy summer for both the Galaxy and New York City FC. It's also going to lead to several comparisons between these two clubs. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard will be monitored closely to see which ex-England international outdoes the other. The former will also be likened to David Beckham, which has already happened. Of course, whichever team makes it further in the playoffs will have bragging rights. The club who bows out early will be subject to ridicule, given the money that was spent. NYCFC is spending around $20 million on their three designated players’ annual wages. Andrea Pirlo is earning $8 million annually, according to Doug McIntyre of ESPN FC. Lampard is on $6 million a year, as is Spanish striker David Villa. Playoffs will be the minimum requirement given this investment. The Galaxy will be paying Dos Santos around $6 million a year, as noted by Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. It's also believed to be around the same amount Gerrard will make. The Galaxy will be under immense pressure if they don’t win MLS Cup. Jack Randall of ...

Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard Call-Ups to MLS All-Star Game Are an Embarrassment

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard joined their Major League Soccer clubs this month, and neither player has played a single competitive minute for their respective teams. Despite their inactivity, commissioner Don Garber added the former England internationals to the All-Star Game roster, per the official league website. This news is an absolute embarrassment for MLS. Following the announcement, MLS players voiced their displeasure over Twitter, via Total-MLS.com. It's clear what Garber's intentions were for adding the New York City FC and LA Galaxy stars. He wants more viewers to watch the All-Star Game on July 29. Most soccer fans know who Lampard and Gerrard are, so he must believe that if they play in this match, it will attract more attention. If Garber's sole purpose was to raise the awareness of the game and the league, he accomplished both tasks. However, this is bad publicity. This does not send a positive message to the players, fans or casual onlookers. If two marquee players can be added to the All-Star Game without playing in a single MLS match, it's a slap in the face to deserving candidates. Sebastian Giovinco wasn't voted into the game by the fans, but surely he'll be selected by head coach Pablo Mastroeni. ...

MLS Power Rankings: Sporting Kansas City Reclaims No. 1 Spot

MLS team rosters were depleted this week thanks to the Gold Cup, and that helped several sides upset the top clubs.  The Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union defeated two of the Western Conference's best teams in the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. The Colorado Rapids also picked up a much-needed win over their rival Real Salt Lake. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City edged the Vancouver Whitecaps on the road. SKC has lost just once in its last 10 games, but where does the rest of the league sit after the weekend? Here are the MLS power rankings after Week 19.Begin Slideshow

New York City FC’s ‘Win Now’ Philosophy Comes with Benefits and Setbacks

New York City FC has been active this summer. It signed Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo as the club's third designated player, per the official MLS website. NYCFC also acquired former Athletic Bilbao defender Andoni Iraola and Manchester City youngster Jose Angel Tasende in June. It's clear that the expansion side wants success right away and is aiming to make a splash in MLS. However, like every other philosophy, ignoring the long-term future has some negative connotations for NYCFC. In March, when ex-Barcelona midfielder Xavi was linked to the club, head coach Jason Kreis revealed that the signing wouldn't make any sense, per Goal.com's Ives Galarcep. Kreis hinted that it would be best for the team to acquire a younger designated player. The same issue was brought up again when the rumors of Pirlo joining NYCFC first surfaced. In all likelihood, Kreis and his assistants reiterated their desire for a younger designated player, but ownership insisted on the Italian midfielder instead, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News: If City Football Group did pursue Pirlo despite the protests from staff, it presents some new issues. Firstly, Kreis will be forced to shuffle his lineup and possibly tinker his system to accommodate Pirlo and Frank Lampard ...

MLS Power Rankings: Vancouver Whitecaps and DC United Knocked out of the Top 2

Several MLS sides lost players to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and it showed this weekend across the league. The biggest (and arguably the only) upset came on Saturday night when the Vancouver Whitecaps lost 2-1 to the Colorado Rapids. The team the Whitecaps were chasing, the Seattle Sounders, snapped a three-game losing streak with a narrow 1-0 win over D.C. United on Friday. The victory moved the Sounders back to the top of the Western Conference. Elsewhere, Toronto FC failed to defeat the LA Galaxy for the 10th straight time after a humiliating 4-0 defeat, albeit the Reds were without Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore. These results have significantly altered the top five, including the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Who overtook Vancouver and D.C.?Begin Slideshow

MLS Power Rankings: Whitecaps Still No. 1, Sounders Continue to Fall

MLS' Rivalry Week lived up to its billing after some monumental results. The Portland Timbers capped off the weekend with an emphatic 4-1 home win over the depleted Seattle Sounders. The victory came just four days after the Timbers were embarrassed 5-0 by the L.A. Galaxy, who lost 3-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes in the California Clasico.  Elsewhere, Toronto FC earned four more points with a victory over their Canadian rivals, the Montreal Impact, and a draw versus D.C. United. The Vancouver Whitecaps recorded their third away win in a row after a narrow 2-1 triumph over the 10-man New England Revolution on Saturday. As a result, the Whitecaps sit alone at the top of the Western Conference. Due to these results, the power rankings have been significantly altered and may contain a few surprises this week.Begin Slideshow