5 Reasons Why Steven Gerrard Isn’t the Right Fit for the LA Galaxy

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is set to join the L.A. Galaxy after signing an 18-month contract, per Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC. The deal will reportedly be worth a pro-rated $6 million per year. MLS will pick up $750,000 of Gerrard's salary. At first look, signing the Reds captain is a great move for the Galaxy. Gerrard is a marketable player so LA will sell more merchandise, tickets, advertising and generate more revenue as a result.  However, there are negatives to signing the Liverpool legend. His position on the team is unknown and MLS is a unique league and difficult to understand. The cons will be ranked in terms of how hard these potential issues can be resolved. Here are five reasons why Gerrard isn't the right fit for the LA Galaxy.Begin Slideshow

Steven Gerrard Move to MLS Is Good for League, Bad for LA Galaxy

Steven Gerrard looks set to join Major League Soccer, with his most likely destination appearing to be the LA Galaxy. After announcing that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the current season, Gerrard confirmed that he would be coming to play in America, and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle has reported that he will be joining the Galaxy on an 18-month contract worth $6 million per year. While the signing will be good for MLS overall, it looks to be a bad decision on the Galaxy's part for a number of reasons. Having won the MLS Cup in three of the last four seasons, the Galaxy will enter the 2015 season with a Landon Donovan-sized hole in their roster—one they seem to be intent on filling with Gerrard. The problem lies in the fact that Gerrard is not a like-for-like replacement for Donovan, who normally occupied a wide-midfield role for the Galaxy. Gerrard, who made his bones as an attacking midfielder for Liverpool, has become a holding midfielder in the twilight of his career. But the Galaxy already have an established center-midfield combination: Marcelo Sarvas and Juninho (assuming both stay healthy). That means Galaxy coach Bruce Arena will be forced to either push one of ...

How Frank Lampard Decision Affects New York City FC’s Inaugural Season

Now that the inevitable is finally over with, New York City FC is under more pressure to put a winning product on the field starting in March. Frank Lampard is officially a Manchester City player until at least the end of May. There is absolutely nothing head coach Jason Kreis or director of football operations Claudio Reyna can do about it now.  Instead of lamenting every time Lampard steps on the pitch in a Man City shirt, fans of the club should embrace the challenge presented to club's brass.  Now seems like a good time to remind everyone with an opinion on this topic that Kreis built Real Salt Lake out of nothing into a consistent contender in the Western Conference.  Kreis also prepared for the lack of Lampard's presence by selecting Ned Grabavoy in December's Expansion Draft. While he may not possess the quality of the English international, Grabavoy was a rock in the defensive half of midfield for RSL before leaving for the bright lights of New York City.  With two months left in the offseason, Kreis has the opportunity to go out and find another player of Grabavoy's quality to shore up the defensive part of midfield.  The months leading up to March's ...

Frank Lampard Staying at Manchester City Is Bad for New York City FC and MLS

When Major League Soccer's expansion franchise New York City FC signed English midfielder Frank Lampard as one of their designated players for the 2015 MLS season, it seemed like a great move for the club and MLS in general. But because Lampard was signed in July and NYCFC was not scheduled to begin playing until the 2015 MLS season, Lampard was loaned out for the remainder of 2014 to Manchester City. Initially, the move seemed to make perfect sense. NYCFC is owned by the same group that owns Manchester City and NYCFC would want Lampard to stay active over the next six months until the 2015 MLS season began. However, now that Lampard's loan stint is nearing an end, there has been wide speculation (via The Mirror) that he will be staying with Manchester City after the New Year—a move that would be terrible for both NYCFC and MLS. When Lampard was first signed by NYCFC, the old adage about MLS being a "retirement" league was trotted out again. Lampard, while a legend with Chelsea, was out of contract and, at 36 years of age, his top-flight club career seemed near its end. However, one of the primary factors in Manchester City's desire to keep ...

Sporting Kansas City Are the Early Winners of the MLS Offseason

Despite being less than a month old, the Major League Soccer offseason has already seen a ton of action. Numerous acquisition drafts have been held, and a few clubs have ventured into the international market to sign players. One of the busiest teams over the last few weeks has been Sporting Kansas City, who are in the middle of a much-needed rebuild following a late-season collapse in 2014.  Some of the familiar faces like Matt Besler, Graham Zusi and Dom Dwyer will still be around for the 2015 campaign, but plenty of new names will make up the supporting cast around the three stars.  One of the biggest moves of the offseason so far came on the day after the MLS Cup Final, when the 2013 MLS Cup champion sent defensive stalwart Aurelien Collin to expansion side Orlando City.  While some may have been surprised by the trade, Sporting KC needed to make changes in the back four, which made countless errors throughout the final two months of the regular season. Collin had to be moved because of issues with the salary cap, per a report from MLSSoccer.com. But Sporting did get a strong player in return, as Jalil Anibaba was sent to the club after ...

Report: Roma’s Daniele De Rossi Considering New York City FC and Red Bulls

Roma stalwart and Italy international Daniele De Rossi is considering a switch to New York City FC, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia). Empire of Soccer's Dave Martinez also claims that De Rossi is also garnering interest from the New York Red Bulls. De Rossi has been linked with other clubs over the past couple of years, including Manchester City of the English Premier League, per Huw Silk of The Telegraph. However, the 31-year-old also has one stipulation. He'll only leave if Roma wins the Scudetto this season. The Giallorossi are only three points behind league-leaders Juventus after 16 games. De Rossi has a house in the United States and spends some of his vacations across the Atlantic. A move to the U.S. wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the midfielder. The World Cup winner nearly left the team a few years ago, but he decided to stay after Roma lost to city rivals Lazio in the 2012/13 Coppa Italia final. New York City FC could use a player of De Rossi's ilk. He's an excellent box-to-box midfielder who can break up any oncoming attack and transition the play forward. He can also play as a center back if necessary. One of NYC ...

Why the Signing of Erick Torres Is a Game-Changer for Houston and MLS

When the Houston Dynamo unveiled Erick "Cubo" Torres as their newest signing Tuesday night, team president Chris Canetti had the perfect words to describe the move.  "This is a monumental signing," Canetti said in the team's press release announcing the deal for the electric 21-year-old Mexican forward.  Torres will join up with the Dynamo after a six-month loan spell at his former club, Chivas de Guadalajara.  When he enters the fray in Houston, Torres will become the marquee name in the lineup, who Houston fans have been waiting to see for a long time.  The Dynamo have always had productive players in attack like Brian Ching, Will Bruin and Brad Davis. But the popularity of those three players combined will not match the recognition Torres receives when he begins his time in the Lone Star State.  For years, Houston has been searching for a player to attract the massive Hispanic audience in the city. By obtaining Torres from Chivas, the Dynamo have done just that.  Not only did the Dynamo need Torres to create a more passionate fanbase than they already had, the acquisition will help new manager Owen Coyle adjust to the league faster. Coyle, who comes to MLS after managerial stints at Burnley, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan ...

Top 10 Moments of 2014 in U.S. Soccer

Major League Soccer and the U.S. men's national team had a memorable 2014. The World Cup produced some magical memories and heartbreaking moments that no one will ever forget. An American legend also walked into the sunset after an incredible career. As the year comes to a close, this slideshow will highlight the top 10 moments in U.S. soccer in 2014. They will be graded on the historic and present-day impact on the sport in the United States. Here are the top 10 moments of 2014 in U.S. soccer.Begin Slideshow

7 Players Who Deserve to Be Designated Players in MLS

Major League Soccer is entering a new era in 2015, as Thierry Henry and Landon Donovan will no longer be around to display their talents on the pitch.  Filling the void of the two stars will not be an easy task, but the designated-player rule does make things a bit easier for clubs to go out and find new talent. Although acquiring outside talent is popular, some clubs opt to reward their current players with designated-player contracts. The latest example of this is New York locking up Bradley Wright-Phillips for the long term after the 2014 season ended.  With Wright-Phillips' signing in mind, here is a look at seven other current MLS players who are deserving of a designated-player contract. Begin Slideshow

5 Major Issues Concerning MLS CBA Negotiations

Before the 2015 Major League Soccer season can begin, a new collective bargaining agreement must be negotiated by the league and the players' union.  Last time the two sides went to the negotiating table, the discussions went down to the final week of the offseason before the 2010 campaign.  This time around, negotiations are expected to be intense in order to improve the rapidly expanding league, which will see two expansion sides enter the fray in March.  Here is a look at five of the key issues surrounding the MLS CBA negotiations. Begin Slideshow