How does this look for a best XI lineup. Â This is the group that was named to the MLS best XI
for this 2009 season. Â Only a single player from the best XI will be represented in the MLS Cup
this Sunday. Â That is of course Landon Donovan US player of the decade.
Conor Casey Jeff Cunningham
Dwayne De Rosario Landon Donovan Stuart Holden Shalrie Joseph Freddie Ljungberg
Geoff Cameron Wilman Conde Chad Marshall
Zach Thornton
So what do you think, is this a good lineup?
Click to continue reading...
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris (Lyon)
Hugo Lloris showed Liverpool fans why he is France's number one keeper. While the Reds poured on
the pressure he stood firm and made some brilliant saves early on against Kuyt, Torres, and
Voronin. It took a wonder-strike from Babel to finally beat him.
Centre Back: Lucio (Internazionale)
Lucio showed why he is rated so highly around Europe.
Click to continue reading...
Goalkeeper: Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow)
Despite being on the losing side Akinfeev kept his team close with Manchester United testing him
eight times and only finding the net once. The Russian international is a top-class keeper and
denied the likes of Berbatov Valencia a number of times.
Centre-Back: Sebastien Squillaci (Sevilla FC)
Squillaci has plenty of Champions League experience and is will be an important part of
Sevilla's side if they want to make a run.
Click to continue reading...
It nearly happened. USA came so close to shaking up football's natural order in this 2009
instalment of the Confederations Cup. They ended Spain's long unbeaten run, a feat nobody thought
possible (I...
Click to continue reading...
In honor of Barcelona's historic season the 2008-09 La Liga Best XI will take the formation of a
4-3-3. As you might expect the side will have a distinct Blaugrana feel to it.
Goalkeeper:
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
The Real Madrid stopper is the best goalkeeper in the world and was one of the few bright spots in
Los Merengues' trophy-less 08-09 campaign.
Click to continue reading...
Ladies & Gentlemen, the end of the Serie A season means that we have to choose a Best XI. The
following 11 players and coach were our standout players from an exciting Serie A season. Here are
the Serie A's Best XI for 2008-09:
Goalkeeper:
Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)
The Nerazzurri & Brazil #1 has become the best keeper in Italy and the 2nd best keeper in the world
behind Real Madrid's Iker Casillas.
Click to continue reading...
All-Star Games are as All-American as Chevrolet, mom, and apple pie. The most famous and storied
All-Star Game in the US is, of course, the one belonging to Major League Baseball, which was first
played at Chicago's Comiskey Park in 1933. The NBA's All-Star Game, which, like the MLB version, is
a midseason game, runs a distant second, while the NFL Pro-Bowl, is an all but ignored after
thought that could disappear and no would really notice, especially since it takes place after the
Super Bowl and serves more as a hangover then as one last taste of gridiron until August.
Click to continue reading...
This week it's the turn of James Webb's best ever Spurs side in Dexy's Monday feature, The Ultimate
11's. The Den will be giving you your moment in the spotlight. Choose your teams greatest ever 11
plus 3 subs from 1970 onwards (consult with Grandpa Joe or uncle Jimbob for references).
Click to continue reading...
Introducing Dexy's brand new Monday feature, The Ultimate 11. The Den will be giving you your
moment in the spotlight. Choose your teams greatest ever 11 plus 3 subs from 1970 onwards (consult
with Grandpa Joe or uncle Jimbob for references). Do you really know your clubs proud history or
are you just a teenage glory hunter?
Click to continue reading...
Off the Post 10 February @ 12:38 PM EST
Our pick of the world's footballing talent Chris at Twofootedtackle has challenged Off The Post and
a host of other football blogs to come up with our World XI. A blog equivalent of a chain letter?
Perhaps, but we are suckers for talking football. Now, as you may have noticed, we are not ones for
taking [.
Click to continue reading...
Not a surprising announcement today considering his nomination for Best Defender this year, but
Wizards captain, Jimmy Conrad has been named to the MLS Best XI. This is Conrad's 4th appearance on
the Best XI team. In 2008, Conrad played all 2700 minutes for the Wizards along with teammate Kevin
Hartman, they were 2 of 6 players in the league to accomplish that.
Click to continue reading...
Just-Football 10 November @ 01:27 AM EST
Over at the impressive Soccer By Ives, a recent reader email prompted discussion as to the world's
ten best goalkeepers. On that list are some of the usual suspects (Cech, Casillas, Buffon etc) and
then two names that come as more of a surprise: Brad Friedel and Tim Howard. Now, as anyone who
reads SBI will know, the site in question tags itself as 'the world of soccer with an American
voice'
Click to continue reading...
Just-Football 12 February @ 07:25 PM EST
Thats it. Egypt. As Mohamed Aboutreika gracefully slid the ball past Idriss Carlos Kameni and bowed
his head down onto Accra's turf in measured jubilation, the fervent multitude of people gripped by
the 2008 African Cup of Nations were presented their answer to the ultimate question, the one that
had nagged away at them for weeks.
Click to continue reading...
Found this Yahoo article tonight with the Best XI this season for MLS, voted on by Martin Rogers
(Yahoo! Sports), Grahame Jones (
Los Angeles Times), Steven Goff (
Washington Post),
Greg Daurio (MLSnet.com), Scott French (
MLS Magazine), Frank Dell'Apa (
Boston Globe)
and Michael Lewis (
New York Daily News).
So here's the roster
Brad Guzan
Michael Parkhurst - Wade Barrett - ClaudioSuarez - Jimmy Conrad
Shalrie Joseph - Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Ben Olsen - Cuauhtemoc Blanco
Juan Pablo Angel - Luciano Emilio
No Wizards made the "bench.
Click to continue reading...
The season is winding down and it is almost time to select our first annual Major League Soccer
Talk Best XI. Any listener is welcome to submit a vote via email at
kartik@majorleaguesoccertalk.com
Here is what we are for:
1 Goalkeeper
3 Defenders
5 Midfielders
2 Forwards
No limit exists on games played so you can vote for Blanco (or Beckham if you so choose)
We want to announce the Best XI on a podcast following the final regular season game in two weeks.
Click to continue reading...
The Back Four 18 September @ 09:47 AM EST
First off -- a breakdown of Saturday and Sunday's premier league action -- and shame on the Toons
for losing to cellar-dwellar's Derby - Michael Owen might have injured himself in the embarrassing
result.
Here's the Best XI:
TEAM OF THE WEEK GK: Pepe Reina (Liverpool)
LCB: Stephen Kelly (Birmingham)
CB: Kolo Toure (Arsenal)
RCB: Nemanja Vidic (Man United)
LM: Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham)
CM: Michael Johnson (Man City)
CM: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
RM: Lee Bowyer (West Ham)
ST: Dean Ashton (West Ham)
ST: Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)
ST: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal)
Manager: Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
My star of the weekend was Cesc Fabregas, who was absolutley brilliant and is quickly making people
forget about Thierry Henry.
Click to continue reading...
The Back Four 02 September @ 11:28 PM EST
David Warner at AOL Sportshouse with another entertaining break down of Saturday and Sunday's
fixtures.
The best XI from ESPN:
GK: Robert Green (West Ham)
LCB: Joleon Lescott (Everton)
CB: Zat Knight (Aston Villa)
RCB: David Wheater (Boro)
LM: Matt Etherington (West Ham)
CM: Xabi Alonso (Liverpool)
CM: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
RM: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
ST: Craig Bellamy (West Ham)
ST: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
ST: Michael Owen (Newcastle)
Manager: Martin O'Neill (Villa)
Don't have too many problems with that line-up but I would have to offer up Clint Dempsey who was
all over the pitch over the weekend, contributing 1 goal and 2 assists allowing Fulham to salvage a
point.
Click to continue reading...
