It's how he'd want to be rememberedThe man who filled the coveted "Supervillain" role after Maxim Usanov left town has been unceremoniously dispatched himself. Without having to sabotage a giant laser, use a submarine Lotus or rake any moons, TFC waived Mikael Yourassowsky from the roster.

Saturday's match against Stoke didn't provide much in the way of top quality individual performances to look back on over the longest break between games in December or January, but amongst the many disappointing showings was yet another quality outing for Martin Skrtel. Six months ago fans impatiently waited for Phil Jones or Scott Dann to arrive on the transfer market and bump the Slovak down the depth chart, and now all the rugged defender does is turn in one man of the match calibre performance after another.

The Colombia-to-Portland pipeline is back in action.

The Portland Timbers announced the acquisition of 24-year-old defender Hanyer Mosquera, a 6-foot-1 centerback expected to come in and add a dominating presence along the Portland back line. Mosquera becomes the fourth Colombian on the Timbers, joining Designated Players Diego Chara and Jose Adolfo Valencia and forward Jorge Perlaza.

With roster competition and depth chart talk occupying the pre-training camp conversation online, we thought it would be good to give a visual after the most recent additions to the team (Christian Sivebaek, Andrew Duran and Babayele Sodade) being highly unknown we're not going to guess at their flexibility.

The New York Red Bulls announced this morning that they have signed young American right back, Jonathan Borrajo. The Clifton, New Jersey native played in the Red Bulls academy before signing on with the USL 2nd Division side, Real Maryland, in 2009. In his rookie year, he played every minute with his team and was a finalist for the USL2 Defender of the Year award.

It wasn't all bad in the early going for Liverpool. The club was comfortably in the top ten in spite of the various struggles and unanswered questions, and there was a win in the derby over Everton despite Dirk Kuyt's first ever penalty miss for Liverpool to boost spirits. It might not have been the start fans had been hoping for after the way the previous season had ended, but it also wasn't the end of the world.

Photo: Paul Rudderow

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of season reviews of every Philadelphia Union player. Over the next several weeks PSP continues with a review of the 2011 season.

It was a disappointing second year for Jack McInerney.

In the first part of this series, we ran the rule over the current United roster. In this second part, we'll compile a list of wants by position, setting us up for the grand finale, where we put those wants in order...

Would you trust this man with your roster?

GOALKEEPER

Needs: Hamid and Willis are solid in the first two spots on the depth chart, so there shouldn't be much work to do here.

Featured image: Nicolae Stoian

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of season reviews of every Philadelphia Union player. Over the next several weeks PSP continues with a review of the 2011 season.

At the end of the 2010 season, the jury was still out on Kyle Nakazawa.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of season reviews of every Philadelphia Union player. Over the next several weeks PSP continues with a review of the 2011 season.

In the Philadelphia Union's signature win of 2011, a 1-0 home victory over the New York Red Bulls, praise was deservedly lavished on the two second half substitutes who combined for the winning tally.

Photo: Earl Gardner

Raving about Roger Torres is as natural as dooping for Union fans. Ever since he made his first chicken-armed run onto the pitch, the teenager has been an electric presence.

But it is one thing to create electricity and quite another to control it.

Blossoming

In 2011, Roger Torres grew from a player with skill into a skilled playmaker.

Some quick bits of news on four Kansas City players from this past season. First, with regards to the re-entry draft (more on the draft as a whole later). Kansas City has two players that have been played into the draft, Luke Sassano and Shavar Thomas. Neither one is incredibly surprising. Thomas was 100% expected after he wasn't waived, the Jamaican international made only 3 substitute appearances in MLS play this past season.

Tuesday's 3-2 win in ridiculously foggy Slovenia was big for the U.S. program. In fact, let's file this one under "Huge."

It must be qualified with this reality: Slovenia doesn't look anything like the close-knit, highly organized side that swept shockingly into World Cup 2010, riding role players and a heavy dose of esprit de corps.

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

BY ADAM SERRANO

CARSON, Calif. – A little more than a week until MLS Cup, the Los Angeles Galaxy's hopes of an MLS Cup took a devastating blow.

Forward Chad Barrett will miss the MLS Cup Final after suffering a dislocated right ankle during the club's training session on Thursday.

Okay so I was sitting here and thinking at this pace we will not be able to vote on all of the players if we do it one at a time. So I am going to start doing them in batches (except for the bigger names). Don't forget to check out the other players in the Community Protected List section.

The P2010 Index tracks every performance of every player who suits up for the National Team during the 2014 World Cup cycle, using match ratings from the country's top soccer writers. The Index factors in recent form, strength of opponent, match type, and location, making it something like Power Rankings for the USMNT.

Time for a new one if we are to get through these before the release of the list. Going to start throwing these up every day now if possible and I have created a Section called Community Protected list. One point of clarification I want to make is that you can vote for as many as you want to keep but the top 11 will be kept based on votes received.

Any starting running back in the NFL has value in fantasy football. With that in mind, go ahead and look for Chris Ogbonnaya as a waiver wire sleeper. The running back for the Cleveland Browns could be thrust into a starting role going forward.

Starter Peyton Hillis got married to Amanda Brown and is now out injured.

12:30pm ET, live in the US on FSC
Last four head-to-head:
1-2 West Brom (a) 04.02.11
1-0 Liverpool (h) 08.29.10
2-0 Liverpool (a) 05.17.09
3-0 Liverpool (h) 11.08.08
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-1 Stoke (a); 1-1 Norwich (h); 1-1 United (h)
West Brom: 2-1 Villa (a); 2-0 Wolves (h); 2-2 Sunderland (a)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Suarez 4; Adam, Bellamy, Carroll, Gerrard, Henderson, Skrtel 1
West Brom: Long 3; Odemwingie 2; Brunt, Morrison, Olsson, Scharner 1
Referee: Lee Mason
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Enrique
Henderson Gerrard Lucas Downing
Carroll Suarez
How much of Wednesday's line-up will Liverpool replicate?

The Krew...

Two games, 1 win, 1 loss from September Camp.

TSG goes diving again into the USMNT...

And now the US will embark for Europe in early-mid November for friendlies against France and Slovenia. Though Slovenia was presumably only chosen because other European nations had commitments, the US finds itself challenged by two vastly different systems and talent levels.

As promised, here is the list of USMNT players (or those hoping to be) that either narrowly missed a position's depth chart or could conceivably climb onto it before the first World Cup qualifier next June.These are listed in alphabetical order and do remember the strength of the Top 5's above can affect how many/who is named here - it's not a straight "these are the best other players overall"

Denis Doyle/Getty Images (Bleacher Report) Despite the signing of Park Chu-Young Arsene Wenger could be in the market for another striking option come January. The daunting task of playing four tournaments at once between the Premier League, FA Cup, Carling Cup and UEFA Chsmpion's League can take its toll on a team that is not supplied with depth.

Yep, the Stuart Holden bad news changed things in both this defensive midfield ranking and the two-way man list to drop on Tuesday. As I said on day one, those injured past January can take drops, as our view here is to the first qualifier.Originally, I had Holden (out until April-ish) as the topper at the #8 position and Michael Bradley atop this depth chart.

Out and about yesterday.

Here, our sentiments on the 22 players that Jurgen Klinsmann is bringing in to USMNT camp.

The big man sheds the "too old, too injured" label...

• Merit to the CB Madness?

Perhaps the player who generated the most buzz yesterday with his selection was Michael Orozco Fiscal.

Picking names....again....

It's that time again.

The moment to toss out a couple of standards and a couple of surprises for who may make the next USMNT roster.

This is the first set of friendlies that at least that we know were made with Klinsmann involved in the decision making.

It's Tuesday night, which means it's time to drop my own personal right center back depth chart - which means it may start to get contentious.The center backs in a 4-3-3 are charged with all the usual duties, but are specifically drilled for counter attack defense and air traffic controlling. Of course, the biggest added responsibility is playing the ball out.

Yes, starting my personal USMNT depth chart reveal in goal is not flashy - but it's Friday, I'm sure you'll all persevere somehow. Naturally, the explanations will expand once we hit the field positions, as will your opportunities to question my sanity.Looking forward in the proper uniform number/4-3-3 role order, I will drop my right back list tomorrow and then hold off with the right center

Photo courtesy of West Virginia media relations

By AVI CREDITOR

Remember the name Eric Schoenle. Opposing forwards have a hard time forgetting it.

Like top college centerbacks Tim Ream and A.J. Soares before him, Schoenle (pronounced SHANE-lee), West Virginia's junior centerback is emerging as a top prospect and has the technical and physical tools that should translate to professional success.

Klinsmann, looking on with great interest...

That's it.

TSG goes diving again into the USMNT...

A mere three matches in the books for the Herr to the throne; time to pass judgments and make ridiculous prognostications on how the US will fare in 2014 and who will be there.

Truth be told, the most recently concluded USMNT September camps did give US fans a very visible look-in on what to expect going forward with the team, not least of which is a measured and educational approach by the headman.

(Photo: Nicolae Stoian)

The old guy can play.

If there was ever any question—and there was—put it to rest now. Veljko Paunovic has earned a spot the field, somewhere. He showed it clearly against Columbus on Saturday in his best game of the season.

When Philadelphia Union signed him, all sorts of questions were raised—some by us —and rightly so.

USA vs. Costa Rica and USA vs. Belgium, right around the corner. Rosters are out sometime later this week.

Something Klinsmann was once very familiar with....

And folks we've settled on it.

With Bob Bradley potentially walking like an Egyptian, there were many suggestions made some technological and many humorous about what replaced our "Bradley's Clipboard.

...And thus, that shall be the first and only time you will see me mention Oxtail-Chamberpot by his full and proper name.

In all seriousness, today both Arsenal and Southampton announced the signing of the young forward to Arsenal, where he will immediately come into the first-team and start training with them.

Every time a semi popular Fire player gets cut, waived or traded there seemingly is someone who pops up and says something along the lines of "we treated this player poorly" or "he was underused!" (otherwise known as the Frankowski Axiom). The most recent case of this was career journeyman Bratislav Ristic.

Sorry for the little delay there in blogging. I've been busier than a one-eyed cat watching two mouse holes lately. Sometimes that work thing gets in the way of blogging. Anyway, Brenton is handling the Emirates Cup stuff for the moment, while I talk about the silly season.

I guess we need to start off at the top, with some Cesc news.

The P2010 Index tracks every performance of every player who suits up for the National Team during the 2014 World Cup cycle, using match ratings from the country's top soccer writers. The Index factors in recent form, strength of opponent, match type, and location, making it something like Power Rankings for the USMNT.

Thorne Holder, a former Trinidad and Tobago youth international, was released by the Philadelphia Union today.

Holder started the season off as the Union's second string goalkeeper, but a concussion and other injury problems relegated him to last on the depth chart, behind Faryd Mondragon and Zac McMath.

Rising Spanish striker Bojan Krkic is on his way to Roma. For at least the next two years anyway.

The Serie A club landed the 20-year-old forward on a €12 million deal from Barcelona, but the defending European champions put a buy-back clause in his contract, meaning they have the option to bring him back to Camp Nou after the 2012-2013 season for a €13 million fee.

Guest TSG contributor, Darius Tahir asks if there is a talent gap between the USMNT and their rivals south of the border.

Freddy Adu. A bright spot for the USMNT in the Gold Cup Final.

Somehow the hysteria has sustained itself for a month or so after the Gold Cup loss; it was traumatic, sure, but that's no reason to draw the wrong conclusions.

Wednesday against Colorado was Kansas City's 17th game of the season, the midway point of the season. KC played 13 of the 17 games on the road in the first half of the season, leaving them with 13 at home in the second half. Here are the midseason grades for Sporting KC players.
Korede Aiyegbusi - INC - Aiyegbusi has only played 93 minutes in league play for KC.

So I was part of the way though prepping a series of posts on probable moves for DC United in the summer transfer window when...

McBoom!

De Boom!

Boom goes my post series.

Hmmm. The best laid plans of mice and fullbacks, eh? Instead of tossing out the whole thing, let me just post what would have been the key conclusions in that series and look at how the moves for De Rosario and McDonald address (or don't address) what I saw as the outstanding needs for United at the midway point.