Make no mistake - Mo Johnston needs to make more than a few good player acquisitions this winter in order to improve TFC. However, the decision that will have the deepest impact on The Reds will be who Johnston hires to manage the team. There are high expectations from the supporters but betting on a big name may not be smart. Click to continue reading...

I know I normally take the weekend's off but I do think this news is noteworthy enough to get me to the laptop to type it out. Steve Goff reported earlier today that former New York Red Bull academy player and Rutgers star Dilly Duka is set to sign with Major League Soccer.

Instead of exploring options in Europe like he had hoped after he left Rutgers earlier this fall, Duke now is set to sign a four-year deal with the league.

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With just over 24 hours to go until the Galaxy-Chivas USA Western Conference semifinal second leg (4:30 p.m. Sunday ESPN2) and the teams deadlocked at 2-2 halfway through what is essentially a 180 minute game (although, of course, it could go longer) here's press box colleague Luis Bueno on the pressure on Chivas USA.

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Soccer Insider reports that US U-20 starlet Dilly Duka has signed with MLS. Duka was exploring options in Europe, but has opted to enter the MLS draft this winter. A product of the Red Bulls academy, he has made it known that he hopes to end up in New Jersey. Seems likely, as Red Bull New York Red Bulls have the second overall pick.

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Kansas City Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad received his second honor of the year for his off-the-field contributions to the Kansas City community. MLS W.O.R.K.S., Major League Soccer's community outreach initiative, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States, announced Friday that Conrad and Chicago Fire midfielder Logan Pause were selected to receive Click to continue reading...

Last night I attended Alex Kotler's Football Partnerships panel, "Tweet: Blowing the Whistle on Social Media." Greg Lalas, Chris Schlosser, Chris Toy and myself were the panelists, and there were some seriously smart people in the room, all with incredible perspectives. It was humbling and insightful to be included among this group to discuss and share information on how we are each using social media to achieve our business objectives.

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That second trivia question was a little tougher, apparently.

Far fewer readers could name one of two goalkeepers who had dressed for both the Galaxy and Chivas USA this season than correctly answered the first question.

The answers: Miguel Benitez of Cal State Dominguez Hills and Kevin Guppy of Cal State Northridge.

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I realize that the last official football match to take place at Giants Stadium was almost two weeks ago between the Red Bulls and Toronto FC, but I still figured I'd throw my two cents in on what was once a football mecca in this country. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the Meadowlands is very mixed feelings.

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MLS on Fox Soccer Channel: New England - Chicago at 8pm. EPL on ESPN2: Spurs - Sunderland at 10am. Setanta has Manchester City - Burnley at 10am and Blackburn - Portsmouth at 6:45pm. On Fox Soccer: Aston Villa - Bolton at 10am and Wolves - Arsenal at 12:30pm. Championship on Setanta: Swansea - Cardiff at 7:45am. Click to continue reading...

by Matt - US Soccer Daily It seems like Jim Mora and many fans around MLS have been on the same page lately. Five playoff matches have been played, and the crowds have been unimpressive, to say the...

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The most highly-anticipated match of the English Premier League season is upon us, and so are some truly can't-miss MLS playoff series deciders.

Chelsea plays host to Manchester United on Sunday with a chance to open up a five-point lead atop the EPL standings, while six MLS teams head into action knowing that defending MLS champions Columbus has been eliminated from the post-season.

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The most highly-anticipated match of the English Premier League season is upon us, and so are some truly can't-miss MLS playoff series deciders.

Chelsea plays host to Manchester United on Sunday with a chance to open up a five-point lead atop the EPL standings, while six MLS teams head into action knowing that defending MLS champions Columbus has been eliminated from the post-season.

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This post is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Or not. It was supposed to be, but apparently I failed. Maybe the Crew really should be moved... Another playoff run, another Columbus disappointment, and...

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Two days until the Galaxy-Chivas USA Western Conference semifinal from Carson's Home Depot Center (4:30 p.m. ESPN2) and the Galaxy blog reports tickets are going fast and the club is considering opening up the grass berm.

Don't have yours yet? Click here.

Suggested reading/listening/viewing:
*Reporter Phil Collin has more on the game here.

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If you have any reasonable level of motivation on Friday, you're a better person than I. I spent about half the time I usually do trying to find interesting links for today's edition of...

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Perhaps not remembering what happened to Duane the last time someone wanted to move the Columbus Crew, Jason Davis over at MatchFit USA decides he wants to take a crack at getting rid of the team everyone loves to hate now that they win a lot.

Last night, only 10,109 could be bothered to watch the men in yellow go down to Real Salt Lake.

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Big Story
Your editor is behind today, as� I spent last night meeting with Chicago Fire owner and chairman Andrew Hauptman, discussing many of the issues I raised in my open letter to Fire ownership last month.

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Friday is here and we are faced with the somewhat surprising reality that the first team eliminated from this year's MLS playoffs is the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew. You can complain all you want about the playoff format, and the fact that Real Salt Lake barely edged its way into the playoffs, but RSL played great soccer when it mattered most, while the Crew bumbled and stumbled to the finish line and ultimately paid for its inconsistency.

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Friday is here and we are faced with the somewhat surprising reality that the first team eliminated from this year's MLS playoffs is the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew. You can complain all you want about the playoff format, and the fact that Real Salt Lake barely edged its way into the playoffs, but RSL played great soccer when it mattered most, while the Crew bumbled and stumbled to the finish line and ultimately paid for its inconsistency.

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51 responses to Jeff Plush's letter to fans on the Rapids' blog as of 10am November 5. It shows there are some passionate fans out there. Not that I ever had any doubt about that. What I do have doubts over are the very future of this club and here's why.
I have never really understood why sports trophies are given to the owners of clubs when they win championships. Click to continue reading...

I've lifted the F-bomb ban on Cut of the Day because it's Friday and I wanna...#1 - In the aftermath of last night's Real Salt Lake upset of the champs, James Edward pops the surprise cork and Shawn Mitchell does the Crew autopsy.#2 - After another loss to Benfica at home last night, Everton keeper Tim Howard knows his side is in a real scrap for the Europa League knockouts. Click to continue reading...

Kansas City Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad and Chicago fire midfielder Logan Pause share the 2009 MLS Humanitarian of the Year award. Conrad is a spokesperson for Athletes Against Autism and the Child Protection Center along with participating in the UN Foundation's Nothing But Nets campaign. Pause participates in the Passback Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Garth Brooks Foundation and the Joshua Center in Chicago. Click to continue reading...

Landon Donovan leads the Galaxy against rivals Chivas. (Getty Images)

One more weekend of action and we will be in the conference finals here. One club is already in and three others will move on this weekend. After last weekend's play the pressure is on a couple home teams to rebound while one just has to keep on doing what they do best in front of their fans.

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We could probably spend a day listing all the difference between our traditional North American sports leagues (MLB, NFL and NBA) with the way European soccer clubs are run, or in fact almost all leagues around the world are run, aside from MLS. For me, one of the key differences is roster construction. Click to continue reading...

Upset? Wow, that crowd was silent on the third RSL goal...

JM

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His Ginger Majesty, Stoner and J Fo preview this weekend's MLS playoff matches from the ESPN mothership in Bristol, CT. Now that Columbus has been knocked off it really seems likes it's anyone's game and anything can happen at this point. I for one have already had to rip up my bracket and we haven't even reached the Conference Finals yet. Click to continue reading...

There will be a new MLS Cup champion in 2009 following Real Salt Lake's upset win over defending champions Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium last night. Real Salt Lake scored the final three goals of the game after falling behind 2-0 to defeat the Crew 3-2 in the match and 4-2 on aggregate. RSL will now advance [. Click to continue reading...

Injury problems. Shoddy defending. Indifferent form. His burgeoning interests off field. Rio Ferdinand's season has been on the wane.

It was on display against Ukraine and since then it has gotten worse. A struggling Rio futilely pulling on Fernando Torres jersey in the Liverpool match as the Spanish striker blasts the ball past Van Der Saar.

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image via Chivas USA

This week's guest on the Jared Montz Soccer Podcast is Jesse Marsch.� Jesse is the captain for Chivas USA in MLS, one of four MLS original members still playing, and he has played in over 300 games at the club level.� Since joining Chivas in 2006 Jesse has been a consistent starter and leader for the Goats.

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Real Salt Lake beat defending MLS Cup champion Columbus 3-2 on Thursday night and 4-2 on aggregate to advance to the next round of Major League Soccer's playoffs. Crew midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto returned to the lineup after being benched for game one and looked like the hero. He scored in the 19th and 35th minutes to put the Crew ahead on aggregate. Click to continue reading...

RSL was down on the strength of two Schelotto goals by the 35th minute and it appeared as if Crew would be able to get over the one goal disadvantage and advance to the quarter finals. But RSL struck back from a Javier Morales goal two minutes later. Ten minutes later, RSL were awarded a penalty by referee Baldemero Toledo, a dubious call on Frankie Hejduk as Espindola went down a bit too easily.

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Major League Soccer is growing and improving but outsiders often criticise the league for having a lack of quality. It is a relatively fast football played in the US, with plenty of big, athletic players of the kind which is becoming so important in so many footballing countries across the world.

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Last year it was Houston falling at home to New York. This year it is Columbus having their season ended by Real Salt Lake. Schelotto did what he could, but it wasn't enough. This result continues to demonstrate that the order of matches in the two-leg format does not help the higher seeded side in MLS as it does elsewhere. Click to continue reading...