We already knew this, but Avoiding the Drop crunches some numbers to show how Guillermo was the most productive and economical designated player in the league last year:

He had more goals (14), more combined goals and assists (17), and – probably the biggest factor for the Crew – was the cheapest on a per-goal basis* ($38,235).

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(video gol highlights di Lussemburgo-Italia)
IL TABELLINO
LUSSEMBURGO-ITALIA 0-4
Lussemburgo (4-2-3-1): Heil; Laterza, Scholer (27' st Janisch), Pedro, Kettenmeyer; Siebenaler, Gerson (1' st Kitenge); May, Martino, Twimumu (15' st Albanese); Bettmer. All. Holtz (A disposizione: Hahm, Moreira, Geisbusch, Alunni)
Italia (4-4-2): Mannone; De Silvestri, Ariaudo, Ogbonna, Santon; Schelotto (26' st Mustacchio), Bolzoni, Marrone (28' pt Soriano), Barillà ; Okaka (34' st Marilungo), Borini. Click to continue reading...

Is to wait and see how this one plays out. To the Columbus fans, welcome to the silly season.
Lest we forget, everything in the transfer window is dramatic with Guille. Remember when he first came to Columbus? It took forever to get the deal signed, McCullers was back and forth, the deal was announced before it was finalized, and yours truly was beside himself:

So McCullers can introduce this guy to the press.

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Brutta sconfitta per gli azzurrini di Casiraghi. L'Ungheria, trascinata dal barese Koman, affossa l'Italia con un secco due a zero. Nulla da fare per Balotelli e compagni, sempre più lontani dai playoff e, dunque, vicini all'eliminazione dall'Europeo, categoria Under 21. Anche le Olimpiadi di Londra 2012 sono sempre più distanti. Click to continue reading...

While we are no big fan of the playoff structure in MLS, it seems to be a necessary evil in a North American league for now. The 2009 MLS Playoffs have actually been quite good though with 3 out of the 4 teams who remain being deserving. Sometimes however, there are off the field occurrences which can be just as interesting. 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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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...

Week 28 in MLS was supposed to be a chance for teams chasing playoff berths to score clutch victories and grab hold of their opportunities to secure a place in the post-season. Only two team, the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew, did that.

While the Crew already had a hammerlock on a playoff spot, the Revolution was the only team currently in the heart of the playoff race to secure three points (unless you count FC Dallas, which is holding on to the longest of longshots for the playoffs thanks to a suddenly unstoppable offense).

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Week 28 in MLS was supposed to be a chance for teams chasing playoff berths to score clutch victories and grab hold of their opportunities to secure a place in the post-season. Only two team, the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew, did that.

While the Crew already had a hammerlock on a playoff spot, the Revolution was the only team currently in the heart of the playoff race to secure three points (unless you count FC Dallas, which is holding on to the longest of longshots for the playoffs thanks to a suddenly unstoppable offense).

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Since I've led off the last two Mondays with late game PK's (deserved or otherwise) I figure it's only fair to show this effort, whereupon I will propose that in the future any similar effort shall be known as "a Kljestan", as in "Boy, I was really pissed when Kevin Stott called that phantom hand ball PK, but fortunately the shooter pulled a Kljestan, so it didn't matter"
When the first people who come up to you after a PK effort are both wearing your opponents' uniform, you've really screwed the pooch. Click to continue reading...

While many of you are waiting for today's UEFA Champions League action to kick off, here are some more answers to questions submitted in the most recent Q&A.

It's a small batch, eleven answers to be exact. The topics range from the Columbus Crew, to future U.S. national team managers what's on my TIVO, to Chris Rolfe's impending departure from Chicago.

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It was a busy week in Major League Soccer with a full set of matches starting with a midweek match (KC Wizards at DC United). The Columbus Crew played the Houston Dynamo in a matchup of the top teams in both Conferences which was the marquee match of the weekend. Overall the playoff races are getting closer and closer with only another month left in the regular season.

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Pari agricolo A Crotone si gioca a porte semi aperte. Il mancato adeguamento dello stadio alle normative sulla sicurezza (e non solo) schiude le porte dello Scida agli abbonati, ma continua a tenere fuori dagli spalti il resto dei tifosi. E' difficile poter parlare di calcio, quando i protagonisti corrono su un terreno di gioco adatto più a girarci un documentario sulla semina della patata di Budrio. Click to continue reading...

The MLS individual awards race is heating up! Even though we shouldn't give this things out until after the playoffs. Remember all those Houston Dynamo players we had on the Best XI last year? And all those DC United players we had the year before that?
Kristian Dyer nominates Schelotto, Thornton, Keller, Joseph, Montero and Donovan as the MVP frontrunners - Landon's his pick at the moment, with which I agree. Click to continue reading...

If you don't believe me, just ask David Healy or Pau Gascoigne. Click to continue reading...

The best team in Major League Soccer faces the worst in the last MLS match of the weekend as the COlumbus Crew take on the New York Red Bulls.

Given the sad state of the Red Bulls it's almost a sin to remind folks that this is a rematch of last year's MLS Cup, but it is.

Click to continue reading...

Americans Abroad / USMNT
Yanks Go Three For Four In Carling Cup - USSoccerPlayers
Altidore Scores In Carling Cup On Good Day For Americans - Soccer By Ives
Jozy Altidore, America's Soccer Idol - Match Fit USA
Altidore Scores In First Hull Start - Extra Time (NY Post)
Hull City And Altidore Keep Rolling - Goal (NY Times)
World Cup Qualifiers Rock & Why US Fans Are Slow To Catch On - Daily Soccer Fix
USA Youth Stars Renken, Gyau Sign Deals With 1899 Hoffenheim - Soccer By Ives
Report: US U-17 Stars Renken & Gyau To Bundesliga's Hoffenheim - Extra Time
Hoffenheim Land Gyau, Renken - No Short Corners
Tobin Undeterred By Demotion - Yanks Abroad
USMNT, The Season Ahead: Part 1, The Keepers - The Post: A Keeper's Best Friend
Chicago Fire
Sold! Click to continue reading...

These people don't look a bit surprised to see the likes of Blanco, Schelotto, and Chris Klein rolling into there house with the TV delivery man. What they really needed here was a big, over-sized check. That would have really sold it and made it all believable Those things always make people freak out when they answer the door. Click to continue reading...

According to MLSnet (click here for the original article and all the details), Kinnear's six picks to round out the roster are:
-GK Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo)
-MF Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)
-FW Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo)
-DF Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Seattle Sounders)
-FW Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders) -replacing Schelotto who is injured
-MF Davy Arnaud (Kansas City Wizards)
Making a final roster for the 2009 MLS All Stars:
Goalkeeper: Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC), Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo)
Defenders: Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Wilman Conde (Chicago Fire), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Seattle Sounders FC), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)
Midfielders: Davy Arnaud (Kansas City Wizards), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders FC), Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)
Forwards: Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders FC)
What do you think? Click to continue reading...

Americans Abroad / USMNT
Onyewu Passes Milan Medical, Heads To US - SI.com
Video: Exclusive 1-on-1 Interview With Jozy Altidore - MLS Rumors
Tickets For USA-Mexico Qualifier On Sale Saturday - Soccer By Ives
Telemundo For USA-Mexico - Soccer Insider
No ESPN For USA-Mexico - Match Fit USA
USA Roster Update - Soccer Insider
End To End: The Gold Cup Edition - Goal. Click to continue reading...

[Photo: Rio Tinto Stadium]We now know the MLS All-Star Game starting line-up that will face Everton in Salt Lake City on July 29th (and the voting breakdown that got us there). Setting aside that I find it silly to squeeze the voting into a 3-5-2, here was my media ballot, which I filed about two weeks back:Keller; Boswell, Conde, Hurtado; Joseph, Nagamura, Schelotto, Arnaud, Davis ; Casey, Click to continue reading...

It was another light schedule with SuperLiga matches taking place this weekend. There were 2 matches on Saturday and 2 on Sunday with several teams continuing to recover from bad starts. After a bad start, the Columbus Crew have found their form from last season as they stand 2nd in the Eastern Conference.

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Is it early to crown Schelotto league MVP? Probably, but if you want to crown his ass, then crown his ass. He's killed it so far this season but at his age who knows if he can keep it up for the duration. Which begs the question, "Do they make a soccer-specific Viagra?" Click to continue reading...

What a difference a year makes.

That is the first thought that comes to mind in this rematch of the MLS Cup Final, as the Bulls travel out to Columbus to face the Crew. And wouldn't you know it; the Crew will be given their championship rings in a pregame ceremony. How fitting.

Schelotto and his league leading 10 goals will be aiming their cannons at the Red Bulls early and often.

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It's another light schedule in Major League Soccer as 4 teams are competing in the SuperLiga this weekend. Here's a full preview and predictions of the four matches, with two on Saturday, and two on Sunday.

New York Red Bulls at Columbus Crew - Saturday - 7:30 PM EST - The Red Bulls have been the worst team in the league as they struggle to score goals each week.

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Americans Abroad / USMNT
USMNT Preliminary Gold Cup Roster Revealed - Soccer By Ives
Thoughts On The US Gold Cup Squad - MLS Talk
Who Gets The Start vs Egypt? - MLS Daily
Egyptian Connections - The MNT Blog
US Team Has Lacked Any Kind Of Spark In Confederations Cup - Miami Herald
What Do US Fans Expect From The USMNT? Click to continue reading...

FC Frisco Suckfest faces the defending MLS Champion Columbus Crew tonight at Pizza Hut Park...and I could care less.
From Post: Preview: FCD vs. Columbus Crew
"Yes, we know. The team stinks. It's a rebuilding year. And the coach isn't really committed to rebuilding. A bunch of players are injured, and some aren't the right fit. Click to continue reading...

The Crew are headed down South this weekend to visit the sister club FC Dallas. The team is red- hot and are coming off a win against Chivas USA last weekend. As for Dallas they are coming from a loss against Houston which ended their unbeaten streak. Schelotto is currently at the top of the Golden Boot standings with 10 goals.

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OK, starting this weekend off already 1-0 is a nice, nice way to begin, let me tell you.
It just continues my roll, where I finished 4-4 last week, good for a nice (or at least nicer than it has been) 33-51 mark. (not including Dynamo's solid win against the las chivitas). Click to continue reading...

The Major League Soccer season is nearing the half-way point and the Houston Dynamo continue their hot streak to stay atop this week's power rankings. Columbus and Los Angeles both got much needed wins on the road and Chivas continues it dominance in the Western Conference. Overall, the Eastern Conference is extremely close with 6 teams within 6 points of each other.

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It's a full set of matches in Major League Soccer this week with Chivas USA hosting Chicago on Thursday, 6 games on Saturday, and one more on Sunday. On Wednesday Columbus played San Jose and won 2-1 with a goal from Schelotto. Chivas vs Chicago will be the marquee match as its the top team in the East battling the top team in the West.

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MLSnet Game Preview
- Conference Leaders Chivas, Fire Collide
Americans Abroad/USMNT
Hejduk Sidelined By Groin Injury, Set To Miss Costa Rica Match - Soccer By Ives
ESPN Getting It Done - The MNT Blog
U.S. National Team: Left-Back Quandary Continues - MLS Talk
Edu: Walter's The Top Man - Rangers FC official site
End To End: Casey On The NT Mapp - Goal. Click to continue reading...

The Major League Season is nearly a 1/3 finished and Brian McBride and Josh Wolff currently lead the league with 6 goals. Â As far as goalkeepers, Zach Thornton and Kasey Keller lead the way in stats so far. Â Overall, the MVP race is still very much in the air but a few candidates from to mind. Schelotto is again near the top with 5 goals and 1 assist but Columbus has struggled.

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This week's video mash-up is very long -- many games, many goals/defensive lapses.
Lineup notes, then a guide to the highlight reel. Home teams listed first
Kansas City 1, D.C. United 1
- D.C. notes: Quaranta up front with Moreno; Barklage replacing Gomez in middle; Jacobson replacing Olsen; Avery John starts at LB sted Jakovic. Click to continue reading...

Well, after my prediction barrage two weeks ago, I continue to prove a few things.
One is that it's a durn fine thing I stay away from Las Vegas, though I fully expect to get multiple invitations from sports book owners very soon.
Two, when your crystal ball is cracked, you really should chuck it in the garbage. Click to continue reading...