Time to revisit my projections for the last time. Who will be available for the Philadelphia Union
to select? The rules were announced recently, and they're exactly the same as the past few
drafts.
The following players should graduate from Generation Adidas status: Alston, Beltran, Frei,
Gonzalez, Hall, Nyarko, Wallace, Zakuani, and Zayner.
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Getting off the topic of the "Hauptman Letter Debate" for a minute, some important info came out
today regarding next Wednesday's MLS expansion draft. Here's the info, per Steve Goff (and
NaperSteve -- who provided the tip):
Philadelphia will select 10 players; current clubs must submit their 11-man protected list by
Monday afternoon; no club will lose more than one player, which means five teams won't lose anyone;
Generation Adidas and home-grown players [(for the Fire that means Baggio Husidic and Patrick
Nyarko] need not be protected; developmental players claimed must be offered a senior contract;
clubs must protect designated players that have no-trade clauses.
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Major League Soccer announced its all-star team today and a certain England midfielder was
missing from the lineup.
The MLS all-stars (Best XI) are chosen by the media, MLS players, MLS coaches and general
managers.
Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton earned his second career Best XI nod.
Click to continue reading...
Conor Casey holds the ball in a 2009 match against Chivas USA at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Casey
was named to the MLS Best XI team (and the ColoradoSoccerNow.com team, too).
(photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey has been named to the Major League Soccer Best XI team.
Click to continue reading...
By now you've heard that the MLS has dropped their official Best XI. And while we'll get to that
at the end of this bit, there's a better way to do that. Some players in the mix didn't belong
there. Hence the reason to build OleOle's own version of the best XI.
Without further adieu, here we go.
Click to continue reading...
First the list, then the thought.
Goalkeeper: Zach Thornton, Chivas USA.
Defenders: Geoff Cameron, Houston; Wilman Conde, Chicago; Chad Marshall, Columbus.
Midfielders: Dwayne De Rosario, Toronto FC; Landon Donovan, Los Angeles; Stuart Holden, Houston;
Shalrie Joseph, New England; Freddie Ljungberg, Seattle.
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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?
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Major League Soccer announced its Best XI on Monday, with no real surprises among the
selections.
MVP finalists Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Cunningham headed the group, while MLS
Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton also got the nod.
Here is the MLS Best XI
GOALKEEPER- Zach Thornton
DEFENDERS- Chad Marshall, Wilman Conde, Geoff Cameron
MIDFIELDERS- Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph, Stuart Holden, Freddie Ljungberg,
Dwayne DeRosario
FORWARDS- Jeff Cunningham, Conor Casey
What's our take?
Click to continue reading...
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Major League Soccer announced its Best XI on Monday, with no real surprises among the
selections.
MVP finalists Landon Donovan, Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Cunningham headed the group, while MLS
Goalkeeper of the Year Zach Thornton also got the nod.
Click to continue reading...
MLS announced it's 2009 Best XI today and one Fire player, defender Wilman Conde, made the list.
It's the first time on the Best XI for the 27-year-old Conde, who made the list despite missing 11
regular season games due to injury.
The honor caps a solid season for Conde, who was a rock in the back for the Fire and even
contributed two goals and two assists on the year.
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On Tuesday, Major League Soccer announced the League's Best Eleven players for 2009. Zach Thornton
(Chivas USA) Chad Marshall (Columbus) - Wilman Conde (Chicago) - Geoff Cameron (Houston) Dwayne De
Rosario (Toronto) - Landon Donovan (Los Angeles) - Stuart Holden (Houston) - Shalrie Joseph (New
England) - Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle) Conor Casey (Colorado) - Jeff Cunningham (Dallas)
Click to continue reading...
WVHooligan 16 November @ 03:27 PM EST
Today Major League Soccer has announced it's Best XI for the 2009 season.
Keeper: Zach Thornton
Defenders (3): Chad Marshall, Wilman Conde, and Geoff Cameron
Midfielders (5): Dwayne De Rosario, Landon Donovan, Stuart Holden, Shalrie Joseph, and Freddie
Ljungberg
Forwards (2): Conor Casey and Jeff Cunningham
Some shockers may jump out at your like Seattle's Ljungberg.
Click to continue reading...
WVHooligan 16 November @ 03:08 PM EST
Expect a new look Fire in 2010. (Getty Images)
The 2009 season for the Chicago Fire was expected to be a big one. Talks of MLS Cup and
Supporter's Shield were all the rage to begin the season. Early on this year it looked like the
expectations were being met as the Fire lost a single game in the first three months of the
season.
Click to continue reading...
Â
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Major League Soccer will be announcing its 2009 MLS Best XI later this afternoon and while some
of the picks are easy to make, some others will be very difficult.
Picking this year's forwards was especially tough, with a half dozen worth candidates for the
Best XI nod.
Click to continue reading...
Â
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Major League Soccer will be announcing its 2009 MLS Best XI later this afternoon and while some
of the picks are easy to make, some others will be very difficult.
Picking this year's forwards was especially tough, with a half dozen worth candidates for the
Best XI nod.
Click to continue reading...
The Major League Soccer 2009 Eastern Conference Final was on Saturday with Real Salt Lake
traveling to face the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park. The winner would move onto the MLS Cup Final
next Sunday against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Here's a recap of the match along with video
highlights.
Real Salt Lake beats Chicago Fire 0-0 (5-4 on penalty kicks) Video
Highlights
It was a close match on Saturday but Real Salt Lake found a way to advance and continue their
improbable run to the MLS Cup Final.
Click to continue reading...
Soccerblog 14 November @ 10:55 PM EST
Three big saves by Rimando in the penalty shootout keeps the Fire out. Ned Grabavoy nails the
winning penalty kick after Fabian Espindola misses his chance. The Fire fell victim to a peculiar
directional bias that made them test Rimando low on his left as Thorrington, Pause, and Prideaux
became predictable.
Click to continue reading...
Photo by ISIphotos.com
The Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake are probably not the teams most observers would have pegged
to be playing for the Eastern Conference title and berth in MLS Cup, but these two teams earned
their places in the Final Four by virtue of strong first-round performances that should lead into a
memorable East Final on Saturday night (8pm, FSC).
Click to continue reading...
Photo by ISIphotos.com
The Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake are probably not the teams most observers would have pegged
to be playing for the Eastern Conference title and berth in MLS Cup, but these two teams earned
their places in the Final Four by virtue of strong first-round performances that should lead into a
memorable East Final on Saturday night (8pm, FSC).
Click to continue reading...
WVHooligan 10 November @ 05:12 PM EST
Who to protect and who to expose is the guessing game for the Fire. (Getty Images)
This year unlike the last couple the expansion draft caught up with me here. I almost feel like
I am a little late getting these lists out for the draft which is a couple days after MLS Cup.
Starting today I will release a team-by-team list of who I think will be protected and who I think
will be left exposed.
Click to continue reading...
Lost in the shuffle of the Fire's thrilling Eastern Conference Semifinals victory was the fact
that the team announced the 2009 awards on Friday night.
Wilman Conde, Brian McBride and Logan Pause were the recipients of the honors, which included
Team MVP, Team Golden Boot Winner, Team Defender of the Year and U.
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The Fire came into the second leg down 2-1 in aggregate goals facing an opponent that they've faced
a huge number of times in the playoffs over the years, lately with good results. I could go on
about the challenges that the Revs faced this year, but frankly it's not worth the time. This Fire
team came into the playoffs in mediocre form, with rumors of trouble in the locker room and using a
patchwork lineup.
Click to continue reading...
Back in late July and early August - when several Fire players began falling victim to injury -
it was assumed that most would be able to return in time for the start of the playoffs.
Now, with the Fire only a couple of days away from the decisive Game 2 of their Eastern
Conference Semifinal series against New England, a few of those players have yet to return or make
a significant impact while on the field.
Click to continue reading...
If the Chicago Fire were hoping for reinforcements to bolster their chances against New England
in Saturday's second leg playoff match, they'll have to look beyond Gonzalo Segares. The defender
is currently listed as out for the upcoming do-or-die encounter set for Saturday at Toyota
Park.
Click to continue reading...
If the Chicago Fire were hoping for reinforcements to bolster their chances against New England
in Saturday's second leg playoff match, they'll have to look beyond Gonzalo Segares. The defender
is currently listed as out for the upcoming do-or-die encounter set for Saturday at Toyota
Park.
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Seattle's Kasey Keller is a finalist for numerous Major League Soccer awards, including
goalkeeper of the year. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
Major League Soccer released the finalists for the league's 2009 awards today. The winners will
be announced starting Wednesday and ending Nov.
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Last week I took a look at five key questions that would play a role in determining the winner
of Game 1 of the Fire-Revolution Eastern Conference Semifinal Series. Now, with the 2-1 Revolution
win in the books, it's time to take a second look at those five questions and see how they played
out.
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Nach dem der ersten Teil über Modernen Torjubel irgendwie bei unseren Fussballstars nichts bewirkt
hat und der Schalker Rafinha wie letztens im DFB-Pokalspiel gegen den TSV 1860 München immer noch
mit der Babyschaukel und Daumenlutschend durch das Stadion läuft, versuchen wir es hier mit einem
neuen Video aus der Youtube-Serie.
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They all want to be at Qwest on Nov. 22. Where is the playoff upset as the MLS post-season
begins tonight?
View full size photo »
I've already weighed in a bit on the playoffs in this ESPN.
Click to continue reading...
Â
__________________________________________Photo by ISIphotos.com
There aren't many players in MLS more versatile than Geoff Cameron, and this year, there were no
defenders who were better.
When Houston's defense reached a critical moment of transition, Dynamo head coach Dom Kinnear
turned to Cameron to help anchor the back-line early in the season and all Cameron did was respond
with dominant form few could have expected from the 2008 Rookie of the Year candidate.
Click to continue reading...
Â
__________________________________________Photo by ISIphotos.com
There aren't many players in MLS more versatile than Geoff Cameron, and this year, there were no
defenders who were better.
When Houston's defense reached a critical moment of transition, Dynamo head coach Dom Kinnear
turned to Cameron to help anchor the back-line early in the season and all Cameron did was respond
with dominant form few could have expected from the 2008 Rookie of the Year candidate.
Click to continue reading...
Du Nord 28 October @ 04:41 PM EST
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STARTERSAmerican goalkeeper Brad Guzan had an absolutely HUGE game for Aston Villa last night in the
English League Cup. He saved a Penalty Kick during regulation time, then saved 3 more during the PK
Shoot Out to decide the winner!
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We should have known all along that it would come down to this. The Fire and the Revolution,
facing off in the playoff's for the eighth team in the Fire's 12 year history. It's one of the
biggest rivalries in the league, sure to be full of nastiness and with no room spared for
niceties.
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Â
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Now that the 2009 MLS regular season is over, it is time to start thinking about the end-of-year
league awards.
Last week, SBI had readers vote on all the major awards, and while there weren't any shocking
choices, there was some interesting voting breakdowns.
Click to continue reading...
Â
Photo by ISIphotos.com
Now that the 2009 MLS regular season is over, it is time to start thinking about the end-of-year
league awards.
Last week, SBI had readers vote on all the major awards, and while there weren't any shocking
choices, there was some interesting voting breakdowns.
Click to continue reading...
