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...

Major League Soccer announced the league's Best XI yesterday, as voted for by media, players, coaches and GMs. Here's what they came up with: GOALKEEPER (1): Zach Thornton (Chivas USA) DEFENDERS (3): Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Wilman Conde (Chicago Fire), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew) MIDFIELDERS (5): Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), [. 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...

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.

Click to continue reading...

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...

Press release from the Rapids today. Good to see further recognition of Casey's talents. Does anybody else think that having only three defenders nominated is a bit weird?
MLS Commissioner Don Garber today announced that Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey has been named to the 2009 MLS Best XI during his annual State of the League address. Click to continue reading...

Garber gave an earlier and less formal state of the league address than he has in years past in a teleconference with reporters today.

Garber announced the MLS Best XI during the call, which includes one player apiece from the Galaxy and Chivas USA:

goalkeeper - Zach Thornton
defenders - Chad Marshall, William Conde, Geoff Cameron
midfielders - Dwayne DeRosario, Landon Donovan, Stuart Holden, Shalrie Joseph, Freddie Ljungberg
forwards - Conor Casey, Jeff Cunningham

Other major talking points included:
*A reiteration MLS is looking to become a 20-team league.

Click to continue reading...

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.

Click to continue reading...

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...

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...

First off, congrats to Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero on being named MLS Newcomer of the Year. I'm note sure he wasn't the second-best newcomer on his own team, but it's a nice honor for the kid (who has definitely had an up-and-down year).
Also, Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton pulled in his second award in being named MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Click to continue reading...

Who will Chivas protect this year? (Getty Images)

Yesterday we started our look at the expansion draft and who teams will and won't protect for this month's upcoming draft. The Philadelphia Union get ten players to pick from and this year will be as tough as any to predict who will stay and who will be left exposed.

Click to continue reading...

The Metro Reverse Curse lives.

What is the Reverse Curse? It is a temporary suspension of all footballing ability while wearing a Metro Bull kit that is magically cured once a player switches kits to another club. There are so many examples of this, but sticking to recent memory (and not in any order of importance at all); Hunter Freeman leaves Red Bull and has become a regular starter in Norway, Gabriel Cichero leaves Red Bull and becomes a valuable piece of their National teams youth movement, Mike Magee has proven to be a key offensive cog in the Galaxy's overall make up leading the team in assists, Diego Jimenez continues to excel in Mexico, and notched two goals upon arriving back to his country after his RB departure.

Click to continue reading...

It's one of the more pointless awards MLS hands out, but for what it's worth the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year beat out the Chicago Fire's Brian McBride (who may have stopped playing in MLS, but never stopped playing excellent attacking soccer - is he available next year in South Africa?) and D.

Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA was a surprise early on in 2009, but they faded quickly in the summer months. (Getty Images)

It seems like every season or so we get one club that comes out hot to start the season then to only fade in the summer. In 2009 it was Chivas USA who was just that club as they went 7-2-3 to start the first couple months of the season.

Click to continue reading...

Add another award for Zach Thornton on the season. Today the league named Thornton it's Comeback Player of the Year. At the same time the league also announced Fredy Montero as the Newcomer of the Year.

Montero was one of the league leaders in goals scored this year. His 12 goals on the season blew away any other newcomer in that category.

Click to continue reading...

Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero won the Newcomer of the Year award and Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton won the Comeback Player of the Year Major League Soccer announced on Monday. Thornton also won the Goalkeeper of the Year award. MLS Newcomer of the Year Winners 2009: Fredy Montero – Seattle Sounders FC 2008: Darren Huckerby – San Jose Earthquakes 2007: Luciano Emilio – DC United MLS Comeback Player of the Year Winners 2009: Zach. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

In one of the easier results to see coming, Seattle Sounders striker Fredy Montero was named MLS Newcomer of the Year. He beat out Sounders teammates Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg for the honor.

Montero scored 12 goals and added seven assists in helping lead the Sounders to the playoffs.

Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

In one of the easier results to see coming, Seattle Sounders striker Fredy Montero was named MLS Newcomer of the Year. He beat out Sounders teammates Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg for the honor.

Montero scored 12 goals and added seven assists in helping lead the Sounders to the playoffs.

Click to continue reading...

And those words are: Meeting the challenge.

Right. So before the first playoff leg I predicted a series score of 2-1. Then before the second playoff leg, seeing the kind of chaos the two teams were creating and the resulting goals, I predicted 2-1 for the game on Sunday.

So, looking at a 3-2 aggregate and a 1-0 second leg scoreline, you can see that I bloody well can't predict anything when it comes to these two teams.

Click to continue reading...

The two remaining MLS Conference Semifinal series were decided today, with the Houston Dynamo and the L.A. Galaxy earning their places in the Western Conference Final. The teams booked their tickets to the final -- which will be played next Friday at the Home Depot Center -- courtesy of two 1-0 victories.

Click to continue reading...

The Major League Soccer Playoffs wrapped up its Conference Semifinal round on Sunday, November 8, 2009 as the Los Angeles Galaxy faced Chivas USA. The score was 2-2 on aggregate heading into the second leg. Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights.

Los Angeles Galaxy beats Chivas USA 1-0 (3-2 on aggregate) Video Highlights (to be added later)

1st Half

The Galaxy came out aggressive and had chances early.

Click to continue reading...

Galaxy 0 Chivas USA 0

The Galaxy have had the better of this game so far and by all rights should be leading.

A 25-yard Chris Klein volley from a Landon Donovan cross in the 35th minute was perhaps the best Galaxy chance, requiring as it did an agile punch by Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton to send it over the bar.

Click to continue reading...

First off, I apologize to everyone for not being able to get a post-game analysis together for last week. It was one of those times when life bitch-slapped my futbol blogging time. In the future, I will, at a minimum, create posts where you all can share your own reactions and analyses, even if I can't start your comments off with a comprehensive review from my perspective.

Click to continue reading...

Sad news from the U-17 World Cup. Those damn Italians knocked out our brave young American team 2-1 in the second round.
Missing a penalty kick? Unacceptable. That kid is banned from the national team.
* * *
Like I predicted a couple days ago, and like he deserves, Chivas USA's Zach Thornton was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Click to continue reading...

I think headaches should be outlawed on Wednesdays. I mean, you are as far removed from the most recent weekend as you are from getting to the next one. That's enough misery. A headache on Wednesday is overkill. I vote "no" on Wednesday headaches. What say you?#1 - Chivas USA netminding monster Zach Thornton was tabbed as the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year for a second time today. Click to continue reading...

The big Zach attack. (AP Photo)

Readers of this blog didn't agree, but Chivas USA's Zach Thornton was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year today, 11 years after first taking the honor with the Chicago Fire.

That time span between awards was undoubtedly one of the reasons the 34-year-old took the honor, beating out the Galaxy's Donovan Ricketts and Seattle Sounders veteran Kasey Keller (both in their first MLS seasons).

Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton was named 2009 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year on Wednesday, marking the second time he's won the award.

Thornton enjoyed a career renaissance with Chivas USA this season, posting career highs in shutouts and goals against average while helping guide Chivas USA to the playoffs.

Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton was named 2009 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year on Wednesday, marking the second time he's won the award.

Thornton enjoyed a career renaissance with Chivas USA this season, posting career highs in shutouts and goals against average while helping guide Chivas USA to the playoffs.

Click to continue reading...

It seems like the clock had been turned back to 1998 this year as a revival for Chivas USA keeper Zach Thornton took place. It was just 11 seasons ago that Thornton won his first keeper of the year, now he has two as the league announced today that he was named the 2009 Goalkeeper of the Year.

Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton won the 2009 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award, Major League Soccer announced on Wednesday. Thornton won the award in 1998, becoming the third MLS keeper to be honored twice. New England midfielder Steve Ralston won the Fair Play award, with the Chicago Fire winning the team Fair Play award. Click to continue reading...

Major League Soccer announced today that Zach Thornton of Chivas USA has won the 2009 Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Thornton beat out Seattle's Kasey Keller and LA Galaxy's Donovan...

Click to continue reading...

It was announced yesterday that Fire forward Brian McBride has been nominated as a finalist for the 2009 MLS Comeback Player of the Year award.

McBride, who is competing with D.C. United midfielder Ben Olsen and Chivas USA keeper Zach Thornton for the award, lead the Fire in scoring with seven goals this season despite missing eight weeks with a torn right labrum.

Click to continue reading...