2012 MLS Cup Preview: Beckham and the LA Galaxy take on Brad Davis and the Houston Dynamo

Posted on November 28, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The MLS Cup occurs on Saturday and will be dominated by the news that it is likely to be David Beckham’s final match for the LA Galaxy. You may have even noticed that I wrote an article about that very matter in last week’s post, but besides the fact that this could be Beckham’s last game and all, there is a serious match on the field for the other 21 players on the same field too. The game will decide the MLS Champions of 2012, and brings especial intensity due to the fact that it is a rematch of last season’s final that the LA Galaxy won 1-0 due to a Landon Donovan goal.

The Galaxy is the heavy favorite for this game. They boast all the big name players including Beckham, Donovan, and Robbie Keane. Also, the match is being played at the Galaxy’s home stadium, the Home Depot Center. Therefore, the Houston Dynamo will have seemingly everything against them in this match, though I personally believe that they will rally around that exact point.

Both teams were lowly seeded in the MLS Playoff tournament, and had to play tricky wildcard matches in the first round. Defeating the likes of Sporting Kansas City, the San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, and DC United, both teams proved that they were the strongest of their conferences and have earned the right to play in this MLS Cup.

Houston has developed a very powerful team that won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Their final appearance last season was evidence of their more recent success, but they had to play that match without the injured Brad Davis. The playmaker earned 12 assists and 8 goals this year and should be a factor if the Dynamo earns the win. The team has a veteran striker in Brian Ching as well.

However, I think the defensive side of this team will be the difference in the game, specifically the goalkeeping of Tally Hall. The keeper is very solid and will be able to stop the likes of Beckham’s spicy shots on the goal.

Many fans will be hoping to witness a final David Beckham “special” free kick that swerves into the net and allows the soccer star to depart the MLS as a MLS Cup winning hero. But, I think it will not happen this time. The Galaxy won the trophy last season, so Beckham has nothing left to prove. Similarly, another of the team’s star players also has a serious off-field concern in Landon Donovan’s voicing of retirement thoughts before the playoffs began. Although that interview did little to prevent the team from pushing through the MLS Playoffs, I do think this game may be a bit too highly anticipated for the team because of reasons other than soccer.

The Houston Dynamo, on the other hand, resembles a real team with hunger for revenge and I would be surprised to see them back down from the challenge. Therefore, I am predicting a tough 1-0 victory for the Dynamo with a David Beckham free kick clanging off the crossbar in stoppage time, preventing him from leaving a last mark on American soccer.

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David Beckham To Depart from LA Galaxy after MLS Cup Final: What is Next for the Superstar and Club?

Posted on November 24, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The David Beckham experience is nearly over. The legendary British midfielder announced that he would be taking his trade elsewhere after the MLS Cup Final match on December 1^st, which will be his last game for the club. Beckham has enjoyed a reasonably successful stint with the LA Galaxy, scoring 18 goals and notching 40 assists. Also, he helped the team to an MLS Cup trophy last season and could very possibly help earn another next weekend. But the question now becomes, where does Beckham move on to now, and how will the Galaxy fare without their most prestigious player?

For Beckham, he seems to want one last notch on the old belt before his inevitable retirement. At age 37, his best years are now long gone, and although his deft right foot is still capable of wreaking havoc for defenders and goalkeepers, his legs are otherwise aged and weary. He was a decent player for the Galaxy, but I would argue that he was never the superstar figure that MLS officials envisioned when they brought him to LA in 2007.

One option that seems to be up for Beckham is to join the free-spending French team, Paris Saint-Germaine. The club has bought a host of stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ezeguiel Lavezzi, and Javier Pastore in recent years and may wish to add another star like Beckham to increase their worldwide popularity. I for one see this as a weird choice considering their UEFA Champions League aspirations. David Beckham is not going to bring much to a squad that wants to be among the world’s best, and they would do better to invest in younger talent with greater potential. Beckham’s arrival would shift focus onto the star and would shake up the squad that needs to improve.

Another option is for David Beckham to move to the Australian soccer league, with the city of Melbourne recently offering him the key to the city if a move could be arranged. This would be a similar situation that Beckham was already in with the MLS so I would be rather surprised to see the move transpire. What I think is more likely is a return to the English Premier League with a rather less prestigious club like Fulham or Aston Villa. However, Beckham has always played for winning clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and the LA Galaxy, so he may not want to join a weak EPL club and could opt for dominating a lower league such as the one in Australia.

For the LA Galaxy, although their team is poised to lift another MLS Cup fans should be very concerned. With Beckham’s impending departure and Landon Donovan’s hints at a retirement after next season, the club could be without both of their crucial star players in a short period. Although striker Robbie Keane is still at the club, he could potentially leave with the Galaxy losing much of their star prestige. The club will need to work quickly this offseason to recruit a new foreign hero to keep the club up to their proud standing. I presume that they will make a strong push for Frank Lampard, a wonderful midfielder who is losing his place at the English club, Chelsea. The team will go on without Beckham though, but it is definitely a blow for the MLS who had hoped for so much from his arrival.

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MLS Cup Playoffs Heat Up as Conference Finals All Set

Posted on November 9, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The opening rounds of the MLS Cup Playoffs have finished and there were surprises aplenty as both number one seeds and one number two seed was eliminated, leaving the MLS title completely open to any of the lower seeds who all orchestrated dramatic upsets in the conference semifinal rounds. And so now, with the playoffs truly up for grabs, which team looks destined for MLS glory?

Yesterday saw two late dramatic goals to secure victories as both the New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake were knocked out of the tournament. The Red Bulls defeat was the most inexplicable of all. They had the vast majority of chances, and even made a mess of a series of late game opportunities. After opposing goalkeeper Bill Hamid was sent off for a penalty-awarding foul, for some reason Kenny Cooper stood up to take the shot. After the first take was called back, Cooper fired the ball weakly and it was saved. My main concern is why wasn’t Thierry Henry called upon to take the PK? Henry is the coolest striker on Earth, and they paid so much for him. Why didn’t the captain take the penalty? At the way end of the game the Red Bulls had a free kick from the type of range Henry could have curled right in. Take a look at the free kicks the Frenchman has made in his career. And yet, he again didn’t take the shot. And thus they are gone and D.C. United pulled out a fantastic result.

The L.A. Galaxy also had a wonderful result when they brutally disposed of Supporters’ Shield winners, the San Jose Earthquakes. Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane provided some brilliant assists and goals, and the Galaxy looked dominant. So much for Donovan’s dying love of the game.

The Houston Dynamo again showed poise and resiliency after holding off the defensively strong Sporting Kansas City. Their two goals scored in the first-leg match were enough to take out the Eastern Conference’s top seed.

Seattle Sounders found a great late strike from Mario Martinez to separate the sides after nearly two matches had been played without a single goal. They looked the better side throughout and deserved to progress.

And so now the Western Conference final will comprise of the L.A. Galaxy taking on the Seattle Sounders, while D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo tangle in the east. Predicting a winner is no simple task, especially with so many X-factors from each team. The Galaxy has all the superstar names now with Donovan, Keane, and David Beckham. The Sounders house the league’s best fans and one of the game’s hottest strikers in Eddie Johnson, who recently revitalized his international career with the United States National Team. Houston Dynamo has the history of winning the cup twice a few years ago, and were runner’s up last year. D.C. United is excited about the return of Dwayne de Rosario, one of the games most exciting players from Canada and are now the highest seed remaining in the tournament.

Each club will feel that they have a great chance of lifting the MLS Cup now that they have disposed of the top seeds, and since they have these weapons to produce. I feel like this is starting to turn into Seattle’s year and that their fans will lead them to victory, over D.C. United 2-1 in the MLS Cup final. Let’s see if this prediction can hold better than my last!

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MLS Playoff Race Heats Up with 1 Month Left in 2012 MLS Season

Posted on September 28, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

The MLS Season is drawing to a close and that means teams are in a tough race to earn a vital playoff spot. With just over one month remaining on the schedule, only three teams have clinched a spot, and most of the league will have to be at their best in order to progress in the last few matches of the season.

2012 has been dominated by the San Jose Earthquakes and their star striker, Chris Wondolowski, who has scored a league-best 22 goals. The team currently has 60 points and has already clinched a playoff spot. Right behind them is the Los Angeles Galaxy, the 2011 MLS Champions. Surviving a poor start to the season, the Galaxy is now the hottest team in the league. Having not lost in their last 9 matches, Landon Donovan and David Beckham look to be ever so hungry to repeat in the MLS and also are already locked in to the playoffs. The only other Western Conference team to qualify already is Real Salt Lake, who is led by their fantastic goalie, Nick Rimando. His latest save earned him his 6^th MLS Save of the Week this season.

No other team has cemented a playoff spot and the race will be very tight in the Eastern Conference. The New York Red Bulls had a hot start to the season, but have cooled off considerably and now sit just 3^rd in the Eastern Conference. Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper still have high goal scoring marks on the season and lead a potent attack, but they need to pick up some points in the last month to really make a mark. Sporting Kansas City now leads the group and hasn’t lost a game since July. Forward Kei Kamara is leading the team in goals and has provided an excellent season. Too many draws have hurt the Houston Dynamo’s year. They had been atop the division in the summer, but are now barely afloat with 46 points and could miss out on the postseason if they fail to produce. One of the better MLS teams in recent years, the team will be mortified if they end without a playoff game. The Columbus Crew will want to lead a late season charge and have enjoyed the goal-scoring exploits of new signing Federico Higuain, the brother of Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid. The MLS Higuain has netted 3 goals and 6 assists in only 9 games since his arrival and is sure to provide a late boost to their season.

This is the most exciting time to watch the MLS and will surely have some late season drama as other teams like D.C. United, Seattle Sounders, Vancouver Whitecaps, and FC Dallas all vy for the ten golden sports in the 2012 MLS Playoffs.

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Beckham Wonder-Goals not enough for Great Britain

Posted on July 2, 2012 by nrspiller@gmail.com

LA Galaxy superstar David Beckham recently got some bad news as he was not selected by Stuart Pearce for the Great Britain Olympic squad. The manager decided to select Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy instead for his senior players.

Although the entire Great Britain team plays for clubs in England (most in the English Premier League), one would have thought that Beckham would be an ideal candidate for a spot. Yes at age 37, he is no longer the maestro that he was during his Real Madrid days, but he still is one of the best long range shot artists around.

For the 2012 MLS season, Beckham has netted on three occasions, each one more fantastic than the last. Two of his goals were on trademark free-kicks that swerved away from keepers’ grasps. His most recent effort was a dramatic kick that brought the Galaxy level during their hotly contested loss against the San Jose Earthquakes. San Jose’s goalie John Busch didn’t even attempt to save the ball as it came in so fast. The goal totally deflated the Earthquakes and was followed by two more quick scores that temporarily gave LA a 3-1 lead.

But apparently such a skill was not enough to merit a side in the Olympic squad that is set to feature in London later this month. It will be a hard blow for Beckham to accept this late in his career. The opportunity to represent your country on your home soil is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Stuart Pearce obviously had a bias towards the EPL in making his selections and disregarded the level of the MLS. But what surprises me is that he ignored a player who is so talented at free kicks. International soccer matches often come down to a single moment of beauty, and Beckham is one of the world’s best at directing free kicks. His accuracy is so good that I doubt any goalie could have saved any one of his three goals.

Beckham could have been used as a substitute and brought in late during a match if a free kick opportunity presented itself. Obviously using a player for such a matter is unprecedented, but we are talking about David Beckham here. The man had a movie named after his “bending” ability. He has continued to score these kinds of ridiculous goals for his entire career. I feel that Pearce has made a mistake in ignoring Beckham.

For America his snub is a positive event however. The LA Galaxy is struggling and could use Beckham’s help. Although his goal against San Jose was not enough to earn a victory or a place on Great Britain’s team, goals like that is what the Galaxy desperately needs if they want any shot at repeating as MLS champions.

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