Seattle Sounders FC
Transfer rumors have always swirled around Seattle Sounders star Fredy Montero.
But the latest one is interesting based on the timing and the club names.
The Sounder At Heart blog unearthed a tweet by Henry "El Bocha" Jimenez, a high-profile Colombian reporter based in Bogota, who claimed that Montero is in the crosshairs of Dutch giants Ajax and English side Liverpool FC.
Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer has already gone on the record recently, telling Goal.com last month: "I think it's impossible to say no [to a big offer]."
Although he's created plenty of havoc, the 24-year-old Colombian has not registered a goal or assist thus far in 2012.
Freddy Montero(Sounders Seattle), en la mira de Liverpool y Ajax de Holanda.
— Henry Jiménez (@BochaJimenez) April 15, 2012
These days, 5-3-2 is usually seen as a sign of respect when facing an opponent far superior in strength (e.g., anyone vs. Barcelona).
But to win in Fantasy Soccer: Manager, perhaps it's best to think that you are playing Messi & Co. each week. The FS:M Dream Team has lined up with five defenders four out of five weeks thus far. Ironically, this formation is producing more points for teams than the 4-3-3 and 3-4-3. I myself have been lined up mostly in a 3-4-3 thinking that midfielders and forwards would get me the most points. Fail.
Player HAWAIIFAN13 proved the benefits of the 5-3-2. In Week 5, he rode the formation to 106 points, the second highest score recorded by a team this year.
So what does this mean for the rest of the 2012? Do the stats suggest taking a completely different approach and start dumping midfielders (and even forwards) for defenders? You be the judge.
Players averaging 5.0 points or more per game (by position)
Defenders – 27
Goalkeepers – 12
Midfielders – 10
Forwards – 8
The numbers above should make your decision a little easier. At this point in the season, there is more security in starting defenders than there is at any other position. Honestly, it’s not even close. Forwards and midfielders can be a huge investment, and so far, most of them aren’t living up to the asking price.
Need help with your squad? Tweet your MLS Fantasy Soccer questions to @Ben_Jata
New England Revoltion derrotó como visitante al flamante campeón de la MLS, LA Galaxy. San José hizo lo mismo en Seattle. Vancouver Whitecaps sigue invicto y no ha recibido un gol en contra hasta ahora… esta temporada ha sido simplemente impredecible.
Aun así, vamos a tratar.
A partir de la esta Jornada 5, el grupo de Tiro Libre: Kristel Valencia, el Gringo Simon Borg, nuestro productor (e incansable fan del Arsenal FC) Carlos Rodriguez, y yo ofreceremos nuestras predicciones de los partidos a jugarse cada fecha.
Tendremos aciertos y tendremos fallas, pero los invitamos a que nos acompañen en esta travesía y nos den sus predicciones cada semana por este medio o por Twitter en @FutbolMLS.
¿Quién será el Walter Mercado del fútbol?
ESCUCHA: Víctor Bernárdez (SJ Earthquakes) y Olman Vargas (Columbus Crew) en Tiro Libre
JORNADA 5
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In recent weeks, MLS has been putting it's money where it's mouth is, so to speak. The MLS Disciplinary Committee has been dishing out punishments after the fact for violent tackles and simulation.
It's come down hard on embelishment, too.
In my book, there are different forms of embellishment. There is embellishment that is used -- and, really, necessary -- to alert the referee that you have been fouled. This is the type of thing you see when, say, a faster player gets around a slower defender and is impeded. It might not be enough contact to bring a player down, but it is enough to stymie the attacker.
WATCH: Cruz and Benitez battle for possession
Unfortunately, refs are reluctant to blow the whistle in this scenario, thereby actually punishing the attacker. In many of these instances, the attacker will embellish the effect of the contact, making sure the referee recognizes that there was a foul. I'm okay with this kind of embelishment.
I'm not okay with embellishment that is meant to con the referee into thinking a foul has taken place when it hasn't or a foul is worse than it really is. For examples, check out Danny Cruz's shameful writhing after being elbowed by Jair Benitez in D.C.'s win over Dallas last weekend. Or Alvaro Fernandez's histrionics a few weeks ago against Houston. It's sophomoric stuff, and both players were rightly fined for it.
It's also nice to see that at least one of the players involved isn't throwing a hissy fit about being sanctioned for his actions.
"There are different perspectives on soccer in the world," Fernandez told The Seattle Times this week. "So where I'm from, down in South America, we work on getting an advantage out of every situation that we can -- no matter what that is. It's not looked upon badly. Here it is looked upon badly. It's not a bad thing, it is what it is, and I just have to adapt to the league."
Well said.
It was with a huge helping of sadness that I read the news about Seattle Sounders striker O’Brian White on Thursday, as I have seen up close what a superbly talented soccer player he is.
With a reoccurring blood clot in his left leg forcing the Seattle Sounders to buy out his contract — the Sounders will still have first refusal if he should make a recovery — White will be forced to sit on the 2012 season just when he could have shone most.
The towering forward is full of brute force and I have seen him in full flight, and running at me with the ball, during his college days at the University of Connecticut.
During the 2007 season, my freshman year as a soccer player at the University of Pittsburgh, White terrorized defenses at will, scoring 27 goals and adding 7 assists in 24 games. He was awarded the Hermann trophy for the Nation’s top college soccer player. It was well deserved.
He was quite simply one of the most powerful and dominating strikers I have played against. As a defensive unit on a cold night in Storrs, Conn., we tried to shut him down. White scored a hat trick and we lost 4-0 to the No.1 ranked Huskies. He was untouchable and to potentially lose his talent from the league for good would be a huge shame not just for White, but for MLS as a whole.
I can remember lining up at center back as a 19-year-old straight out of England in front of more than 5,000 screaming UConn fans and wondering what weaknesses he had. It was apparent very quickly that he didn’t have any. White had it all. He bullied our defense all night long with his brute strength, he made clever runs wide and in the channels, his first touch was impeccable and when he got half a chance, he buried it.
A year later, he tore ligaments in his knee. It took him three years to get back to where he was, and had just come into his own with the Sounders when the blood clots hit.
I’m certainly hoping he makes a full recovery and gets to show what he can do on the big stage, because I know exactly what he is capable of. It'll be a shame if fans in the US and Canada don't get that chance, too.
Yes, Toronto FC defender Ty Harden was embarrassed on the first goal by the Seattle Sounders last Saturday. But Sounders boss Sigi Schmid was just injecting salt in the wound with this comment that was picked up by Seattle Times beat writer Joshua Mayers:
Sigi Schmid on Alvaro Fernandez' move to set up the first goal: "I think (Ty) Harden might still be looking for a little piece of his body."
— Joshua Mayers (@joshuamayers) March 20, 2012
No doubt it was a sick move. Watch it again here:
Les deux grands favoris à la conquête de la Coupe MLS ont pris un solide coup sur la tête ce mercredi, avec leur élimination en quarts de finale de la Ligue des champions. Seattle a été humilié à Santos Laguna, le LA Galaxy a subi se seconde défaite d’affilée à domicile face à Toronto.
Les Canadiens seront les derniers représentants de la Major League Soccer sur la scène internationale cette année. Obligés de vaincre au Home Depot Center, ils n’ont jamais sombré dans la précipitation (voir le résumé vidéo). Ils ont embouteillé l’entrejeu adverse, profité de la maladresse de LA devant et exploité les erreurs défensives de leur adversaire. Toronto s’est inspiré du seul but de LA le week-end dernier pour prendre l’avance, a ensuite marqué… contre son camp avant de s’emparer de la qualification grâce à Soolsma.
Le déplacement de Seattle à Santos Laguna a été un cauchemar teinté d’espoir. Après 10 minutes seulement, les Mexicains avaient renversé la vapeur, menant déjà 2-0. Si Fernandez avait réduit la marque avant le repos, la deuxième mi-temps a été un calvaire pour les Sounders, qui ont encaissé quatre buts, dont deux de leur ancien joueur Alvarez Gomez, pour repartir avec un score de tennis dans les valises. Toronto, qui affrontera Santos Laguna en demi-finale, est prévenu…
Ce jeudi, Metapan a aussi subi la domination mexicaine, s'inclinant sévèrement sur le terrain des Pumas de l’Unam. Quant au tenant du titre, Monterrey, il s’est qualifié en disposant facilement de Morelia. Rendez-vous ici pour lire les nombreuses réactions après cette soirée complètement folle.
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Ne manquez pas les matchs retour des quarts de finale de la Ligue des champions en ce milieu de semaine, il y aura du spectacle et du suspense, c’est garanti ! Seattle et Metapan espèrent devenir le premier club étranger à éliminer une formation mexicaine, alors que Toronto sent l’exploit à sa portée au LA Galaxy.
Menant 2-0 à l’aller, les Canadiens ont-ils manqué le coche chez eux (2-2) ? La tâche sera redoutable au Home Depot Center, où LA n’est cependant plus invincible. La défaite de ce samedi contre Salt Lake pousse même Bruce Arena à effectuer de nombreux changements dans son équipe. Pendant que Donovan et consorts pansaient leurs plaies, les Torontois ne jouaient pas et sont arrivés, frais et dispos, en Californie ce dimanche, avec le moral gonflé à bloc.
Seattle a aussi pu se reposer avant son déplacement on ne peut plus difficile à Torreon, où Santos Laguna vient de prendre la tête du championnat du Mexique. Redoutables à domicile, les Mexicains feront toutefois face à l’équipe de MLS qui se comporte le mieux hors de ses bases. « Personne n’a peur d’aller là-bas », résume le milieu de terrain Brad Evans. L’entraîneur Sigi Schmid insiste sur le besoin de bien défendre, mais précise : « Nous sommes tout à fait capables de marquer. »
L’exploit est aussi toujours envisageable pour les Salvadoriens d’Isidro Metapan, qui auront toutefois fort à faire à Mexico pour confirmer leur victoire 2-1 à l’aller contre les Pumas de l’Unam. Enfin, dans un duel de compatriotes, le tenant du titre Monterrey semble idéalement placé après avoir gagné 1-3 à Morelia.
| Horaire | Match (aller) | Télévision |
| Mardi 13 mars, 22h00 (HE) | Monterrey (Mex) - Monarcas Morelia (Mex) (3-1) | Galavision, ESPN Latin Norte, ESPN Caribbean |
| Mercredi 14 mars, 20h00 (HE) | Santos Laguna (Mex) - Seattle Sounders (1-2) | Fox Soccer, Sportsnet, TeleFutura, ESPN Dos (Mexique, Venezuela, Caraïbes) |
| Mercredi 14 mars, 22h00 (HE) | LA Galaxy - Toronto FC (2-2) | Fox Soccer, Sportsnet One, TeleFutura, ESPN Dos (Mexique, Venezuela, Caraïbes) |
| Jeudi 15 mars, 22h00 (HE) | Pumas Unam (Mex) - Isidro Metapan (Slv) (1-2) | Galavision, ESPN Latin Norte, ESPN Caribbean |
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Last year, before the season started, I very cleverly predicted that LA would win the West, the Shield and the Cup. I predicted that Houston would win the East. And I came up with a few other good ones that panned out.
Unfortunately I made these predictions on Twitter, and 4000 posts later, I was no longer able to have my moment of glory. Not gonna make the same mistake this year.
Western Conference
Real Salt Lake
Eastern Conference
Houston Dynamo
Supporters' Shield
RSL
MLS Cup
Seattle Sounders
US Open Cup
Chicago Fire
MVP
Fredy Montero
Golden Boot
Chris Wondolowski
Defender of the Year
Geoff Cameron
Rookie of the Year
Luis Silva
Coach of the Year
Martin Rennie
And the most important question... will another forward come out of the blue and rack up double-digit goals? Wondolowski and Dom Oduro have done so in the last two seasons. This year's version will be... Tommy "Disco" Heinemann.
Feel free to bookmark this and throw it in my face 9 months from now.
Cheers, and enjoy the soccer.
Photo Courtesy of NESN.com/SeattlePi.com
First Kick is right around the corner, but apparently so is March Madness.
I know, it kind of snuck up on me, but the Big 12 kicked off their conference tournament on Wednesday. I'm less interested in that than I am in the uniforms that Baylor debuted in their opening game today, an 82-74 win over Kansas State.
Baylor's jerseys are, apparently, "lime green." But am I the only one who sees an uncanny resemblance to the Seattle Sounders' "Electricity" jerseys?
I can't be. That's straight up the same color. Can someone please tell me I'm not crazy?