Is it arrogance or the truth?
The New England Revolution's Shalrie Joseph claims he is the best defensive midfielder in the league.
"I do believe I am the best defensive midfielder," he said. "But I've got to prove it week in and week out, every practice. I can't become complacent and listen to what people say. I have to prove myself every year and try to be the best midfielder there is."
Of course, no one has put their best foot or best feet forward to disprove it. Over the past four seasons, Joseph has been the best defensive midfielder. He has been named to the MLS Best XI for the past two seasons and it would certainly be surprising if he is not so honored for the third consecutive season.
What Joseph means to the Revolution, who take on Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup Final on Sunday afternoon, is not lost on his teammates.
"That's the heart of the team," Revolution forward Taylor Twellman said. "You can have a great goalie, a great center forward, a great wing midfield, a great defense. But you need a defensive midfielder that just doesn't stop running. We're fortunate enough to have the best one."
Defensive midfielders might not show up in the game summary, except for yellow cards, red cards, fouls and an occasional goal or assist.
What makes Joseph so valuable is multi-fold. He can stop opposing attacks and turn a potential dangerous opportunity into a quick counterattack at best or a Revolution possession at worst. When he wins the ball via a takeaway, interception, tackle or through the air, Joseph rarely gives it back. He passes and can find the back of the net on occasion.
So, it shouldn't be surprising that Joseph will have to bring his 'A' game to the RFK Stadium field Sunday if the Revolution want to have any chance of winning.
The Grenada international knows all too well the sting of defeat in finals -- close defeats. The Revs lost in extra time to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005 and were beaten in penalty kicks last year.
"I think it's important we play our style of soccer no matter what happens on the field or what they do," Joseph said. "We just have to concentrate on what we have been doing all year. Once we do that, we're going to be victorious on Sunday."
He later added: "I'm just happy to be back and the team is happy to be back. This is what you work for in the regular season and preseason -- to get back to the final and to win one. Having done that the last three years, it feels great to get there, but we still haven't won anything. we're still hungry as we were in the first year and the second year. we're still lusting for our first trophy, even though we won the U.S. Open Cup. We still want an MLS Cup."
This season didn't start very well for Joseph. Not on the field, but rather off of it.
MLS turned down a couple of offers from Celtic of Scotland, which derailed Joseph's dream of playing in Europe. He tried to get his contract renegotiated, but he couldn't come to terms. Then he then gave up his captaincy and asked to be traded to another team. But MLS and the Revolution did not comply.
Eventually, Joseph and his agent, Ron Waxman, reached an agreement with the league, which made him one of the highest-paid players in MLS.
Instead of moping, Joseph never allowed his contract woes get in the way of his performance.
Just ask New England coach Steve Nicol.
"I've been around a couple of years and I've seen a lot of players who whenever things not on the actual field comes into play does affect them, contracts, family issues or whatever," he said. "I can tell that for the first time ever, I saw a guy that never let that affect him and that was obviously something that was on his mind. when he stepped on that field, he had the mental strength to put it aside and get on with his game. That's a very rare thing."
Joseph feels the game will be won or lost in the midfield, especially with the Revs using five midfielders -- Khano Smith and Wells Thompson on the wings, Steve Ralston in the middle on attack and Jeff Larentowicz and Joseph as the holding midfielders.
"We have to dictate the tempo and pace of the game," he said. "I think it's important that we win the ball in good spots. Once we do that, once we stay strong defensively, everything goes about from that."
During a conference call earlier this week, Houston coach Dominic Kinnear and midfielder Dwayne De Rosario were asked: How do you defend a defensive midfielder?
"Keep attacking," DeRosario said. "The more I attack, the more he has to worry about me. That's what he has to focus on."
Kinnear agreed and elaborated.
"Slowing down and make him play him in his own half all the time," he said. "That's by making them defend. When Dwayne has the ball, you try to put pressure on him, try to make him play backwards force him into mistakes. When you have an influential holding midfielder like Shalrie, is to try to make him defend in his own area."
Of course, that's easier said than done and that will be one of Dynamo's challenges come Sunday.
Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News and is editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
