Welcome to Starting XI, our Friday rundown of what to watch for – and what we're watching.Friendlies fill the airwaves, Wondo wins dad of the year, and we've got your back.
Don't stop there, either. FutbolMLS has your Spanish-language fix as well.
Our recommended musical pairing, per senior editor Matt Doyle, is "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" by Pink Floyd, because it's one of the ways that we show our age.
1. C-NOTES:Edson Buddle hit his 100th MLS goal the other night. Damn impressive. Congrats. Now who’s next? The sure thing is San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski (88 G), who could add to his total when the Quakes travel to Philadelphia on Sunday (8 pm ET, UDN). After that, it’s Seattle’s Kenny Cooper (75), DC’s Eddie Johnson (68), Philly’s Conor Casey (66) and Chicago’s Mike Magee (64). Considering their ages and recent production levels, I figure Cooper and EJ make it. – GREG LALAS
2. TIME FOR BIG GUNS IN TORONTO: They were the Designated Player duo whose goals were supposed to blaze a path to the playoffs for the first time. But coaching decisions and primarily injuries have meant that Gilberto and Jermain Defoe have only started five games together of TFC's 22 thus far (only two goals scored in those games, both by Defoe). Now that Gilberto is off the schnide (five goals) and Defoe is back to full health, will coach Ryan Nelsen sit Luke Moore (five goals), who has started the last 13 matches? He should, starting Saturday against Chicago (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE). The Gilberto-Defoe partnership deserves more time. – SIMON BORG
7. TWEET OF THE WEEK: Brad Evans gets super pumped-up for gameday...
8. CHILDHOOD'S END: I can see it now. It's Sunday, and you've had a long weekend full of the usual shenanigans. Then evening hits. You're tired. You're hungry. Philadelphia vs. San Jose is on your radar, but it's not a priority. OK, now watch Quakes Homegrown attacker Tommy Thompson take some circus touches in the box against Seattle. Here's him splitting a couple defenders. Now missing by a whisker. Oh, and peep the GIF below. The kid is 19 years old. You should be watching him every chance you get. – ANDREW WIEBE
9. OBSCURED BY CLOUDS: In the East, winning two of three games can move you from doormat to playoff contenders, and being one game below .500 might mean you are in fourth place. The Dynamo will invade Ohio on Saturday night (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE) and look to collect their third shutout in four games after the acquisitions of DaMarcus Beasley and Luis Garrido. Columbus are coming off their most convincing performance of the season, a 4-1 trouncing of the Galaxy, with All-Star turns from Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram. This six-pointer is one that could go a long way in deciding who’s in and who’s out in the East. – BEN BAER
10. SEATTLE ON EDGE: The Sounders might be in first place with 11 more points and a game in hand, but they need Sunday's Cascadia derby more than the Portland Timbers (5 pm ET, ESPN2). With one win in their last five – the lone win an unconvincing 2-0 result over Houston – the Sounders are swooning just as the games are getting bigger. And for a team that's historically shown mental cracks, the Sounders need a statement win. Another loss and they risk watching the air sucked out of another season full of promise. – SIMON BORG
11. #KickALS:The Ice Bucket Challenge is working. It's easy to be cynical about social media at times (just tweet the words "Pro/Rel" and watch your mentions explode), but how many of us knew what ALS was this time last month? – MATT DOYLE
