Saturday, September 28, 2013

How far will MLS go?

People say the MLS is not a great league.  To a point, they are right.  However, the MLS is better then most leagues on many levels- the biggest being competition.  The team with the most points per game in 2013 is Seattle with 1.79, compared to Manchester United in 2012/2013- they had 2.3.  Competition wise, the MLS is really one of the best.  In what other league can a team be 2-7-1 in the first ten games and still have a chance at winning?  The MLS has some way to go before the best in the world come from the MLS, but it may not be long.

Expansion is a key to MLS' future.  With 19 teams already, and 4 on the way, the MLS is rapidly growing.  And the good thing is- the competition will keep getting bigger and bigger.  But what will expansion really do to the MLS?  A major problem is coming with it.  Scheduling.  A team will play 44 games in a season if there are 23 MLS teams.  So- what do we need to do?

How about relegation?  The MLS, NASL, and USL Pro leagues are the top leagues in the USA, Canada, and some other areas.  So- why not have a relegation system?  How about this: 8 teams in each MLS Conference, and the rest of the teams are divided up among the other two leagues.  And the relegation process is the worst team from each conference is relegated, while the two second to worst teams face each other in an aggregate showdown to see which is relegated.

If the MLS does that, it will become more highly ranked.  And teams will fight to stay above last in the conference even harder.  Competition among conference foes would increase drastically.  Agree?

That is all.  Sorry it was so short.

My end of season awards

Following the last game of the MLS season, which will be Seattle Sounders hosting Los Angeles Galaxy on October 27 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, which can be seen on ESPN, (I'm hoping to get a bit of dough from that; fingers crossed!), I will be saying a shortlist of award candidates- 3 for each award.  The awards, and ways to qualify, are as such:
Most Valuable Player
The MVP will be the player who has had a statistically fantastic season and has contributed the most to his team.
Substitute of the Year
This award will be given to the man who has started less then 10 games all season but has still done much for the team.
Rookie of the Year
In order to win this, you must have played your first season as a professional soccer player and contributed much to the team.
Defender of the Year
You have to have scored a goal and/or assisted more than one, must have contributed much to the defense, and must have been a consistent player.
Goalkeeper of the Year
To win, you need a great record, and to contribute much to your team.
Newcomer of the Year
This award goes to the player who came in in the offseason who has contributed the most to his team.
Coach of the Year
To win, the coach has to have been the best overall coach all year or made changes in the middle of the season that improved the team greatly.
Most Improved Player of the Year
The player who played significantly better than last year, but this player must have played a majority of games last year.
MLS Best XI, MLS Secondary XI, MLS Third XI
The best players in their respective positions.  NOTE- no nominees will be announced.
Best Young Player of the Year
The best player who was under the age of 23.
Best Old Guy of the Year
The best player who was over the age of 33.
Best Summer Newcomer of the Year
The player who did the best since being acquired in the Summer transfer market.
International Player of the Year
This award goes to the player who has done the most for both club and foreign national teams.
US National Team Player of the Year
This award goes to the player who has done the most for club and the US National Team.

Which MLS player could be a shocking best ever to play pro?

The MLS has held some great players, like CuauhtĂ©moc Blanco, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, and Robbie Keane.  But one player is actually better than all of them.  And the shock- he's not from Europe or South America.  He's an American.  Landon Donovan.

Why do I say him?  How about 57 goals and 57 assists for the USA, as well as 132 goals and 116 assists in the MLS.  That's not including playoffs either.  That is 22 goals and 12 assists.  Also, there are 2 goals for Everton and 9 goals for Bayer Leverkusen II.  So 222 goals and at least 128 assists.  So he's had to do with about 350 goals.  Then you add on his positioning.  I've seen Donovan shoot, it hit the bar, counter attack starts, and the guy with the ball around the 18 yard box of Donovan's team is tackled- by Donovan.  He can run all over the field as if he was 22.

Then his award case comes into focus.  4 Gold Cup wins, one silver, and a bronze.  One Confederations Cup silver.  5 MLS Cups, two Supporters Shields, and one US Open Cup.  Individually: 4 US Soccer Athlete of the Years, 7  Honda Player of the Years, 1999 FIFA U-17 Golden Ball, 2002 FIFA World Cup Best Young Player and part of the Team of the Tournament, 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup MVP, 3 time Gold Cup top scorer, 4 time member of Gold Cup Best XI, 6 time MLS Best XI, 2009 MLS MVP, two time MLS Cup MVP, 2001 MLS Allstar-game MVP, 2008 MLS Golden Boot.

So a total of 32 individual awards and 15 team awards.  And his pro career has only been 14 years long.  That means he's won a team award and two individual awards every year.  And he's not even close to done.

My prediction for Landon Donovan's future: Donovan and the Galaxy go out in the Western Conference finals to Seattle in 2013.  In 2014 he is called up by Klinsmann.  He scores 6 goals as the USA finish 3rd.  He's named the Best Player of the Tournament.  He wins the 2015 Gold Cup and 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.  He plays in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but not as well as in 2014.  He scores 3 goals, and has 4 assists.  He retires from international competition after that, without a World Cup.  He stays with the Galaxy until 2023, and retires at the age of 41.  He wins two more MVP awards, named to the Best XI 5 times, and wins 3 MLS Cups- named MVP in two of them.  He retires with 567 goals and 512 assists to his name- to equal 1,079 goals he's had to do with.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Week 30 MVP race

1. Mike Magee- Chicago Fire/Los Angeles Galaxy
If the Fire make the playoffs, Magee wins the MVP award, or at least that's what former MVP Taylor Twellman said.  He played a major role in helping LA to where they were before the transfer, a great understudy for Donovan, and now leads the Fire in the hunt for the wildcard spot.  A bad game in Columbus, and as a Fire fan, I have to say the referee didn't call all the Crew's fouls on the Fire.  I say Magee has booked a ticket in the MVP race, but Keane and Di Vaio are close on his tail.  I think if Magee wants to win MVP for sure, he'll need to do one of these:
WIN ANOTHER PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARD
WIN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SCORE A HATTRICK
FIRE MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
FIRE MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND GET TO THE CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
If these happen, all of them combined, Magee- who will then have March, June, and October Player of the Month Awards, as well as 2 Player of the Week awards, at least 19 goals, and the Fire- who looked out after 10 matches are now in the playoffs, even getting through the Wild Card game.  If three of these things happen, Magee is without a doubt the MVP.
2. Robbie Keane- Los Angeles Galaxy
Keane is highly overrated.  I get it, 13 goals and 11 assists in 18 games.  I agree- that's impressive.  But even as impressive as that is Keane doesn't have what I call the "Team Bettered Award."  When Donovan doesn't play, and when Magee was out before Donovan's return, he wasn't as good.  This was due to the fact that he'd lost his main passers and assisters.  When Keane is out but Donovan is in, he leads LA with ease, but combined it's a great pair up.
3. Marco Di Vaio- Montreal Impact
The Golden Boot winner is always an MVP candidate.  Montreal are not in a very good spot right now, and Di Vaio appears to be loosing his edge a bit.  Still, 18 of the 46 Montreal goals have come through him.  If Di Vaio does retire at the season's end, he probably will gain some respect votes for his massive last year achievement.
4. Diego Valeri- Portland Timbers
12 assists (leads league) and 8 goals combined equal 20 goals Valeri had to do with- out of Portland's 45.  He is highly underrated.  When we look at Keane, he's scored 5 more goals, but has one less assist.  I think Valeri will be on the best XI at season's end.  As for the team- Will Johnson is a good player, but Diego is just better.  When he's on form, Portland are hard to beat.
5. Camilo- Vancouver Whitecaps
16 goals, 5 assists.  Vancouver's last hope of getting into the playoffs.  He'll have to be a great player to get on the MVP ballot.  And when I say great- winning the golden boot, Vancouver in the playoffs, and him winning Player of the Month.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Diego Fagundez, New England Revolution
Thierry Henry, New York Red Bulls
Eddie Johnson, Seattle Sounders
Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Frederico Higuain, Columbus Crew

I decided to put a personal ranking up instead of my usual calculation tool.  This is do to me having math and being angered by it today.

Monday, September 23, 2013

IF THE SEASON ENDED NOW PREDICTIONS

PLAYOFF TEAMS
East
New York Red Bulls
Sporting Kansas City
Montreal Impact
Houston Dynamo (WC)
New England Revolution (WC)

West
Seattle Sounders
Real Salt Lake
Portland Timbers
Los Angeles Galaxy (WC)
Colorado Rapids (WC)

AWARDS
Golden Boot: Marco Di Vaio, Montreal Impact
Rookie of the Year: DeAndre Yedlin, Seattle Sounders
Coach of the Year: Sigi Schmind, Seattle Sounders
Goalkeeper of the Year: Donovan Ricketts, Portland Timbers
Defender of the Year: Matt Besler, Sporting Kansas City
Newcomer of the Year: Diego Valeri, Philadelphia Union
Comeback Player of the Year: Conor Casey, Philadelphia Union
MVP: Mike Magee, Chicago Fire

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
Houston beats New England
LA beats Colorado
Sporting beats New York
Seattle beats RSL
Portland beats LA
Montreal beats Houston
Sporting beats Montreal
Seattle beats Portland

FINAL
Seattle 2-1 Sporting
MVP: Eddie Johnson

Power Rankings

1. Seattle Sounders
2. New York Red Bulls
3. Real Salt Lake
4. Portland Timbers
5. Los Angeles Galaxy
6. Sporting Kansas City
7. Colorado Rapids
8. Montreal Impact
9. Houston Dynamo
10. Vancouver Whitecaps
11. New England Revolution
12. Chicago Fire
13. Columbus Crew
14. San Jose Earthquakes
15. FC Dallas
16. Philadelphia Union
17. Toronto FC
18. DC United
19. Chivas USA

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

MLS MVP standings after week 29

Mike Magee- Chicago Fire/Los Angeles Galaxy (242)
Traded to Chicago in May
16 goals, 10 for Fire, 6 for Los Angeles (48)
3 assists, all for Fire (6)
5 game winning goals (5)
LA 5-4-1 (16 points) 3rd in West during tenure (7)
Chicago 9-4-4 (34 points, not including 1-1 draw versus Real Salt Lake on day he was transferred) 1st in East during tenure (16)
Won March and June Player of the Month Awards (100)
Week 1 Player of the Week Award with an ironic hat trick versus Chicago Fire (40)
Scored in 4 games from June 2 to June 22 (12)
Scored in 3 games from July 20 to August 3 (8)

Robbie Keane- Los Angeles Galaxy (203)
13 goals
11 assists
2 game winning goals
LA 13-10-5 (44 points) 4th in West
August Player of the Month
Won Week 25 and 27 Player of the Week Awards

Marco Di Vaio- Montreal Impact (218)
18 goals
2 Assists
5 game winning assists
Montreal 13-8-6 (45 points) 2nd in East
Won Week 13 and 28 Player of the Week Awards
Scored in 3 games from May 8 to May 25
Leads Golden Boot race

Camilo- Vancouver Whitecaps (207)
14 goals
5 assists
4 game winning goals
Vancouver 10-10-8 (38 points) 7th in West
July Player of the Month
Won Week 17 and 20 Player of the Week Awards
Scored in 5 games from June 8 to July 3

Jack McInerney- Philadelphia Union (196)
10 goals
5 game winning goals
Philadelphia 10-10-9 (39 points) 6th in East
Won April and May Player of the Month Awards
Week 8 Player of the Week
Scored in 3 games from April 6 to April 21
Scored in 3 games from March 5 to June 1

Diego Valeri- Portland Timbers (95)
7 goals
12 assists
Portland 10-5-13 (43 points) 5th in West
Leads league in assists (joint lead with Sebastian Le Toux)

1. Mike Magee- 242
2. Marco Di Vaio- 218
3. Camilo- 207
4. Robbie Keane- 203
5. Jack McInerney- 196
6. Diego Valeri- 95

I'm taking a look at the statistics, and statistically speaking, Will Johnson of the Portland Timbers isn't as good as say Magee, while Valeri has done much  more statistically.

Leave any comments or questions you have and thanks for reading this.

Friday, September 13, 2013

2013 MLS MVP CANDIDATES BY DONALD H UPDATED TO SEPTEMBER 12

2013 MLS MVP CANDIDATES BY DONALD H
Mike Magee- Chicago Fire/Los Angeles Galaxy (236)
Traded to Chicago in May
15 goals, 9 for Fire, 6 for Los Angeles
3 assists, all for Fire
5 game winning goals
LA 5-4-1 (16 points) 3rd in West during tenure
Chicago 8-4-4 (28 points, not including 1-1 draw versus Real Salt Lake on day he was transferred) 1st in East during tenure
Won March and June Player of the Month Awards
Week 1 Player of the Week Award with an ironic hat trick versus Chicago Fire
Scored in 4 games from June 2 to June 22
Scored in 3 games from July 20 to August 3

Robbie Keane- Los Angeles Galaxy (203)
12 goals
10 assists
2 game winning goals
LA 13-10-4 (43 points) 3rd in West
August Player of the Month
Won Week 25 and 27 Player of the Week Awards

Marco Di Vaio- Montreal Impact (218)
17 goals
2 Assists
5 game winning assists
Montreal 13-7-6 (45 points) 1st in East
Won Week 13 and 28 Player of the Week Awards
Scored in 3 games from May 8 to May 25
Leads Golden Boot race

Camilo- Vancouver Whitecaps (207)
14 goals
5 assists
4 game winning goals
Vancouver 10-10-7 (37 points) 7th in West
July Player of the Month
Won Week 17 and 20 Player of the Week Awards
Scored in 5 games from June 8 to July 3

Diego Fagundez- New England Revolution (116)
10 goals
6 assists
4 game winning goals
New England 10-10-7 (37 points) 5th in East
Week 14 Player of the Week
Scored in 4 games from May 11 to June 5
Scored in 3 games from August 25 to September 8

Jimmy Nielson- Sporting Kansas City (121)
10 clean sheets
58 saves
0.96 goals against average
Sporting 13-9-6 (45 points) 3rd in East
5 game clean sheet streak March 16-April 17

Sebastian Le Toux- Philadelphia Union (83)
3 goals
12 assists
Philadelphia 10-9-9 (39 points) 4th in East
Leads league in assists (joint lead with Diego Valeri)

Jack McInerney- Philadelphia Union (201)
10 goals
5 game winning goals
Philadelphia 10-9-9 (39 points) 4th in East
Won April and May Player of the Month Awards
Week 8 Player of the Week
Scored in 3 games from April 6 to April 21
Scored in 3 games from March 5 to June 1

Diego Valeri- Portland Timbers (92)
6 goals
12 assists
Portland 10-5-12 (42 points) 5th in West
Leads league in assists (joint lead with Sebastian Le Toux)

Tim Cahill- New York Red Bulls (91)
8 goals
4 assists
4 game winning goals
New York 13-9-6 (45 points) 2nd in East
Week 9 Player of the Week

RANKINGS
1. Mike Magee, Chicago Fire/Los Angeles Galaxy
2. Marco Di Vaio, Montreal Impact
3. Camilo, Vancouver Whitecaps
4. Robbie Keane, Los Angeles Galaxy
5. Jack McInerney, Philadelphia Union
6. Jimmy Nielson, Sporting Kansas City
7. Diego Fagundez, New England Revolution
8. Diego Valeri, Portland Timbers
9. Tim Cahill, New York Red Bulls
10. Sebastian Le Toux, Philadelphia Union

please leave any comments you have  thank you

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

MY MVP CALCULATION TOOL

STRIKER/MIDFIELDER

Goal- 3

Assist- 2

GWG- 1

DEFENDER

Goal- 2

Assist- 1

GWG - 0.5

Clean Sheet- 3

GOALIE

Clean Sheet- 3
Save- 0.8 rounded to the nearest whole number
GAA: >1- 10; 1-1.3-7

TEAM CONFERENCE STANDINGS

1st- 20

2nd/3rd- 15

4th/5th- 10

6th/7th- 5

8th/9th/10th- 0

TRANSFERRED TEAMS DURING SEASON

FIRST TEAM

1st- 8

2nd/3rd- 7

4th/5th- 6

6th/7th- 5

8th/9th/10th- 1

SECOND TEAM AFTER (BASED ON RECORD SINCE TRANSFER)

1st- 16
2nd/3rd- 12
4th/5th- 8
6th/7th- 4
8th/9th/10th- 0

AWARDS

Player of the Month- 50

Player of the Week- 40

GOAL SCORING STREAKS
3 games- 8
4 games- 12
5 games- 16
6+ games- 25
CLEAN SHEET STREAKS
2 games- 5
3 games- 10
4 games- 15
5 games- 20
6+ games- 50
Golden Boot leader: 50 points
Assist leader: 40 points