The league suspended Real Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis for two games and fined him $2,000 for his comments after last Thursday's draw with Houston.

Here are the comments, courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribune and The Deseret Morning News:

"You guys may want to pitch in for my fine," Kreis said.

"It's absolutely ridiculous," Kreis said. "Every 50/50 call goes against us. Every home match we play, I feel like we're playing on the road. I've had it up to here."

"I'm tired of it, I'm exasperated — this is absolutely ridiculous, every single week we play here I feel like we're playing away,” Kreis said. “Every 50-50 call goes against us. My man (Nat Borchers) gets pushed down in the box, the defender has his arms up in front of him showing everybody he's clearly pushed my man down in the box and we don't even get a thought of a penalty kick. Where's the linesman then to help the referee? He was certainly there a few weeks ago to call a non offside's against us."

Kreis is probably lucky that he got off with only a $2,000 fine for his second lengthy tirade of the season.

In situations like these, the fine is the only thing that matters, and I don't suspect that sort of pocket change will impact Kreis, whose on-field exploits earned him hundreds of thousands of dollars per season.

MLS explains the irrelevance of Kreis' two-match suspension at the bottom of its press release announcing the suspension.

<<Any coach serving a game suspension may enter his team's locker room prior to and during half-time as well post-game.  The coach may not, however, appear on field level at any time on game day.  He may not sit in the Press Box or grandstands.  The coach shall be seated in a private suite or team-provided reserved section.>>

The league is basically saying: Don't do this again, but give the team talks, set the lineup and watch the match from a comfortable luxury suite. It's like putting a kid in the corner for his time out and giving him a television and a remote.

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MLS announced its “First XI” today for the All-Star Game. These eleven players won't comprise the starting lineup, but will make the trip to Toronto in a couple of weeks' time.

GK: Matt Reis
DF: Jimmy Conrad, Michael Parkhurst, Frankie Hedjuk
MF: David Beckham, Shalrie Joseph, Sacha Kljestan, Robbie Rogers, Cuauhtemoc Blanco
FW: Landon Donovan, Kenny Cooper

All-Star head coach Steve Nicol makes five selections to fill out his roster. MLS Commissioner Don Garber selects two players to fill out the 18-man roster.

Nicol should take the following five players:

GK: Jon Busch (are there any other choices?)
DF: Gonzalo Segares (can play any spot in a three-man or a four-man backline, which makes him the selection over Bakary Soumare)
MF: Steve Ralston (deserving of the nod and can play anywhere across midfield)
MF: Maurice Edu (if Nicol sticks with the five in midfield, he needs another defensive midfielder and this particular selection panders to the partisan Toronto crowd.)
FW: Luciano Emilio (United deserves a representative)

If Nicol goes with those five players, expect Garber to tap Barros Schelotto and Claudio Lopez to fill out the roster.  The roster could use another defender, but that won't likely factor into the commissioner's decision.

7:30: Welcome to Casa del McCarthy for this rare midweek aggregation of quality American footy action. DC - Pachuca gets us started, with KC - New England featured in the middle before Houston - Saprissa. I can dust off the blog for this momentous event.

7:36: I took one of the FSC commentators to task for his lack of preparation last week. It's only fair to laud them for having three guys on site for this game at RFK Stadium. Ample show of resources there.

7:45: I love Luciano Emilio when he's in the box. He's a fairly ruthless finisher. But his buildup play is far, far too slow at this level. As I said after the first game, he just doesn't move the ball quickly enough and reacts too slowly once he's on it.

7:58: Surprising to see the Revolution go with Amaechi Igwe. I wonder if it's a fit thing or a fitness thing for Chase Hilgenbrinck.

8:00: Wizards coach Curt Onalfo springs a surprise by starting Scott Sealy. It's a good move; this isn't a particularly pacy Revs backline with Chris Albright (ankle) on the bench.

8:07: Nice pinney, Matt Reis

8:12: How many ways can my esteemed editor say that he thinks Kurt Morsink is total pants? I counted twice in the first five minutes. (For the record, I agree. He's not good enough to pull the strings.)

8:14: Make it three in six as Morsink gets pressured off the ball.

8:16: Morsink almost gets his revenge as he forces two sharp saves from Matt Reis.

8:19: Goal. Keystone Kops routine in the Kansas City box presents New England with a goal. Castro's ball is dangerous, but Wahl should have dealt with it. Instead, he snapped it off of Jewsbury and past Hartman.

8:25: Reis saves from Sealy off the header, then Lopez heads over the bar. Igwe, Igwe...meet Lopez, the former Argentina international. Marking him from five yards away isn't advisable for your playing future.

8:27: The best part of any Revs broadcast? The interview with Steve Nicol after 20 minutes. Unfortunately, there wasn't a debatable penalty call to discuss. Nicol thinks his team is a bit fortunate to be ahead. He's probably right.

8:28: Igwe does his best Theo Walcott impression before blasting just wide.

8:34: Penal! Sealy and Morsink play a one-two and Nyassi comes through with a reckless slide through Morsink. Jewsbury gets the call to take the penalty and slots home. Probably just to be back on level terms.

8:41: Goal. Khano Smith seemingly holds the ball far too long after a surging run and then slides to the far post. Wizards defense AWOL and Nyassi slides home.

8:45: Khano Smith shoots, but it goes sideways and almost deflects off Kenny Mansally and into the net.

8:48: Goal. Terrible, terrible defending by Kansas City. Castro's service was reasonably dangerous, but should have been cleared. Joseph affects the defense and Mansally takes a poor clearance and slots it between Hartman.

8:54: Halftime in Kansas City. Wizards will rue the multiple missed chances as they go into the break down 3-1. Flipping back to FSC see United still down two goals on aggregate.

8:55: Just saw the replay of the possible penalty on Fred. I'm fine with the no call. There's a tug, but there's not much there.

9:01: Great cross from Burch. Emilio gets the header down, but can't direct it to either side of Calero, who does well to get that off to the side.

9:06: Juan Carlos Cacho has missed a hatful of chances in this tie, a point rightly made by the PbP announcer.

9:09: Second half starts in Kansas City...we're going to flip back and forth for the next 20 minutes or so.

9:13: Alvarez gets the killer third after United knocks on the door and can't break it down. Too many numbers for the United defense to cope with as the side poured forward...swapping back to KC-NE

9:22: Marinelli clatters into the back of Joseph. I suspect that's his last chance.

9:37: My focus on this game is waning. New England's doing an effective job of killing off this game.

9:38: D.C. apparently scored a couple of late goals to make it close. But United still goes out. Houston's the only team left flying the MLS flag.

9:41: Lopez forces Reis to dive low to his right to push it around the post.

9:47: Kansas City can't get anything going.

9:55: Flood comes off in stoppage time. Positing that it's a hamstring injury. Joe Franchino comes back after a long injury hell to make his first appearance in quite some time.

9:57: Impressive 3-1 win from the Revs. Back to FSC for Houston-Saprissa.

10:03: Watching the highlights from United-Pachuca. Two good goals from Dyachenko and Niell, but a bit too late.

10:09: Match kicks off. Three notes about Saprissa's home stadium: (1) No MLS team has ever won here; (2) It has turf; (3) The fans are one massive pain in the ass.

10:11: How does one define "intermovable?"

10:13: Waibel pulls up lame and Brian Mullan has to come on in his place. Mullan was very poor at right back in the opener against New England. Waibel was in the center for the injured Robinson (Boswell is suspended; Ianni replaced him). It looks like Clark has pushed into central defense, Cameron pulled inside, and Mullan went out to the right wing. But I can't really tell with this hideous camera angle.

10:20: How did Gomez miss the header from 5 yards? How is he that wide open? Great point by Dunseth about the poor turnover by Barrett to start the counter attack.

10:24: Here are my thoughts on Corey Ashe as a player: He's really, really fast.

10:28: Miles on Caig: "His distribution hasn't been of the highest caliber." Agreed.

10:32: Keep your elbows down, Ianni. People have gotten sent off for less in these away games in Central America.

10:35: I'm really annoyed that I can't figure out who is playing where because of this camera angle.

10:36: The Dynamo is passing like the game's being played on grass.

10:38: Finally, a camera angle where I can discern who is playing alongside Ianni: Geoff Cameron, scorer of the equalizer at the weekend, plays alongside Ianni in the middle. At 6'3", he's a logical choice when there aren't any other available defenders.

10:40: Do you think Grimace is unhappy that Saprissa's crowd is called the Purple Monster?

10:41: Houston's passing is abysmal right now. Simple balls ending up at the feet of the Costa Ricans. Not 30 yard through balls, five and ten yard short passes.

10:42: Goal. Oh my. Tony Caig. What have you done? Meek shot deflects off Ianni and Caig lets the ball slip right underneath him. I can categorically say there's no way Onstad lets that ball past him. Thirty-five minutes of good work down the toilet.

10:46: Halftime. Also known as snack time. Mmm...ice cream.

11:08: Flipped back in time to see Borges score the killer second. Probably time to start working on some other things...

11:22: Ching forces Navas into a diving save.

11:39. Saprissa scored a third while I was watching Calgary - San Jose and writing a Nyassi profile for MLSnet. CBC hockey coverage is neck and neck with Sky Premier League coverage for best sports presentation. With the game firmly out of reach, it's time to wind up this blog for the night.

To recap: MLS teams flame out in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and New England reasserts itself by handily dispatching Kansas City. All on a Wednesday night nonetheless. Now about those Sharks...

I don't know the story behind the Seattle naming snafu. I know what I've read and I know what people have said about how the league quashed certain names and touted others. But if you're looking for first hand information, check elsewhere.

What I can say is that the team and the league got it right.

It doesn't always work out that way whether owners (Dallas Burn? Real Salt Lake?) or followers choose the team name.

But with the ownership's bent towards the wacky (Will the marching band perform during halftime? Does the general manager rent or buy his house when he moves to the city?), there needed to be a democratic resolution to the question of the name and it needed to involve more than FC.

Sounders is part of the soccer fabric in Seattle. Is it a great name? Not particularly. Will the team possibly channel Tampa Bay when it creates its new uniform? There's a decent chance.

Yet even though it doesn't look like the name has much going for it, Sounders does have character. It has people willing to back it in the face of other options. It has history.

When the people spoke, the ownership listened.

For a franchise trying to do things differently, a nod to tradition in the face of increasing modernization may not be such a bad way to do it.

It's two poor results out of two for MLS sides in the semifinals of the Champions Cup after Houston could only manage a 0-0 draw with Saprissa on Wednesday night at Robertson Stadium.

Like United, the Dynamo faces a steep challenge to make the final needing an away result in Costa Rica. Houston generated significant pressure but lacked the quality to finish off moves that deserved goals, not near misses. Good performances around the pitch for Houston, particularly Caraccio, who looked to settle in nicely, Ashe, and Clark, but they needed goals.

It wasn't for a lack of chances. Brian Ching had a couple of good opportunities in the first half, and Ashe could have done a bit better with his chance on the stroke of halftime. Caraccio's lunging effort on 64 minutes almost dipped under the bar while Navas did well to cut the angle a minute later. Ching then should have done better with another Ashe cross before heading over when he should have scored in injury time

(Note: I'm of two minds about Ching lately. His buildup play has been fantastic in the games I've seen, but the finishing has bordered on woeful. Is a player like that still considered out of form?)

But it's the openings in the Dynamo defense that continue to worry. At one point, I counted a 4v2 after the Dynamo defense parted like the Red Sea. Boswell stepped unconvincingly and Robinson had cheated too far to Barrett's side. The gap would have been exploited but for a terrible pass.

It wasn't a problem on this night; Saprissa attacked occasionally in the first half and was under the cosh far too much of the second to get forward. But the softness that Houston displayed on Saturday hasn't gone away, even with Ianni in the back.

Tough to see the Dynamo getting a result at Saprissa. That place is a cauldron. We'll see if the Dynamo has it in them. Perhaps a 0-0 draw is the desired result.

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One note to the PbP announcer: Do your research.

I can live with the mistakes if they're about Saprissa. That's not a team you see that often. The Dynamo ones, I cannot.

Joseph Ngwenya's not playing in Germany (he's with Karnten in Austria; he trialled with Alemannia Aachen of the 2.Bundesliga and missed out on a deal) and Nate Jaqua isn't in the Austrian second division (Cashpoint Altach may have a terrible name, but they're in the Austrian first division, above Karnten and outside the relegation zone).

It's a harder job than most people assume, and most of the criticism levelled against MLS (and FSC) announcers is relatively unfair considering how difficult the job is. However, the job gets a lot easier if you do the research on the little things. Other things are outside of your control. Research is firmly within it.

At 1-0 down, D.C. United just about did its job.

Yeah, that's funny to say in a cup competition. Usually, you want to get a goal on the road to give yourself the best chance of advancing. But away goals don't matter in this competition for some perverse reason explainable only to CONCACAF officials.

Then again, you're not expecting your backline to not mark on the back post with ten minutes to play with that one goal deficit (and the job done) in the bag.

At 2-0 down, United has a significant task ahead of it.

It wasn't a performance for the neutrals by United. Zach Wells tried to waste time from the opening minute. The altitude sucked the life out of United late in the first half and late in the second half. It's difficult to adapt and play at altitude when you're not used to it and only have a day or two to adapt.

United didn't create much going forward, aside from a misplay by Calero and a couple of quickfire chances 15 minutes from time, but they didn't really need to focus on that. Fred looked tidy at points, while Marcelo Gallardo underwhelmed. This preference for the slide rule pass down towards the corner didn't make sense when Emilio couldn't get past the defense.

When Emilio went towards goal, he must have thought he was in MLS and not international play because he kept taking extra touches and refused to release the ball. The one time he did act quickly, he nearly set up a 2v1 and drew a yellow card for a scathing tackle.

Defensively, United looked solid for the most part aside from the goals.. Tough to have qualms with the back four aside from the second goal. Thought the defensive midfielders could have established themselves a bit more in the game, though Pachuca enjoyed most of the possession in the second half and United held up well. McTavish's tackle on Montes with 10 minutes to play was ill-advised and led to the second goal.

Both goals were poor to give away from United's perspective. Montes scores from a cross because Wells is sleeping or cheating off his line. It's not a goal that Perkins would have conceded. The second goal is desperately poor marking off a set piece. Coach Tom Soehn won't be pleased with the manner in which his side conceded.

Pachuca's coach, former Mexico coach Enrique Meza, did well to switch things up at halftime. Montes was an inspired substitute (two goals compels me to say that). Aside from that, it was rather comfortable for the hosts.

Can United turn it around in the second leg? Probably not. Pachuca has just a bit too much quality in midfield. Two goals should be more than enough to see the Mexicans through to the final. For United, the team wants trophies but this competition won't likely yield one on this evidence.

“I think the ride’s over,” I told my roommate this afternoon. “3-0 to Chelsea.”

I wasn’t hopeful for today’s encounter at Oakwell. I know Barnsley had lost only twice at home in the Championship this season and I watched Chelsea thrash Olympakios at Stamford Bridge mid-week. Barnsley’s form hadn’t been anything to write home about since the Liverpool victory.

That’s the great thing about the Cup: form doesn’t matter.

Team selection does though. Simon Davey got his right; playing Jamaican international Jamal Campbell-Ryce proved masterful in neutering some of Chelsea’s wing play because the tiny winger buzzed up and down and harried one and all.

But Chelsea had to make do without Lampard and Cech through injury and Ashley Cole, Claude Makalele and Paulo Ferriera were rested.

While Chelsea could do without the last three, it was the former two that proved their undoing at Oakwell.
Lampard gives Chelsea its impetus and its steel in midfield. On days like today, where the team felt desperately out of sync, Lampard’s the talismanic figure who drives them forward. Without him, Chelsea didn’t look up for the scrap.

And then there’s Carlo Cudicini. Much like his compatriot at Liverpool, Cudicini would have a part to play in Barnsley’s passage. For Charles Itandje, it was a poorly covered near post. For Cudicini, there would be another flapping attempt to haul in a cross.

Cudicini had flapped at a couple of balls across the area earlier in the contest. Barnsley had hit the post through Ferenczi in the first half and had the more threatening of the chances in an even first stanza.

But Barnsley were under the cosh for most of the second half as Brian Howard struggled to assert himself in the contest.

Yet there was Disco Devaney, an astute crosser of the ball who drew this comment from my roommate:  “He’s really dangerous if you give him the space to get in a cross,” popping up once again. A simple overlap drew Belletti away from his mark and Devaney’s majestic cross found Kayode Odejayi at the far post.

Cudicini should have gotten to the cross, but Odejayi tapped into the open net. It was what Barnsley’s endeavor and graft deserved.

Chelsea sent numbers forward in the last 25 minutes, but there wasn’t any of the quality you’d expect. No quality saves to keep them at bay. Just brave Tykes throwing themselves in front of every strike.

After a harrowing final period, Steve Bennett sent Oakwell into rapture and onto the pitch with the final whistle.
For once, the underdog can say that victory was earned rather than stolen after an abject Chelsea display sees the holders out.

For Barnsley, Wembley and the FA Cup semifinals beckon.

For me, it’s two Barnsley matches next week as I travel to Oakwell for the Ipswich match on Tuesday before heading to Selhurst Park to catch Barnsley-Crystal Palace a week from today.

The blog’s dormant until then, but the column continues as usual.

It’s like one of those cool reunion parties in San Jose. The gang’s all back, ready to renew old times and strive for better ones.

First, it was John Doyle and Frank Yallop. Now it’s Ronnie Ekelund.

Ekelund, the former ‘Quakes and Denmark midfielder, joined the team today as a “technical advisor.” According to the club, he’ll play an important role in daily training sessions.

As a former playmaker, Ekelund should be able to take one look down the roster and tell Yallop what he already knows: he has no strikers.

For emphasis: there isn’t an MLS caliber starting striker on the roster right now.

San Jose’s reticence in filling that gaping hole has baffled this particular observer and it shouldn’t take Ekelund’s appointment to enlighten those in San Jose that their team won’t score many goals as currently comprised, unless you think Kei Kamara is a 10 goal scorer and everyone missed it.

Digging up goal-shy Japanese striker Takayuke Suzuki for a brief trial after his failed attempt to latch on at Chivas USA didn’t make much sense either.

The pity is that the ‘Quakes have some pieces to compete (Ramiro Corrales, Ronnie O’Brien, Joe Cannon) but no one to reliably score goals.

Today is the first day in a long time that I won’t have to explain to anyone about Barnsley Football Club.

There are no questions asking “Who are they?” (Small side in mid-sized Yorkshire city nicknamed the Tykes) or “Where do they play?” (Oakwell) or “What league is that?” (Championship usually, though there was that painful two-year stint in League One a couple of seasons ago) or “Why would you ever support them?” (I like a good story, and there are few better than being in England the summer prior to Barnsley’s first and only season in the Premier League 10 years ago).

No questions about the best player (Brian Howard, who uses his left foot as deftly and his right foot as sparingly as Preki once did, had ten goals on the season prior to the start of the match) or about their prospects for this season (I’ll take mid-table safety, thanks – the away form’s been generally crap) or about when or if I’ll see them play in person (once a couple years ago at Brentford, and will add two more next month with matches at Oakwell against Ipswich Town and at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace).

For once, I can point to a football match and say, that’s Barnsley F.C. and that’s how the Tykes play. It’s not always pretty, but there’s plenty of heart.

Or I could just point out the result: Barnsley 2 – Liverpool 1 at Anfield in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup. A raft load of free transfers beat one of the most expensively assembled squads in English football.

There’s a chant that rings out around Oakwell on match day. It’s just like watching Brazil, they say.

That wasn’t the case today. But victory still tastes sweetly.

Liverpool was the better side throughout, spraying passes and creating chance after chance. That’s to be expected when you’re playing Liverpool at Anfield. But Crouch was off-form and Kuyt still can’t really finish. Like many Liverpool performances this season, there was a bit of verve missing from their performance.

Still for much of the game, there was little to worry about for the home side. The neutral probably spotted Barnsley’s devotion to keeping the ball on the floor in the first half, though the execution lacked at points and newly-signed midfielder Anderson de Silva got caught in possession at every turn. Second-choice Bobby Hassell, in the team for the cup-tied Welsh international Lewin Nyatanga, was more turnstile than right back as Ryan Babel ran him ragged. The visitors conceded much of the possession, but tried to join the game when possible and held out at the back.

Kuyt converted before the break and the result appeared inevitable at that point, especially as the home side stormed out in the second half to kill the game. 

But a funny thing happened on Liverpool’s way to the Sixth Round: Disco Devaney hit a sumptuous cross and center-half Stephen Foster nodded home at the far post and suddenly Barnsley were level. The poor neighbors probably wondered why they could hear shouting and clapping.

Liverpool felt aggrieved and sent endless numbers forward. Steven Gerrard, left out of the team with Torres and Mascherano but kept in reserve on the off chance the match was close, stormed on and nearly caused the winner within two minutes of his arrival. It was batten down the hatches time, with heroic intervention after heroic intervention at the back as Hassell, Dennis Souza, and Foster hurdled themselves in front of every possible attempt.

And then there was the goalkeeper. Luke Steele signed on loan this week from West Brom. Tony Warner, he of the numerous blunders, had signed earlier from Fulham, but he was cup-tied. Manager Simon Davey wanted Thomas Sorenson from Aston Villa and ended up with Steele instead.

Fortunate he did, after Steele kept Liverpool at bay with save after save, with the smart one at the near post on Benayoun perhaps his best when the scores were level. It was a debut for the ages, man of the match stuff without doubt.

Unlike most teams at Anfield with a replay in the offing, Barnsley kept trying to go forward on those increasingly rare occasions when they could hoof the ball out of danger. Kayode Odejayi, on for the Puerto Rican-passport holding Daniel Nardiello, nearly drew a free kick from the rickety Charles Itandje. Devaney lashed well wide after Odejayi nodded down with a few minutes left to go.

Then in injury time, Barnsley withstood more pressure and got it clear again. A replay at Oakwell, a money spinning tie certain to bring the additional fee Sky cameras bring, beckoned.

One special moment turned a replay into ecstasy.

After some quick interplay, Howard was felled by Sami Hyypia in the penalty area. Seven thousand traveling supporters let Martin Atkinson know what they thought about the non-call at the far end.

No matter, Howard said. The ball was poorly cleared, Howard juked inside, and slotted home at the near post with that treasured left foot.

Thirty seconds to play. Barnsley’s up at Anfield. Joy in this house. Joy in the away end. Neighbors still probably perplexed.

The final whistle was inevitable. The counter puncher had scored a famous, probably undeserved victory. Who cares?

A place in the Sixth Round draw awaits. Arsenal won’t be in it. Everton won’t be in it. Liverpool won’t be in it.

Barnsley will be.

For one day at least, everyone knows Barnsley Football Club.

David Beckham should look enviously towards the Nation’s capital. Juan Pablo Angel probably called his agent this morning and asked if he could arrange a transfer.

Both New York and Los Angeles have (or will soon have) fantastic new stadiums and significant fiscal wherewithal. They are two of the largest clubs in the country and draw players and fans from around the world.

But they don’t have what D.C. United will have (and Toronto already has, for that matter) in three to five years: a stadium located within city limits.

The Washington Post reported this morning that D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty had proposed a deal with the city council to include a $190 million soccer-specific stadium in the Poplar Point project. The stadium would seat 27,000 with the possibility for 8,000 temporary seats for larger matches.

Perhaps this uncorks the champagne a bit too early, but Fenty’s transition from his previous reticence in the matter, combined with the support of Ward 8 City Council member Marion Barry, signals this move is more likely to happen than not. The stadium and development would provide significant community development for D.C.’s most impoverished area, making it a win-win for all involved.

If the stadium is indeed included, United should take its place at the forefront of MLS clubs.

The most consistently successful side in league history (something neither Los Angeles and New York can approach) has increased its profile by lavishing significant funds during the off-season, acquiring former Argentine international Marcelo Gallardo amongst a raft of signings.

New ownership has made a significant financial commitment since taking the helm, increasing spending to match New York and approach Los Angeles. Victor MacFarlane and Will Chang have combined that financial commitment with significant political acumen to rescue a deal that looked dead only months ago when MacFarlane’s company was passed over for the primary development deal on the site.

The stadium was the only piece missing to anoint United as the league’s premier club. The crumbling, old relic of a soccer palace it currently calls home has served its purpose but does not represent the new wave of soccer-specific stadia that represents MLS on the world stage.

That is no longer the case, given this deal.

Forget the league hype and look at the evidence. D.C. United is the league’s premier club. Even if they don’t have Becks.

The Toronto Globe and Mail’s excellent soccer blog posted this tidbit yesterday: Toronto and Columbus will compete for a cup this season.

My reply: What?

These sorts of artificially constructed rivalries drive me crazy. Don’t force a rivalry down a team’s throat.

I know there’s tons of natural animosity between the two cities, assuming that most Toronto citizens have a) heard of Columbus and b) can locate it on a map. Those same citizens have a storied history of supporting other natural rivalries between the two cities.  There is no greater rivalry in college football than The Ohio State University v. University of Toronto, after all.

I’m not sure the TFC brass has actually looked out in the crowd during BMO Field home games, but this particular fan base doesn’t need any gimmicky rivalry to come out and hate the visiting side.

To the TFC brass, I have but one message: Keep your mitts off a naturally developing fan base and let the action on the field dictate what team will provide the rivalry that captures the imagination.

It wasn’t a vintage performance by the States by any stretch of the imagination in Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with Mexico. The wear and tear on the European players was evident in a few of the performances, while other players just looked as if they were out of season.

Despite conceding most of the possession and many of the important chances, Bob Bradley’s side still managed to tally twice (and it should have been three but for Dempsey’s phantom foul) and proved incisive at points.

One major negative for the States: fullback play. On the whole, it was wretched. Thankfully, Bradley can call on his starters when World Cup qualifying starts, but there are significant questions about depth in those positions after this contest.

On to the ratings:
(1-10, with 5 being average)

GK Tim Howard – 7 – Man of the Match

Confident and assured on his line, Howard inspires confidence behind an uninspiring backline. Does well with crosses and commands everything in the penalty area. Continues to improve and will cement the number one shirt for the foreseeable future.

LB Ramiro Corrales – 3.5

Decent in possession and uses his traits as a former holding midfielder well. The positives in possession are outweighed by concerns on the defensive end. Corrales is slow of foot and got beat around the corner multiple times. His propensity to foul indiscriminately (I counted three in and around the box, including one near the death) would pose problems in a more significant game. Surely there are better options for higher level games?

CD Oguchi Onyewu – 5.5

It looks more and more likely that Onyewu is the steadier of the two center backs, which is a surprising statement given Onyewu’s performances over the past year. Onyewu’s distribution set up Dempsey’s non-goal. His goal was well-taken and displayed the efficacy of his long throw. Once again, the hulking centerback dominated everything in the air. He’s an automatic choice for any contest against Mexico.

CD Carlos Bocanegra – 4

Bocanegra’s persistent lack of awareness has hurt him with both club and country. The Fulham defender’s collision with Howard early in the first half was indicative of his lack of communication. Also worth noting is his poorly conceded corner kick that led to Mexico’s second goal. Is Bocanegra a long term solution at centerback or will his future lie on the outside to compete with Bornstein for the left back berth?

RB Drew Moor – 4

Moor had the start in his back pocket: he was the only right back on the roster. Moor’s service was consistently fantastic. His cross for Altidore’s goal was world-class. Defensively, Moor got beaten consistently by the pacy Carlos Vela and Jonny Magallon scored both goals while being marked by Moor on dead balls. Despite his obvious flaws and his role as a proverbial turnstile, Moor did interject himself crucially in a couple of threatening situations (the 60th minute deflection being the best, with a 39th minute header away from danger coming second).  Moor’s lack of pace limits his future at this level, but Steve Cherundolo’s presence means Moor will only play a cameo role. On this evidence, that’s probably a good thing.

LM Bobby Convey – 4.5

Another non-descript performance from the Reading winger.  Did some nice things when he ventured inside, but he didn’t see enough of the ball.

CM Ricardo Clark – 5

A quiet, solid performance turned in without frills or incisiveness. Considering he hasn’t played much competitive soccer over the past five months, Clark did well to rise to the level and showed consistently better than his midfield partner. Clark needs to show more of the two-way play that makes him one of the best options in the middle.

CM Michael Bradley – 4

Poor performance from the younger Bradley as he picked up a needless yellow card at the end of the first half and conceded most of the space he controlled in central midfield. Bradley earned some leeway after carrying his Dutch side for most of the season, but he still needs to calm down the temperament in games like these.

RM Landon Donovan – 5.5

The right-midfield experiment works when Donovan sees enough of the ball. On the ball, Donovan continues to be the most dangerous American player on the field. Donovan won his battle with Carlos Salcido and tempted the Mexican left back into a poor challenge to draw a yellow card. Yet it’s to be determined whether Donovan will have enough influence on the contest out on the wing, even if right midfield may be his best natural fit.

FW Jozy Altidore – 6

He’s ready. The cool finish from Moor’s cross showed that. Altidore’s pace and power will trouble defenses at this level and it’s easy to see why European teams drool over the Red Bulls forward. This performance should ensure Altidore vaults over Taylor Twellman and Brian Ching and stakes a place for more consistent game time.

FW Clint Dempsey – 5

Dempsey struggled to impact the game aside from the goal that never was. Dempsey is probably better playing just behind a dangerous runner like Altidore, but he needs to see more of the ball than he did. The goal showed why Dempsey is a first-choice starter; the Americans haven’t had a player with the hubris to do what Dempsey does since Clint Mathis.

Substitutes

MF Benny Feilhaber (Bradley, 62) – 5

Needs games badly.

MF Maurice Edu (Clark, 79) – NR

MF Eddie Lewis (Convey, 70) – 5

It’s curious to call Lewis in to play a cameo role at this stage in his career.

FW Freddy Adu (Dempsey, 63) – 5.5

Adu’s willingness and ability to run at defenders could see him earn a substitute’s role during qualifying.

Los Angeles’s second team may not get the publicity it deserves. But it’s clear from recent moves that Chivas USA has the better chance of claiming MLS Cup in November.

Why so bullish on the Goats’ chances?

Forget about Jose Cardozo. Think about Raphael Wicky.

The former Swiss international defensive midfield will sneak under the radar, but he’s got big time game. Clubs on his resume include Werder Bremen, Atletico Madrid, and Hamburger SV. He’s played in a World Cup and a European Championship and boasts 75 caps for his national side.

Moreover, he plays the type of position that can impact the game. Put him beside Jesse Marsch and you’ve got someone with the range of passing, alongside Marsch’s bite, to provide Sasha Kljestan with the necessary service.

Wicky also gives the team significant depth in central midfield; Kljestan will miss time with the Olympic team and Marsch will miss games here and there with the inevitable knocks a player of his vintage will acquire.

Add Wicky to the core in place and you have a team significantly improved from last year’s Western Conference champions.

(Incidentally, Wicky is exactly the type of player the league needs to sign: an established, high-level international between 29 and 32 willing to play for less than DP money. These are the players that can really make a difference.)

Brad Guzan’s failed transfer to Aston Villa hurt the league (a £2 million sale will turn into a free transfer at the end of the season) but shored up the goalkeeping worries for head coach Preki with Preston Burpo’s departure in the expansion draft. Guzan remains the best goalkeeper in the league.

With all the positive news out of SoCal, there must be a drag for the Goats.

It comes with rumors of a difference of opinion between Ante Razov and Preki. Any rift between the pair must be sorted out prior to opening day. Alecko Eskandarian is a worthy reserve, not a full-time partner for Maykel Galindo.

Relying on Eskandarian or any of the foreign trialists, including the goal-shy Japanese striker Takayuki Suzuki or the quasi-retired Jose Cardozo, in lieu of Razov will lead to playoff heartache.

But for now, all signs are positive for Chivas as it opens camp.

The change everyone knew was coming finally occurred this morning in Toronto. Toronto FC manager Mo Johnston moved upstairs to a director of soccer role, vacating the sidelines and consolidating his control over player personnel.

In his stead comes former Leeds United and Newcastle United assistant manager John Carver. Carver, most recently number two to Kevin Blackwell at cash-strapped Luton Town (English League One), joins TFC with no tangible managerial experience.

Aside from two stints as caretaker manager, Carver has never held a top job. His experience primarily rests with the day-to-day work on the training pitch. While he should have the tools to manage successfully at this level, there is nothing but conjecture to back up that promise.

The uncertainty raises significant questions for TFC moving forward in terms of tactics and direction.

Will Johnston remain engaged in the on-field proceedings or will he give the new man leeway to operate? Does Carver have the tactical nous and requisite personality to helm a side? Can Carver overcome the Sammy Lee/Steve Wigley/Peter Grant/Brian Kidd disease (accomplished coaches or assistant managers who couldn’t take over the reins full time)?

One thing is certain: Johnston’s oft-stated desire to step away from the sidelines and focus on the transfer market propelled this move. Whether it turns into a positive for the Canadian side remains to be seen.

It appears counterintuitive to state that David Beckham’s omission from the next England squad by new England manager Fabio Capello is a positive sign for MLS.

On its face, Beckham’s omission hurts both the player and the league, but that viewpoint glosses over the underlying benefits caused by the snub.

Many in England wanted Beckham to take a valedictory stroll around the park against Switzerland on February 6. Beckham would earn his 100th cap for the Three Lions, entering an exclusive club with the likes of Peter Shilton, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, and Billy Wright.

Beckham has trained with Arsenal for the past month in an attempt to persuade Capello that he could feature in the friendly.

Capello rejected Beckham’s rationale and “match fitness” and instead offered another idea, according to Sky:

Find your match fitness and match form with the Galaxy and then we’ll talk.

The boost to the league is implicit in Capello’s argument.

Much like Poland coach Leo Beenhakker’s endorsement of a potential move to the league by star striker Maciej Zurawski, Capello’s statements, if communicated, imply that the standard of play is of a requisite quality that Beckham will remain in consideration under the Italian’s watch.

While former England boss Steve McLaren agreed with Capello’s assessment when he recalled Beckham last season, it was not necessarily the case that Capello would concur with his predecessor’s judgment.

(Nor should Capello’s concurrence with McLaren’s flawed reign be expected when the provisional squad for the friendly is named later today.)

The league and the Galaxy reap other, more tangible benefits from Capello’s actions. The midfielder can halt his farcical training stint with the Gunners. The league can avoid the negative press it wound inevitably face from shilling a current England player around Asia with the specter of injury looming over his head with every wanton tackle while his England teammates are playing Premier League football.

More positively, the move shifts Beckham’s focus back to the playing field and creates further incentive for Beckham to bed in with Galaxy and excel on the field. 

In the end, a fit, focused, motivated, and in-form Beckham benefits both England and the Galaxy. Capello’s decision to push off Beckham’s 100th cap increases that likelihood for the foreseeable future.

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When D.C. United unveiled Marcelo Gallardo on Tuesday at the National Press Club, the Argentine didn’t look like he felt any pressure.

But his new club felt that pressure, even if the former PSG and River Plate playmaker wasn’t troubled. That pressure is the reason why Gallardo play at RFK this season and why Christian Gomez will play in Colorado, Kansas City, South America, or the Middle East.

Gomez is one of the best midfielders in MLS. He’s probably worthy of the two-year, $400,000 per year guaranteed contract he seeks. But he’s been the centerpiece of a team that has struggled for post-season glory over the past three seasons.

(Some observers would describe Gomez’s form last season as patchy, rather than Best XI worthy over the course of the season. That’s not to take away from Gomez’s mid-season surge that propelled his side to the league’s best record, but it is to note that his overall haul (10 goals, 9 assists in 27 games) may not correlate to his overall contribution throughout the season.)

Yet to ditch Gomez is to admit that there was something fundamentally incorrect with the side’s composition, something that needed fixing.

In D.C., MLS Cups matter. International competitions matter. Supporters Shields are nice decorations for the office. Unlike most markets, there is pressure to succeed at the highest levels.

In search of that success, the club turns to Gallardo, a player with unquestionable pedigree and questionable recent contributions.

At 32, it’s premature to say he’s over the hill. He’s sublimely talented and could pull the strings in midfield better than anyone in league history aside from Valderrama and Donadoni. But his influence on a mediocre PSG side over the past season could best be described as fleeting, raising question marks about his ability to cut it at the level required to replace Gomez.

Sure, there are other newly-imported (and lesser-known) South Americans to aid Gallardo. The tricky Fred, the ruthless Luciano Emilio, the aging Jaime Moreno, and the relentless Ben Olsen will provide support as well. Swapping Zach Wells for Troy Perkins will probably end up closer to a wash than a significant change.

But essentially, United is gambling that exchanging Gallardo, at Designated Player salary for two years, will replace Gomez, at guaranteed max salary for two years, will propel its team to playoff glory.

We’ll know if the swap was right in two years (or less). But the pressure starts today.