Soucie on Soccer

After a few weeks off, and some time to acclimate myself again to MLS, class is back in session.  I’m glad I waited until after the All-Star game because I learned a lot from seeing the best MLS had to offer against one of the best teams in Premier League.  This week’s lessons focus entirely on the All-Star game.  Next week we will resume the regular syllabus.

What I Learned

It may only be preseason, but the All-Stars looked pretty good against Everton.  Sure they lost in penalties, the first loss for an MLS All-Star team, but the overall product on the field was excellent, a lot better than I expected.  I expected them to win, but I figured it would be largely an ugly game highlighted by a few flashy players.  I was wrong. 

After an early goal coming entirely from a Stuart Holden mistake, the MLS side settled down and started playing they way we expected them to play.  Stuart Holden made up for his blunder with a brilliant flick to Brad Davis that left Tim Howard dead to rights.  The second half especially showed that MLS flat-out outplayed Everton.  Had it not been for some miraculous saves by Tim Howard, and an unlucky post bounce for Landon Donovan, MLS could have easily won the match 4-1.

If there was one negative to take out of the game, it was the continued struggles of Cuahutemoc Blanco.  In last year’s game, I marvelled at how good Blanco was, especially in his exchanges with David Beckham.  In a sense, it was a view of just what MLS could be in the future if everything went the way the Beckham Experiment was supposed to.  Alas, the Beckham Experiment has hit a snag, and Blanco has suddenly become an old man.  Blanco is your grandfather who still thinks the quarter-behind-the-ear trick is genius.  The heart is there, but the skill seems to have fizzled.  He needs to start paying attention.

What I Want to Know

Conor Casey suddenly remembered that he’s a very good holding striker.  Where was play during the Confederations Cup?  I was a supporter of Casey’s leading into the Confederations Cup, but his mediocre play during the tournament has soured many of his supporters, myself included.  On the MLS goal, Casey dominated his marker with a pure strength play to gain control of the ball.  He then showed just how good his touch can be with a nifty tap using the outside of his right foot to spring Stuart Holden. 

The USMNT could have used that kind of play more in the tournament.  If Casey can keep it up, he might get called back to Bradley’s squad.  Unfortunately for him, he may have damaged his reputation too much.  Kenny Cooper’s Gold Cup showing, while I thought it was crap, seems to be reinvigorating the Cap Cooper movement.  I’ll take Casey over Cooper any day of the week.

What I Knew

Bakary Soumare and Wilman Conde are defensive rocks.  How Soumare did not make the initial squad is beyond me.  He proved with play after play that he’s arguably the best centerback in MLS, especially with the way he shut down Jo.  It is hard to believe Conde and Soumare will be in MLS after this season.  After their performances, expect transfer inquiries and rumors to begin.

Once the game went to penalty kicks, you had to know Everton was going to win.  Tim Howard is only of the best goalkeepers, not just in the EPL, but in the world.  Howard famously shut down Manchester United in the FA Cup last season, so it was expected that he would dominate.  ESPN made sure to remind anyone that forgot that performance right before the PK session began.  The save Howard made on Brad Davis was a thing of beauty, so good that Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, didn’t realize it was saved, tweeting that MLS was up 2-0.  The amazing thing about Howard’s performance was that every successive save was even better.  The man is a monster in goal.  Then again, we knew that.