here's my MLS Best XI Bocanegra Curtin Pope Beasley Guevara Preki Donovan Twellman Razov Ruiz Onstad MVP: Preki Defender of the Year: Curtin Comeback Player of the Year: Armas Coach of the Year: Sarachan Rookie of the Year: Ralph
Razov Ruiz Spencer Preki Donovan Chung Guevara Curtin Bocanegra Borchers Onstad MVP: Preki Defender of the Year: Bocanegra Comeback Player of the Year: Armas Coach of the Year: Sarachan Rookie of the Year: Ralph
GK - Hartman LB - Dunivant CB - Curtin CB - Pope RB - Nelsen LM - Chung DM - Kovalenko AM - Preki RM - Mullan CF - Donovan CF - Twellman MVP - Donovan Defender of the Year - Curtin Coach of the Year - Sarachan Rookie of the Year - Damani Ralph Comeback of the year - Brian Kamler (to be different)
Great list. I agree with all of these otY selections, no question. Would have liked to have seen what Ching could have done over a full season without the bench time and injurues. Dunivant was great, but you can't argue with Ralph's scoring and wow factor. If Onstad's consiered a rookie then he's eliminated on principle for the one he batted in v KC. For those who didn't notice alll 3 of those last names are on the same team! For All XI: I take Spencer in a heartbeat over Ruiz. Twellman next if the wee Scot can't see over the podium... With Ruiz' occasional dives, I might even take McBride first. Chung over Guevara for a variety of reasons - scoring, defense, pace, fitness, accuracy of shot, better temper, never disappears, he had to play "left idiot" at MET for so long, etc. Pope might not be the best choice as his play was limited; some games he was coming back to fitness as well. I'll take Dunivant instead from MLS' best defense in SJ. The guy scores, takes corners (meaning he makes the long runs routinely), wins it in the air, has size, speed, youth, doesn't get cards at all, started every game, led SJ in minutes...is that enough? He does nothing to hurt your team and everything to help it. I thought about Mullen over DMB, but then reluctantly decided the DMB's potential highlites and the actual ones are worth it. Mullen will never get it - he is in SJ instead of CHI and Mullen doesn't make you go "Wow!". He simply makes you watch your GK pick the ball out of the net more often than any other middie not named Preki.
Onstad Nelsen Pope Bocanegra Chung Donovan Preki Kovalenko Beasley Twellman Spencer MVP: Preki Defender of the year: Bocanegra Comeback Player of the Year: Olsen Coach of the Year: Sarachan Rookie of the Year: Ralph
Onstad Bocanegra Curtin Pope Chung Guevara Preki Donovan Twellman Razov Ruiz Honorable Mention: Ralph, Beasley, Spencer, Borchers, Noonan (in that order) MVP: Preki Defender of the Year: Curtin/Bocanegra Comeback Player of the Year: Armas Coach of the Year: Sarachan Rookie of the Year: Ralph
I like this one, except maybe Armas for Kovalenko at DM, and Armas for Olsen for Comeback Player. (And just to equivocate some more, possibly Hartman for Onstad, though that's sort of a toss-up.)
agoos deserves a lot of consideration .... with all of the injuries on the quakes back line, he's been a rock.
F - Spencer F - Razov M - Preki M - Kovalenko M - Guevara M - Ralston M - Chung D - Petke D - Pope D - Bocanegra MVP - Preki Defensive Player of the year Award - Pope COmeback Play of the year - Ben Olsen Coach of the year - Dave Sarachan Rookie of the year - Damani Ralph
Hartman Curtin Bocanegro Pope Borchers Guevera Mullen Chung Preki Donovan Twellman MVP Donovan Def Boca Rook Damani Coach Gansler Comeback Armas