The correct answer is Thierry Henry. He was both the best player in the league AND the player whose club would be in the most dire straits without. Don't even mention DeRosario.
1. MVP's don't get sent off in the first half of a huge game. Don't give me the "he didn't see him" bullshit either. Now he'll miss the biggest game of the season for NY because of his actions. Yeah, very MVP like. 2. NY has to win to make the playoffs. Whether you like it or not, the MVP award is given to a player on a good team - one that makes the postseason.
Disagree, because without Henry they could have kept DeRo. The team that would be in the most dire straights without a player would be Houston without Brad Davis.
I feel like every Dynamo goal has run through Davis this year. Well, except that last Danny Cruz goal. But that came out of nowhere.
The thing about Wondo is that San Jose has still been terrible even with him, so it hasn't really mattered whether he's done well or not.
No way is Henry the MVP. NYRB has sucked for too long of stretches, and his bonehead (dirty) red in a critical game was too stupid for words (and totally unnecessary). Many of the top goalscorers (aside from Henry) are missing the playoffs. MeRo has the best stats, leading the league in goals with double digit assists. No way can the MVP come from a bottom 8 team. Which also rules Wondo out. That leaves Mendoza and Donovan from among the elite goal-scorers. Beckham has a good year in LA, but not MVP worthy. Maybe go for a defender (Gonzalez?). Someone from Seattle is the other option (Rosales/Fernandez/Alonso), but they have been so balanced. I think it is Donovan.
Beckham, he set up more scoring chances than anyone. He was the most influential part of the best team in MLS.
To me Beckham is a good choice, especially with how quality his team has been this year, but I don't think he's created more chances than Davis (and both are equal in assists). These stats are very old (Aug 25th) and I wish I could find the updated list. If anyone can find, please post: Beckham: Total chances created - 51 From open play - 19 From set pieces - 32 per 90 min. - 2.70 Davis: Total chances created - 84 From open play - 39 From set pieces - 45 per 90 min. - 3.44 http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2011/08/explaining-greatness-brad-davis
How do they define chances? Technically maybe Davis leads in chances created and Davis is a very good passer but Beckham sends dangerous crosses into the box several times per game. I would say some of his crosses this season were among the best in MLS history. I would vote for Beckham for MVP but I think Donovan, Henry, Wondo and maybe even Brad Davis are all fine choices. I think Dero might be the best player in MLS though.
As much as i've enjoyed Henry this year, he's not MVP. To me MVP has to have 2 elements 1)The player's team HAS to be sucessful, although not necessarily dominant. 2)The team's success has to be inextricable from the player
If its coming from OPTA I believe a chance created is any pass that leads to a shot, but someone correct me if I'm wrong.
If Houston were to take first in the East (a very real possibility) I'd really get behind the Davis for MVP movement. If they finish in the wildcard (awkwardly a very real possibility too) then I'd be more inclined to pick a player like Beckham or Donovan. Probably in an attempt to keep him here, the league will give it to Posh.
This year it really seems wide open, with no candidates really standing apart from the rest, at least in my eyes...
Don't think Beckham should be MVP. Not even in talks for the award. http://footballspeak.com/post/2011/09/30/Beckhams-misleading-season.aspx Troy Perkins should be MVP! without him, the Timbers would not be one of the best teams in MLS!
I think you misplaced not in your sentence. It goes right after the word should. DeRosario is deserving of the award, despite DCU missing the playoffs. If not Dero, any one of Davies, Beckham, or Rosales would be fine. Or, how about a Defender for a change. LA's outstanding defense really is the story behind their incredible record this year. Omar Gonzalez is the centerpiece of that defense. Give it to that guy. Who knows, maybe Klinsi will take notice.
Discounting 7 assists because they are from FK's is ridiculous. If it were that easy, then every team would have a 15 assist man this season. The fact is, you still have to get the ball in the right spot for your team to finish it. Whether its in the run of play or not is irrelevant. Goals are goals.
Steve Davis put it well by saying "when you've got 10 good MVP candidates, it means you have zero great ones."
So having 8 more points, like the Dynamo, would qualify him? Not that I am actually lobbying for Wondolowski, but the argument should apply in both cases.
I like Wondo, it is just hard to vote a goal scorer 4 MVP, if the team's not winning. Obviously he is very valuable to San Jose, but how important are the goals if they aren't really leading to the overall success of the team?
I'd consider any of the following to be good choices: DeRosario: Probably the best offensive player overall. Henry and Wondolowski: The best scorers. Gonzalez: Most important defensive player (by far) on the best defensive team (by far). Rosales: Best MLS player currently, in my opinion.
His goals made the team more successful (or less unsuccessful) than they would have been otherwise. Just like every other player's goals. MLS should change the name of the award to Player of the Year or Golden Ball or something, and spare us the constant and pointless debate over the meaning of the term "valuable." Why should the league's top individual award be dependent on whether a player's teammates were good enough to put his team above a totally arbitrary playoff threshold? Why should someone like Wondolowski or DeRosario be denied recognition because their fellow players and their team's management weren't quite good enough?