2005 Finalists For USSOCCER players of the year

While every player on this list deserves to be there we should not split our vote. I don't know how much our voting counts in the end results but we should send a strong signal to the Fed and US media that while Landon won the MLS championship he mailed it in for most of the year while DaMarcus moved up to another level.

 

If Landon beats DMB I'll cut my balls off.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/11/16/1132016820398.html

 

How can you say that Donovan "mailed it in most of the year"? He was 3rd in goals and 2nd in assists in the MLS while pulling double duty with the national team where he led them in goals and assists. I just don't see how people can still justify bashing Landon.

 

You can make a case for both players -- however for me, Beasley deserves it because of his success in Europe. I don't even know if that can be taken into consideration, but it's enough for me. Landon had a great year too, but hasn't he won the past two years?

DMB deserves it this time around.

 

There is a difference between playoff Landon and regular season Landon and it's a self-admitted mental difference. His scoring record for the playoffs over his career is epic while his regular season record is just very good. He had one good performance for BL against Liverpool and then just disappeared in the home leg. Was he on the field against England or Real Madrid, what about Mexico in Columbus? When you're a big game player and you don't score in the 5 biggest games you play all year and you get subbed off in two that's not enough. DaMarcus was third in scoring on probably the 5th best team in the world last year while he scored in the biggest game he played all year.

LA fans can vote for whomever they want I don't expect them to be objective.

 

Keller deserves it...

 

Very close to DMB for me.

 

Its time to show Beasley some appreciation.

 

LOVE all three players but IMHO Keller earned the award with his stellar play in the WCQs!!

1) Keller
2) DMB
3) Landon

 

DMB goes from a marginally known player on the world stage to being the "best" american player overseas thanks to Hiddink.

 

We know who Bruce's choice is, vote DMB in '05.

 

give it to DMB. He's gone to Europe and elevated his game, sumthin Landon hasnt.

 

Maybe you have to actually play to get nominated? Just a thought

 

I guess the last sentence is your admission you don't have an argument - love the reliance on performances in Euro friendlies in your argument.

Honestly, if the award is based on national team performance, this is DMB's best shot in recent years to finally get ahead of Donovan. I do love how many so lack self-confidence that they are so excited because one of ours became a sometime starter (not in the biggest matches) for a good club team.

For me, Donovan outperformed Beasley by a small margin in national team games and the telling fact is that when Beasley was asked to carry the team without Donovan, he couldn't do it. For me, the most important positions in soccer are up the middle of the field and Beasley is not suited for any of those roles.

Keller would be a good choice, but I can't vote for a goalie.

 

Hardly

Liverpool first leg: Came on as a sub played well

Liverpool second leg: Crap

Mexico away: Stumbled into an assist, sub par performance

Mexico home: Crap

MLS cup: 6

 

I will hold you to that

 

Keller's been amazing this year. He deserves it the most.

 

by far kasey keller had a better year than bease and donovan combined. if you want to take club considerations into account remember this. keller has been at his club only since last december (one year), his team sat in the relegation zone when he joined, and he had i dont know how many shutouts (especially 0-0 ties). because of him his team stayed in the top flight - take bease off of PSV and they are still going to win the Eiredivisie, and 12 goals is not enough in MLS for our player of the year (Jeff "pass me the ball and i will dribble it" Cunningham had 12 this year). Landon received the awards the last two years solely based on national team games. I would vote for keller in a heartbeat. Remember why we will be in the Confederations Cup next year.

 

So would you say that a.) he is only good in big games or that b.) he is bad in big games?

 

Damn, no love for Cherundolo or Onyewu in this thread? I'm not voting for them either, but it's sad they didn't get even a mention in the first 20 posts.

Anyway, I think I'm voting for Keller. It's hard to pick between Keller and Donovan, but since Donovan won it the last two years, I'll vote for Kasey. There have been a few WCQs where if we had switched keepers with the other team before the match, we would have lost.

Landon is second, because we are terrible without him (see USA vs Cuba in Gold Cup). His presence on the field, whether he is having a good game or not makes us the team we are. In short, Landon Donovan is the US Men's National Team (even if he's a little weird). As a side not, hee also led his club to an MLS championship.

Beasley is third. If there was a most improved, he or Onyewu would get it. He got Jaap Stam red carded all on his own and it's hard not to vote for him simply for that.

I think Cherundolo is fourth. He's just a solid consistent pro.

Onyewu is last, only because he's only come on late. He's my prediction for next year's POY.

 

my vote's for Keller

 

Its posts like this that remind me the level to which Big Soccer sinks, on occasion. While I think it is arguable who had the better year between Demarcus and Landon, it is clear that Landon dominated in MLS, scoring a ton of goals despite missing a number of matches for national team duty and leading his team to the MLS Cups -- scoring three goals in the playoffs along the way. While Beasley had a great season for his club, primarily coming off the bench last season and playing especially well in the CL, I think by any objective measure he was slightly outplayed by Landon overall in national team matches.

Regardless, both of these players form the heart and soul of the future of this team and the constant, irrational slamming of Landon by many on this forum is, at best ignorant, and at worst just plain stupid.


All that said, my vote would be for Kasey. I think his performance with both club and country has been both consistent and simply outstanding. We could not ask for more from our keeper and he deserves the nod imo.

 

Thanks for editing my post to suite your purposes. Thanks for the insults.


Beasley scored as many goals as Landon against tougher to much tougher competition. I laugh at any accusations that I'm a Landon basher, go back and read the BL threads in YA from when he was there or those in USMN&A.

Landon has said that he has trouble getting up for games. Day in day out in MLS he sandbags it, of course being supremely talented he can score a goal every other game against MLS teams. When Landon is up for it, the playoffs, he can score a goal about every 100 minutes, against competition slightly better than the MLS regular season average. So if you believe in rewarding a player for playing well, according to his abilities, in 15 games a year vote for Landon; If you believe in rewarding a player for having a great year don't. Landon is a big game/tournament player, thanks to youth soccer in America, and this year he was not that great in big games.

 

you can sandbag it in mls when you have the play-off system mls has....

personally, i think beasley will win it because, the other two have won before and beasley is gonna get the award, due to good play, and the others winning before....

in a vacuum, where PAST winners aren't known, keller is a slight winner as a usmnt member, and the club aspect is too close to call between keller and beasley