This isn't an official list or anything, just a fans opinion of the best 11, or actually 13 players in MLS this year. I'm basing my picks mostly on games I've watched (most HD net and ESPN2 games, some FSW) and recaps from others. For my list, I'm tweaking the best 11 to best 13 to include players for a 4-4-2 and a 3-5-2 lineup. Interested to see what others think: GK - Joe Cannon - RB - Frankie Hejuck - Didn't play here all year, but even so, no other good RBs in the league. Albright had a good 1st half, but slipped in the end. CB - Jimmy Conrad - CB - Chad Marshal - I thought he was better than Fraser, should have scored multiple goals with his head. CB - Tyrone Marshall - He screws up sometimes, but made many saving tackles with his speed and timing, plus can get forward at times. LB - Paul Broome ?, just joking. No one I guess. None of the teams playing 4-4-2 have really good LBs, or am I missing someone? RMF - Ronnie O'Brien - One of the best players in the league at times, but seems to get bored. Hopefully Frisco will help next year. DMF - Shalrie Joseph CMF - Dema Kovalenko OMF - Amado Guevra LMF - Diego Gutierrez - Once again, not many choices, but he's a solid 2 way player who can get an assist or goal on occiasion. FW - Eddie Johnson - What if he had a supporting cast? FW - Jaime Moreno
here's my 2 cents just position wise... GK: Joe Cannon (no contest) Def: Chad Marshall Eddie Pope Robin Fraser not sure of a 4th Mid: Landon Donovan (wouldn't be a best 11 w/out him) Amado Guevara Ronnie OBrien Jack Jewsbury ? Fwd: Brian Ching (even though he screwed up Sat) Jamie Moreno and I'll throw in my coach of the year... toss up between Gansler and Andrulis
Jewsbury isn't good enough to start for kc when they are healthy. he would be behind preki, klein, zavagnin, guitierrez, igor etc.
purely for fun. i'll play a 4-3-3. Cannon Ralston Nelson Fraser Garcia Zavagnin Martino Kovalenko Moreno Donovan Eskandarian Bench: E. Johnson Hejduk Elliott (shock me!!) Reis (??)
Going on a 3-5-2 formation G - Joe Cannon D - Ryan Nelsen D - Robin Fraser D - Jimmy Conrad M - Amado Guevara M - Ben Olsen M - Kerry Zavagnin M - Landon Donovan M - Steve Ralston F - Eddie Johnson F - Jaime Moreno Close but no cigar awards go to: G - Jon Busch D - Chad Marshall D - Bryan Namoff D - Tyrone Marshall M - Ronnie O'Brien M - Dema Kovalenko M - Clint Dempsey M - Eddie Gaven M - Chris Klein F - Davy Arnaud F - Brian Ching
Goalkeeper Joe Cannon Defenders Jimmy Conrad, Nat Borchers, Antonio de la Torre Midfeilders Landon Donovan, Amado Guevara, Kyle Martino, Kerry Zavagnin, Dema Kovalenko Forwards Damani Ralph, Pat Noonan
My picks; GK: Joe Cannon Defenders: Chad Marshall, Tyrone Marshall, Nick Garcia, Jeff Agoos Midfield: Simon Elliot, Marcelo Saragosa, Amado Guevarra, Clint Dempsey Forwards: Brian Ching, Jaime Moreno
GK Cannon DF Fraser DF Conrad DF C. Marshall MF Donovan MF O'Brien MF Guevara MF Dempsey MF Gaven FW Moreno FW E. Johnson 2nd team GK Busch DF Nelson DF T. Marshall DF Albright MF Gutierrez MF Elliott MF Martino MF Kovalenko MF Herzog FW Ching FW Eskandarian
GK - Cannon D - Conrad D - Fraser D - Nelsen MF - Guevara MF - Ralston MF - O'Brien MF - Donovan MF - Kovalenko F - Moreno F - Johnson Marshall, Ching, and Dempsey just missed my list.
Not biased or anything but I'm just wondering why so many people are snubbin Noonan. He had the same amount of points as Guevara (tied for league lead), so obviously he had the most points out of the forwards. Grant it I thought he played horrible this year, but he got the points when Revs needed them.
JMMUSA, you aren't being biased. I completely agree. Both Noonan and Ralph carried their respective teams and should be noticed for that.
Goalkeeper---Joe Cannon Centerbacks---Jimmy Conrad, Ryan Nelson, Robin Fraser Midfielders---Amado Guevara, Landon Donovan, Eddie Gaven, Kerry Zavagnin, Ronnie O' Brian Forwards----Jamie Moreno, Eddie Johnson
oh, by the way.. here is the MLS Best XI GK Cannon DF Fraser, Nelsen, Pope, Conrad MD Gaven, Zavagnin, Guevara, O'Brien FD Ching, Moreno
My Best XI for the year: GK: Joe Cannon, COL DF: Chad Marshall, CLB Jimmy Conrad, KC Ryan Nelsen, DC MF: Amado Guevara, MET Ronnie O'Brien, DAL Eddie Gaven, MET Landon Donovan, SJ Tony Sanneh, CLB FW: Josh Wolff, KC Damani Ralph, CHI Second team: GK: Jon Busch, CLB DF: Jeff Agoos, SJ Tyrone Marshall, LA Nat Borchers, COL Frankie Hejduk, CLB MF: Jose Cancela, NE Chris Klein, KC Clint Dempsey, NE Marcelo Saragosa, LA FW: Jaime Moreno, DC Ed Johnson, DAL Sanneh may not have been with the Crew for very long, but he was the best player on the team in most of the games he played. If he's not eligible, then Dempsey gets his spot on the first team, and add Chris Armas (CHI) to the second team.
Cannon Fraser, Nelson, Marshall, and Conrad Guevara, Obrien, Donovan, and Kovalenko Morneno, and Ching