Welcome to this week’s Monday Morning Sweeper, the new name for our weekly Monday column rehashing all of the action from this weekend in MLS. &nbsp;If you remember <a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/maybe-the-eastern-conference-isnt-so-bad-or-is-it-15596" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last week’s column</a>, we are trying to make this feature different and entertaining while still getting you caught up on all of the action that occurred on the pitch. &nbsp;Feel free to leave&nbsp;suggestions&nbsp;and comments below on how to improve these articles.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
As <a href="http:\/\/prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/01/road-rules-in-mls-home-teams-suffer-in-round-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC’s Pro Soccer Talk</a> noted this weekend, last year home teams’ gained at least one point in 78% of matches last season, making this weekend’s upsets unusual to say the least. &nbsp;Yet the victors this weekend were notable not just because they were the visitors in many cases but because they were decided underdogs going into the game. &nbsp;To whit:
<ul>
<li>On Friday night, winless DC United (they of only one goal in three games) put four past the FC Dallas defense.</li>
<li>New England travels three time zones and thumps the LA Galaxy on national TV</li>
<li>San Jose visits maybe the best team in the league and comes out with a 1-0 win</li>
</ul>
<div>Is there more parity than we thought in the league or is this an&nbsp;anomaly? &nbsp;As with most things in life, it’s a bit of both. &nbsp;Outside circumstances come into play with every game (see story below) so upsets occur in sports. &nbsp;And to be honest if upsets never happen what reason would we have to watch the games? &nbsp;The answer most likely is that this is still early in the season and teams are still finding their way. &nbsp;Some teams are still working their new parts together while others are simply failing to perform early on. &nbsp;It’s the nature of the game. &nbsp;I suspect that by June, the teams we see as the best will for the most part be settling in at the top of the league with a few surprises. &nbsp;Let’s enjoy these upsets and unpredictable results, because isn’t that why we watch sports in the first place? &nbsp;Let’s also keep an eye on those home-road splits to see if parity is indeed asserting itself in the league.</div>
Player of the Week
For the second week in a row, New York’s Thierry Henry takes the prize for player of the week.&nbsp; This time, he one-upped himself by scoring a hat trick to lead his team past the Montreal Impact. &nbsp;For the first half the game looked in doubt as the visitors pressured the Red Bull midfield and were able to grab two goals by halftime. &nbsp;Henry however gave the home team something that is often overlooked in soccer – goals, as in the ability to simply finish the opportunities he is given. &nbsp;This is no more apparent than his third goal which, although it came after the result was essentially settled, was nothing more than a collected rebound that he converted into a goal. &nbsp;He also gets extra credit points for notching another assist, this time on Mehdi Ballouchy’s goal. &nbsp;It has been said ad nasuem&nbsp;but the Red Bulls really need Henry and Cooper to stay healthy and productive for this team to chase that elusive trophy.
Honorable Mention Player of the Week
Rapids fans must have felt like kids on Christmas morning when they saw two new players on the field and contributing in the team’s 2-0 victory over the Fire on Sunday. &nbsp;The HMPOW award goes to offseason signing Martin Rivero, a player the Rapids hoped could either start or be a first off-the-bench contributor in the team’s new 4-3-3. &nbsp;To break the scoreless tie in the 58th minute, Rivero sent a beautiful pass to a streaking Brian Mullan on the wing, who was able to get a centering pass to Omar Cummings. &nbsp;The forward then finished the job for what was the eventual game-winning goal. &nbsp;Rivero adds a good eye to the midfield and will be hard to keep off the pitch in the coming weeks.
Los Angeles Hits a New Low, But How Low Will They Go
It’s getting kind of ugly for the defending MLS champs as they were outplayed by the visiting New England Revolution on Saturday. &nbsp;The Galaxy now sit tied-for-last place in the West but more alarmingly have allowed seven goals in three games. &nbsp;Considering they allowed only 28 in all of last season, this is a major concern especially since two of their games (DC United and New England) were against teams without prolific offenses. &nbsp;The team certainly misses Omar Gonzalez but the problems go much deeper than just one player.
In addition, the locker room seems to be heating up with personnel problems. &nbsp;While the entire story has not yet been told, David Beckham was subbed off at halftime on Saturday and reportedly&nbsp;<a href="http:\/\/www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/144067.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">got into it </a>with some of his teammates, while <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2123882/David-Beckham-fury-LA-Galaxy-half-time-substitution.html?ito=feeds-newsxml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">storming off and avoiding the media</a> after the game. &nbsp;<a href="http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/02/la-galaxy-david-beckham-thierry-henry?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Ffootball%2Frss+%28Football%29&amp;utm_content=Google+Reader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian&nbsp;speculated</a> that the substitution was for tactical reasons (Beckham’s wide-play and lack of defensive cover forced the midfield to narrow) but the day before we learned that <a href="http:\/\/www.lagconfidential.com/2012/3/31/2917327/galaxy-vs-revs-game-thread-tv-time-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robbie Keane, not Beckham, was given the captain’s armband</a> for this game when Landon Donovan was ruled out. &nbsp;We knew that this was a top-heavy team but Bruce Arena’s history has shown he can find tremendous value from contributors and second string players. &nbsp;That history is being tested this year, and a locker room controversy if it exists&nbsp;would&nbsp;severely&nbsp;hamper this team’s ability to repeat as MLS champs.
Maybe it will be this summer when we will see how good this Galaxy team truly is. &nbsp;If Beckham is named to the English Olympic squad, all three designated players will be gone for stretches this summer for international duty. &nbsp;Keep an eye on this situation.
Coaching Move of the Week
Hans Backe made a series of movies in the Red Bulls’ thumping of Montreal that showed how well he can manage his line-up. &nbsp;At halftime he subbed off Rafa Marquez due to injury (which some people find suspect) and on came Teemu Taino. &nbsp;The Finnish player settled the midfield and helped provide better distribution of the ball to the wings. &nbsp;It was not a coincidence that New York surged ahead after he came on (and Montreal didn’t). &nbsp;He also helped set up another substitute Mehdi Ballouchy’s goal in the 72nd minute. &nbsp;For these keen substitutions, Backe gets our coaching move of the week.
Quote of the Week Part I
<blockquote>If I could have taken all eleven out, I would have</blockquote>
Bruce Arena after his team’s 3-1 loss to New England, as reported by <a href="http:\/\/www.lagconfidential.com/2012/3/31/2917604/galaxy-1-revolution-3-a-learning-day-in-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josie Becker</a>
Head Scratcher of the Week
Everyone at RFK this weekend knew that Brek Shea had been through an absolutely emotionally and physically draining week leading up to Friday’s match. &nbsp;Playing four games in two weeks is tough on anyone, even someone as young as Brek Shea, and even more so after the gut-punch loss to EL Salvador. &nbsp;Knowing all this, Schellas Hyndman still put Shea on the pitch for all 90 minutes and, despite the fact he played fairly well, he was a non-factor for the second half. &nbsp;Hyndman shifted Shea from the right to the left and back again even though he was having some success on the right against a smaller/slower Daniel Woolard;&nbsp;possibly this was to cover for his slowness in backtracking on defense. &nbsp;Considering the success DC had on the wings, his presence was a detriment and has earned our HSOW.
Quote of the Week Park II
<blockquote>I’ll sum up the thoughts of all Chicago Fire supporters after that 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids: Ugh.</blockquote>
James Coston, <a href="http:\/\/www.hottimeinoldtown.com/2012/4/1/2919164/chicago-fire-fall-flat-on-road-against-colorado-rapids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago Fire Fall Flat on the Road Against Colorado Rapids</a>
Video of the Week
MMS Non-Scientific Power Ranking
10. Houston Dynamo: Off this week but the Clark and Moffat suspensions will hurt them April 15 against the Chicago Fire.
9. Portland Timbers: For the second week in a row the Timbers suffer a gut-punch loss, this time to a very good RSL team. &nbsp;To take that next step in their development as a franchise to championship contender, they need to put these kinds of games away. &nbsp;There’s still time though.
8. Vancouver Whitecaps: They are unbeaten after four games and even have a win on the road! &nbsp;Keep an eye on how they do when the competition gets tougher but they are doing well to gather points early on in the season.
7. Columbus Crew: &nbsp;The Crew are doing what they seemingly do every year – win but win quietly. &nbsp;They put away a poor Toronto FC effort this weekend and now sit in third place in the East. &nbsp;Dismiss them at your own peril.
6. New York Red Bulls: &nbsp;The Red Bulls are the opposite of the Crew – they are loud, flashy, and prone to emotional swings. &nbsp;They are on a high after a series of high-profile wins and are looking like the team we thought they could be early in the season. &nbsp;Let’s see how their depth does as the season goes on.
5. San Jose Earthquakes: The Dynamo of the West. &nbsp;They are a solid team and so far haven’t beaten themselves, plus have enough talent to slip into the top three if any of the “Big 3” slip up.
4. Colorado Rapids: &nbsp;I like this team, but there are some glaring weaknesses especially with their depth. &nbsp;They deserve all the credit in the world though for beating a good Chicago team and their newcomers really showed up. &nbsp;I expect them to yo-yo up and down these rankings all year.
3. Seattle Sounders: &nbsp;Are they still probably the best team in the league? &nbsp;Yes. &nbsp;Is it too harsh of a punishment to drop them to third after one loss? &nbsp;Maybe. &nbsp;But that was a tough loss that they could have found a way to get a point from somehow. &nbsp;Slip-ups happen though, and this still looks like a great team.
2. Real Salt Lake: &nbsp;That is what championship teams do. &nbsp;A mix of new players and veterans lead an inspired comeback in a raucous environment. &nbsp;It was a good three points to get because after Wednesday’s match against Montreal, RSL goes through a very tough stretch of schedule.
1. Sporting Kansas City: &nbsp;Four games, four wins. &nbsp;What more can you ask of a team? &nbsp;They look to be everything we thought they would be and maybe more. &nbsp;Even games where they haven’t played well they’ve won. &nbsp;The rest of the month, however, is a real test: hosting Los Angeles and RSL before traveling to Vancouver and Portland.

The Meek Inheriting the League - Monday Morning Sweeper - World Soccer Talk

The Meek Inheriting the League – Monday Morning Sweeper

As the preseason gets into full swing and rosters begin to stabilize, it’s time to take a look at the men who pull the strings and have the greatest impact on the team itself. &nbsp;The modern manager is part tactician, part showman, and part PR man. &nbsp;The best are the ones who can bring a diverse team together and make it into a&nbsp;trophy-winning side. &nbsp;Rarely can a side win an MLS Cup, Open Cup, or Supporters Shield with a mediocre or poor manager. &nbsp;However, at times its the team that makes the man and only the perfect marriage of players and manager that can make a championship. &nbsp;A manager is especially important in MLS, with the salary cap and built-in rules designed to promote parity.
These men are masters of the realm, the best managers in MLS today. &nbsp;The following ranking is my own top five managers in MLS going into the 2012 season. &nbsp;Keep in mind this is not an all time list but simply looking ahead to the 2012 season. &nbsp;Agree or disagree? &nbsp;Make your opinions known in the comments section.
5. &nbsp;Piotr Nowak:&nbsp; Maybe the restructuring going on in Philadelphia is Nowak’s way to challenge himself. &nbsp;The veteran coach has taken a new franchise and by year two had made the Union into a Eastern Conference championship contender. &nbsp;Building the team around a stout defense and the timely scoring of his offense, Nowak has made the club in his image and, even with the departures, Philadelphia is now a team to watch every year. &nbsp;His work with DC United, leading them to their fourth MLS title in 2004, only adds to his coaching resume. &nbsp;Although he does not have the large number of trophies some of the others on this list have, he is undoubtedly established himself as one of the best head coaches in the league.
4. &nbsp;Schellas Hyndman: &nbsp;Although at times his decisions are questionable (Brek Shea as a full back?), Hyndman is a long-time collegiate coach who finally got the right opportunity to prove his worth with FC Dallas in 2008. &nbsp;His defining win was a 3-0 defeat of Los Angeles in the 2010 Western Conference finals over a team that looked like the best in the league with a healthy David Beckham. &nbsp;Although Dallas lost the 2010 MLS Cup in overtime, the former SMU head coach has done a good job balancing his roster and replacing departed players, especially in the midfield. &nbsp;Under his watch David Ferreira blossomed into one of the most dangerous midfielders in the league and with some promising youth coming up through the system this year, Hyndman may soon be able to chase down that elusive MLS Cup.
3. &nbsp;Sigi Schmid: &nbsp;For a guy who never played professional soccer, Schmid gets this league. &nbsp;His uncanny ability to identify talent and his in-game ability to identify mismatches has made the former UCLA Bruin the brain behind the constantly-successful Seattle Sounders. &nbsp;A team with a rich history and demanding fan base, Schmid gave the league a blueprint for how to compete in MLS from year one, a blueprint that teams as recently as Montreal are looking to emulate. &nbsp;He is the most successful U.S. Open Cup head coach in the modern era and has guided the careers of many of MLS’s greatest stars. &nbsp;His LA Galaxy team was also one of two MLS clubs to ever win an intercontinental cup. &nbsp;He is the winningest head coach in MLS history and has the Sounders poised to challenge for the 2012 MLS Cup.
2. &nbsp;Dominic Kinnear: &nbsp;The coach of this year’s Eastern Conference champions narrowly edges Sigi Schmid in my rankings because since 2006, Houston has been one of the league’s most successful teams. &nbsp;Besides winning back-to-back MLS Cups in 2006 and 2007, this year may have been his best coaching job, leading an arguably less talented team to the MLS Cup. &nbsp;All of this is even more impressive considering the fact that the team has worked within a tight budget and a changing ownership situation.
1. &nbsp;Bruce Arena:&nbsp; The National Soccer Hall of Famer continues to prove that he is arguable the greatest American soccer coach of all time. &nbsp;Even though he had three famous designated players, it was his work with the Galaxy’s defense that was most impressive about the 2011 Galaxy. &nbsp;The keys to the defense were that the two major contributors, A.J. De La Garza and Omar Gonzalez, were Arena draftees. &nbsp;Arena guided a dominant team through a dominant season, essentially staking claim to the MLS Cup early in the season and never relinquishing it. &nbsp;His history is unparalleled in the U.S., but even going into the new season he is still in a class by himself and recognized by many as the best head coach out there.

Who is the Best Head Coach in MLS? - World Soccer Talk

Who is the Best Head Coach in MLS?

Today we wrap up our “Three Questions” series with the defending MLS champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy. &nbsp;By any definition, they were the best team in MLS last season: they convincingly led the Supporters Shield’s race most of the season, looked like the best team in the playoffs, and won the MLS Cup. &nbsp;They did it with glitz and&nbsp;glamour&nbsp;(the three&nbsp;designated&nbsp;players) as well as grit and determination (best defense in MLS, good midfield play). &nbsp;In the end, they were possibly the most complete and dominant team in “modern” MLS history.
But the page on the calendar has turned and the team is facing a new set of challenges in 2012. &nbsp;Even with the good news of <a href="http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16367775.stm" target="_blank">David Beckham’s return</a>, there have been some dark clouds this offseason that will push the team to see if it can repeat the success of 2011. &nbsp;Let’s take a look at the three questions that will define the rest of this offseason for LA:
(Additionally, use the comments section to give some feedback on the Three Questions series. &nbsp;Was it something you enjoyed? &nbsp;Was it something you’d like to see repeated or emulated during the season?)
1. Will the midfield be as strong as it was last season?
Casual soccer fans know about “bend it like Beckham” but the Galaxy midfield in 2011 was a key to their ability to create offense seemingly out of nothing. &nbsp;Whether it was Beckham’s storied free kicks or Juninho’s timely goals, the midfield came through in the clutch when it was needed. &nbsp;That midfield will look different beginning next season. &nbsp;Although there’s still a chance he may be loaned again to LA, Juninho has been <a href="http:\/\/espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/13299/galaxy-juninho-gone-gonzalez-going" target="_blank">recalled by Sao Paulo</a> and will leave a gap in the “clutch goal scorer” category. &nbsp;Miguel Lopez has also seen <a href="http:\/\/espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/13772/galaxy-lopez-returns-to-quilmes" target="_blank">his loan end</a> with LA and he has been called back to his home club of Quilmes.
The team has tried to replace Juninho with <a href="http:\/\/www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/12/21/2651985/rumor-mill-la-galaxy-transfer-rumors" target="_blank">Marcelo Sarvas</a>, but the 30 year old is arguably a step down offensively. &nbsp;Having Beckham back does help cover this loss, but the team needs to take some steps to shore up a midfield that helps cover for a weaker forward position.
2. Can the defense do it again?
The <a href="http:\/\/sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slug=ycn-10803189" target="_blank">loss of Omar Gonzalez hurts</a>, badly, <del>but in the “silver lining” category he will be able to return at some point for the Galaxy this season, it looks like</del>&nbsp;(update: no silver lining, folks, <a href="http:\/\/www.lagconfidential.com/2012/1/11/2700656/arena-doesnt-expect-gonzalez-back-until-end-of-2012-la-galaxy" target="_blank">he’s gone for the whole season</a>). &nbsp;However, the team may need to spend some money on a replacement, or focus their drafting on this position. &nbsp;Bruce Arena also looked to keep key components of his defense by <a href="http:\/\/www.lagalaxy.com/news/2011/12/la-galaxy-re-sign-three-players-ahead-2012-season#.TvS-QaAWNbw.twitter" target="_blank">re-signing Sean Franklin</a>, another defender who should be receiving more love from the USMNT. &nbsp;The keeper position also lost a little depth with the expensive Donovan Ricketts moving to Montreal, but the back-up duo of Nick Noble and U-23 player Brian Perk look quality.
This defense was incredibly dominant last season, and even with Gonzalez it would have been a challenge to repeat their suffocating style. &nbsp;With him gone for the<del> first half of the</del> season, seemingly, can the Galaxy&nbsp;approach&nbsp;the greatness they achieved last season a second year in a row?
3. How big of a role will the three designated players play this season?
Beckham is back, and he will be with the Galaxy a little longer. &nbsp;But that will be contractually, and how much he is physically there is an important question for a team that already suffered a hit in midfield. &nbsp;He will be playing in the Olympics and will miss time for that, as well as the usual jaunts across the pond. &nbsp;With a longer schedule that adds two CONCACAF Champions League tournaments, how much will he contribute during the season?
Then there’s Landon Donovan, who is finally getting another chance to play in England. &nbsp;He likes Everton, the team needs him, and we know his deal is only for a few months. &nbsp;But can the best known American MLS player force a longer loan or transfer if he wants to stay? &nbsp;My bet is yes. &nbsp;Regardless, the Galaxy will be without his services for stretches this summer as he reports to the national team for friendlies and qualifying.
Robbie Keane looks to be enjoying his time in LA, but with a<a href="http:\/\/msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/premierleague/story/robbie-keane-set-for-aston-villa-loan-move-los-angeles-galaxy-010912" target="_blank"> loan to Aston Villa</a> and his Euro 2012 commitments, will his 31-year old legs be able to handle the travel and numerous competitions in which he will be competing?

Three Offseason Questions for the Defending Champs: LA Galaxy - World Soccer Talk

Three Offseason Questions for the Defending Champs: LA Galaxy

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Leagues: MLS

The Meek Inheriting the League – Monday Morning Sweeper

Leagues: MLS

Who is the Best Head Coach in MLS?

LA Galaxy

Three Offseason Questions for the Defending Champs: LA Galaxy