30: Steve Zakuani FW/MF (Seattle Sounders) - After a relatively quiet rookie campaign, the no. 1 pick in the 2009 Superdraft really come into his own during the 2010 season, finishing the year with 10 goals and 6 assists, as he established himself as one of Seattle's most important players. A product of Arsenal's youth academy, Zakuani's pace and skill is typical of the 'Arsene Wenger School of Football', and he continues to add more strength and versatility to his game, two attributes which he was noticeably lacking when he first entered the league. Born in the DR Congo, but brought up in London, Zakuani looks all set to enjoy a stellar 2011 season.
29: Robbie Rogers MF (Columbus Crew) - With a similar style of play to Zakuani, Rogers' pace and trickery on the ball have become the bane of many a MLS fullback over the past few seasons. Spending his first couple of pro seasons in Holland, with Heerenveen, Rogers failed to make a first team appearance with the Dutch club, and subsequently returned home to the US, to sign for Columbus Crew, where he became an pivotal part of their 2008 MLS Cup winning side. Though somewhat hampered by injuries during 2010, Rogers has shown during his time in MLS and with the US national team that he is indeed an incredibly productive player, who has the ability to change a game in an instant. Still somewhat raw in many aspects of his game however, the winger still has a long way to go before he's anywhere near the finished article.
28: Nat Borchers DF (Real Salt Lake) - The beating heart of Salt Lake's solid defense, Borchers has been, until only recently, one of MLS' most underrated defenders. A principal reason the Utah-based club are considered prime MLS Cup candidates for this season is their study defense, which conceeded a league record of just 20 goals in 2010, and with largely the same record-setting cast returning for 2011, they look set to continue this trend. Recently rewarded with a lucrative contract extension to 2014, Borchers and co. will be looking to make up for last season's disappointing playoff defeat, which saw them dumped out in a suprise 3-2 aggregate defeat to FC Dallas, and they have all the pieces in place to do so.
27: Shalrie Joseph MF (New England Revolution) - An MVP candidate two years ago, Joseph did not enjoy a happy 2010 campagin, and looks to be starting this season out in even more controversial circumstances. Widely hailed as one of MLS' star performers over the last few years, as well as being highly coveted by a number of European clubs, Joseph started the 2010 season by being named the Revs' new captain, after the departure of Steve Ralston, but then mysteriously disappeared from the team, taking a "leave of absense". It soon emerged that the Grenadian-born midfielder had entered into the league's 'Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Programme', only returning to the Revs in late May, by which time Steve Nicol's side had already lost 5 games, setting the tone for a disappointing rest of the season. Looking to bounce back from last year's misfortune, things have not been going to plan this preseason however, after Joseph and teammate, Kevin Alston, were involved in a late night incident (of which the exact details still remain sketchy - http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2011-03-03-shalrie-joseph-faces-trespass-charge_N.htm) at the team's hotel, in Olrando, that resulted in Joseph's arrest and the two players being promptly sent back to Boston by the team. With Joseph now facing a possible suspension from the league, this was really the last thing the Revs needed, as their performances last year noticeably declined with their captain out of the line-up. A player capable of running things from the centre of midfield, Joseph is the perfect two-way midfielder, and New England will be praying he avoids punishment if they are to compete for a playoff spot this season.
26: Charlie Davies FW (DC United) - Everyone knows the story of Davies' life threatning car accident by now. Many at the time thought his playing days to be completely over, such was the horrific nature of his injuries, so for him to even be back training at this stage is still a quite remarkable feat in itself. Having failed to re-claim a place in the Sochaux side after rehabing from his injuries, Davies has now returned to the States, joining DC United on loan for the 2011 campaign, where it's hoped he can return to his impressive pre-injury form. Questions evidently remain though wether Davies can recapture that form which saw him earn a move to a major European league, having been out of first team action for almost 18 months now, and the striker certainly has a lot to prove going into this season. There are also those who question his attitude and professionalism, having been in breach of team curfew during the accident, suffered while on national team duty, and after being caught up with a teammate in a bizarre speeding incident back in October (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/10/charlie-davies-speeding-a_n_757306.html). Then there was the fact that Davies called out US coach Bob Bradley, after being left out of the 2010 World Cup squad, despite being far from ready for a return to football, and constantly criticized the Sochaux team management, over his last few months at the club, for not involving him in the first team. Davies is undoubtedly talented, and at 100% would be a regular fixture with the US national team and an established European club, but it still remains to be seen whether he has both physically and mentally recovered from the accident, as well as matured as a human being during his recovery. One thing is for certain, the next 8 months will be a huge test for Davies and will probably define the rest of his career. At full fitness, there's no question he would be a huge help for a DC United side that really struggled in front of goal last season, but one still has to question whether he's truly ready.
25: Joel Lindpere MF (New York Red Bulls) - The team's MVP last season, the Estonian midfielder was part of a resurgent New York side that, under new coach Hans Backe, managed to make the playoffs, bouncing back from a 2009 season that saw them put up one of the worst team records in MLS history. Lindpere isn't a particually flashy player, but he is an effective force in attack, thanks to an excellent football brain, and should be a full-time starter in a Red Bulls' side which is by far and away the favourites for the Eastern Conference.
24: Chris Wondolowski FW (San Jose Earthquakes) - 'Wow', 'Amazing', 'Unbelievable' - Those are just some of the words you could use to describe the 2010 season that Wondolowski enjoyed. Merely a bit-part player in the league up until last year, Wondo absolutely exploded onto the scene, finishing the season with a MLS-leading 18 goals, carrying the Earthquakes to the playoffs, finishing 2nd in the league's MVP voting, and earning his first international cap against Chile in January. Now the real test begins; is Wondolowski simply a one-hit wonder, or can he carry his scintillating form into 2011? While he may be one of the hardest working and fittest players in the league, San Jose's now star striker would probably openly admit that he is far from the most gifted footballer technically, though neither were the likes of Brian McBride or Taylor Twellman. Wondolowski will most likely never reach the lofty heights of some of those star strikers that have lead the line for the national team in the past, but there should be no reason why he can't be a 10+ goals-a-season striker in MLS.
23: Nick Rimando GK (Real Salt Lake) - For my money, easily the best domestic-based US goalkeeper. The 2009 MLS Cup MVP may be small in stature for a keeper (standing at only 5ft 9in tall), but he makes up for his relative lack of height with unbelieveable awareness and athleticism. In the 27 regular season games he played last year, Rimando conceeded just 18 goals and had 14 clean sheets, easily the best season of his 11-year MLS career, which also saw him earn his first ever All-Star appearance, as well as firmly establish himself as 3rd choice keeper with the national team, behind Tim Howard and Brad Guzan. A model professional on and off the field, Rimando's value to this Salt Lake side really can't be understated.
22: Sebastien Le Toux FW (Philadelphia Union) - Much like Wondolowski, few expected Le Toux to have the amazing break-out campaign he enjoyed in 2010, as he finished the season with 14 goals and 11 assists, earning deseved MVP consideration in the process. Arguably one of the most popular players in the league, the French striker was one of the Union's 10 selections in the 2009 Expansion Draft, after being left unprotected by the Seattle Sounders, where he had been a fan favourite, due to his time spent with the club during their time final few years in USL, as well as his high work rate and affable personality. While it was considered a good selection at the time, no one foresaw the impact Le Toux would have for the expansion side, becoming the leading light on a side that become known for its attacking flair, towards the end of the season. Philadelphia will no doubt fair better in their second season in existence, though with a fairly suspect defence, they'll be heavily relying on the likes of Le Toux to outscore their opponents. Now a green card holder, the Frenchman has spoken openly about how he would not be opposed to the idea of playing for the US in the near future, and with the way he's been performing of late, that scenario could well be realized sooner or later.
21: Jamison Olave DF (Real Salt Lake) - We've touched on Salt Lake's mean defensive record when we covered Nat Borchers and Nick Rimando, and the 3rd, and arguably most important member of the trio, is Colombian centre back, Jamison Olave. The 2010 MLS Defender of the Year, 29-year-old Olave is the perfect all-round presence at the back, rarely making a mistake or finding himself out of position, as he consistently performs, week after week. Though thought to be highly sought after by a number of European clubs, Salt Lake have been quick to tie up Olave to a new contract, worthy of one of the best defenders in MLS, and ensuring he and Borchers form the best centre-back pairing in the league for years to come.
Stay tuned for the next installment, where we'll continue our rundown of the top 50 MLS players!
No comments:
Post a Comment