The Road to MLS Cup XII, Week 7

Well, I missed most of the weekend's games for the holiday weekend. Instead, I went to the Indy 500. But still, a few soccer-related thoughts came to me: while a number of soccer fans feel like they have to denigrate motorsports (and especially NASCAR) in part because NASCAR's made the kind of gains that soccer would love to make in the US, racing afficionados face many of the same challenges. The Indy 500 wasn't even televised live (well, at least not in Indianapolis according to one of my many servers this past weekend). Can you imagine that? Your signature event doesn't even make it on live tv?

I did see a couple of MLS highlights.
(1) Just when everyone's ready to annoint the Revolution as the best team in MLS, they trip up and lose 4-3 at home to the enigmatic KC Wizards. Eddie Johnson scores a hat trick and now leads the league in goals with six in eight games. Remember, his career best is only 12... He's on the Gold Cup roster, but we already know he can put three past Panama. We need to see Eddie at the Copa America to see whether he's an international player or not. I was unsure whether to declare the Wiz the real deal a couple of weeks ago, but I'm starting to form an opinion: I just want to see Marinelli fit enough to play 90 before passing judgment.

(2) Free kicks. Man, there were a couple of doozies. Too bad the replay of Christian Gomez's kick doesn't include him, you know, kicking the ball. But I can hardly blame the cameraman: the shot's from about 40 or so yards out. And then Jim Brennan in Toronto scores from about the same distance. Angel has already shown that he's a deep threat. My bottom line (and I've said it before): the foreign imports are going to teach MLS defenders not to foul needlessly anywhere in the vicinity of the goal. That's just one example of how even individual players can improve the standard of play all across the field.

(3) What moves does Chicago make? If they are going to be this bad until Blanco arrives, it may be too late. I don't share coach Dave Sarachan's assessment that they haven't been outplayed this season. In fact, I'd say they've been uniformly outplayed in almost every game but have put together such good moments sporadically that you might be inclined to forget. The team needs Rolfe and Mapp (who's now nursing a hamstring injury) in order to compete. Yes, I think the early season optimism that Jacqua and Herron wouldn't be missed was completely unfounded. The Fire need a goalscorer. And boy do they need some size on the field.

(4) What moves does LA make? When Becks arrives, LA will have two of the best players in the league. Will anyone around them be up to the task though? I don't think the roster looks too bad, so I'm a little surprised they're stuggling this much... Obviously, since their schedule is back-loaded, if there's any team that will have time to recover from a slow start, it's the LA Galaxy.