Welcome to Garza’s Gabs, a weekly look at what is going on in the world of the MLS. This series will cover the controversial, the interesting, and the spectacular.
All-Stars Come Up Short
The 2016 MLS All-Star game may not have been as entertaining as previous years, but it still was a match worth watching. Arsenal came out on top with a 2-1 win, Chuba Akpom scored the winning goal in the 87th minute.
This was the 11th All-Star match with the “All-Stars vs. Guest” format, as the league falls to a record of 6-5 with the loss. They are now 4-4 against Premier League clubs.
Didier Drogba was the lone goal scorer, as the Montreal Impact forward scored on former teammate Petr Cech. He’s scored 16 goals in his last 16 matches played against Arsenal.
Another interesting moment came when David Villa, Andrea Pirlo, and Jermaine Jones left the stadium at half-time in order to make it to New York for their match on Saturday. Obviously this was behind their control, but it still was a rare moment that many sports fans don’t see in other sports.
Homegrown Players Fall to Mexico U-20 Squad
Landon Donovan’s homegrown squad fell to Mexico’s U-20 team in Wednesday’s Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game. The team was made up of players that have been developed by MLS academy’s, and have been signed to continue playing in the MLS.
The 2-0 loss shows how strong Mexico’s youth programs are at the moment. They have had a nice run over the past couple years including an Olympic Gold Medal in 2012 and a U-17 World Cup win in 2011. Just last year they won the 2015 U-20 CONCACAF Championship.
On the bright side this young group of MLS players didn’t have all the young guns in the same squad together. Jack Harrison, Keegan Rosenberry, and Brandon Vincent weren’t in the squad, as two of those players were involved in the All-Star game on Thursday. In addition, Mexico’s squad included a few MLS academy products as well.
The academy system appears to be making some improvements, but it is still not up to par yet with some of the European leagues. This is an important part of growing the game in the U.S. and hopefully the academy system can continue to grow.
Frank The Tank
Frank Lampard has silenced his critics in the past few weeks, as he’s scored eight goals in his last eight matches. This weekend he scored New York City FC’s first ever hat-trick in club history.
The former Manchester City and Chelsea midfielder had taken a lot of criticism for his lack of production this season and last season for the club. He’s turned into a key player for NYCFC who are starting to look like a front runner for the MLS Cup. If he can continue his form all the way through the end of the season, then it will add another dimension to an already potent NYCFC attack.
Kreis Gets Orlando City Back on Track
Jason Kreis picked up his first win as manager of Orlando City on Sunday. The Lions defeated the New England Revolution 3-1 in front of the home supporters. It was a big win in more ways than one, as the club find themselves right back in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The win on Sunday puts the club into a tie for sixth place with the Revolution in the table. With their next two matches coming against clubs at the bottom of the league, the chances of moving up the table are high. They host the Seattle Sounders this weekend before heading to Chicago the following weekend.
Kreis may just be the manager the club has been looking for this season. If he can deliver a playoff berth the season will most likely be seen as a success for the most part.
Trouble in Seattle
Last Tuesday, longtime Sounders manager Sigi Schmid parted ways with the club. The west coast club has been struggling all season long, and are danger of falling into last place in the Western Conference.
The search is on for the next man to be in charge of the club. Brian Schmetzer is the interim manger at the moment, with a strong possibility that he will remain in charge for the remainder of the season.
Nicolas Lodeiro’s arrival has added a sense of encouragement as the former Boca Juniors player joins the squad. However, he may still require some time to adjust to playing with the club before making a significant impact.
With the Sounders out of a playoff spot by nine points at the moment, the possibility of making the playoffs isn’t completely out the window. It will take an incredible run of form to do so, and it is very unlikely. The remainder of the season may be geared toward building toward next season and getting players like Loderio into the teams chemistry.
What to Watch for
The Colorado Rapids will host the Vancouver Whitecaps in a Western Conference showdown on Saturday night. It will be a key match for the away side as they try and hold onto a playoff spot. They currently sit in sixth place and have two teams right behind them ready to move up the table.
For the home side this will be an opportunity to close the gap on F.C. Dallas. The Texas club have a six point advantage at the moment on the Rapids. However, the Rapids have three games in hand heading into this weekend. A win this weekend will certainly boost their chances of taking the first spot in the west.
Tweets of the Week
Match of the Week
D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact
Top 5 Goals
#1 Joao Plata (Real Salt Lake)
#2 Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake)
#3 Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto F.C.)
#4 Hernan Bernardello (Montreal Impact)
#5 Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto F.C.)