- Jason Davis

Well hello, Robbie Keane. Come on in. Apparently someone is willing to stuff your pockets full of cash on the chance you'll score a bunch of goals and they'll finally have a championship in LA to go with all that spending.

I'd call LA desperate, but since there's no chance AEG is running out of money anytime soon, I'm not sure the label applies. The Galaxy went all-in on 2011 before the season even started. Since Angel was a massive flop, signing Keane is just about the only way they could have increased the pot. It's not a little bit of money. And they had to pay a transfer fee as well.

- Jason Davis

It was worrying, both for the LA Galaxy and the USMNT, that Landon Donovan was sidelined at all. The Galaxy said it was a knee ailment that was keeping him out of three league matches, the result of a knock he picked up on the club’s trip to Philadelphia. Considering Donovan’s hectic and near non-stop schedule over the past few years, it was understandable that there was speculation something else was bothering him. It would actually make some sense if he was finally breaking down after playing so much soccer. Between matches, training, and travel, Donovan might have been the hardest working player in the world in 2010.

- Ethan Gomberg

SANDY, UT

Although up against the draw of the USA/Argentina match 3,000 miles away, Real Salt Lake hosting the LA Galaxy at Riot Tinto Stadium represented an early season match with massive implications for the Western Conference. Both LA and RSL were coming off decent first week results. LA defeated the Seattle Sounders away, then took a point in a tough draw with New England at home. Goals in both games came from budding Brazilian midfielder Juninho. RSL had a rough go in San Jose last week, but were able to steal three points in terrible conditions from an Earthquakes side coming off a conference finals appearance in 2010.

-Keith Hickey

Tonight is the opening game of the Major League Soccer season, also known as “Annual Seattle Gets To Be On ESPN Day.”


Two years ago, the Sounders picked up their first MLS win against New York. Last year, Philadelphia visited and became the only MLS club to have a player red carded before scoring a goal. This year, the league decided to test the Emerald City boys by sending in not a basement-dweller or an expansion club, but the reigning Supporters Shield winners, the LA Galaxy.

- Jason Davis

The reaction to David Beckham's training stint with Tottenham being extended a further two weeks while his Galaxy teammates gear up for the MLS season was about as surprising as a Dema Kovalenko horror tackle. We knew it was coming, it was just a matter of when.


Sure enough, when the West Coast finally joined the conversation sometime after noon East Coast time, bile exploded in Becks' specific direction. The assumption, a natural one considering his history of wanting to play anywhere but LA since joining MLS, was that Beckham himself was the impetus behind his longer stay in London. Surely he just doesn't want to be with the Galaxy, which meant he has no respect for his teammates and no sense of responsibility to the team that holds his contract, the biggest contract in this the history of American soccer, mind you. David Beckham, giant cad. Not exactly a news flash, but people like to vent.

David Beckham really, really doesn't want to join the LA Galaxy for pre-season camp. Originally scheduled to return to the US to rejoin LA this week, Beckham has managed to squeeze more time out of this training stint in London with Tottenham. The club announced today that he will stay with Spurs until February 22nd, and will now rejoin LA on the 24th.


So what is it about Bruce Arena's camp that Beckham despises so much? Or is London in February just so lovely that Becks can't bear to tear himself away?

Rumors of Ronaldinho landing in LA with the Galaxy have circled back around, and I'm wondering what they mean.  The unrealized reports of the summer, when Milan was dancing a contract samba with the superstar, and the Galaxy were said to be in the contest for his services, gave a sense of inevitability to the Brazilian coming Stateside.  Sure, he could always go back to Brazil, but when AEG is involved, you shouldn't bet against them. We might not have to wait long, as LA is itching to bring the saga to a resolution.

Steve Davis has a dispatch from Toronto this morning on the potential site and opponent for the 2011 MLS All-Star Game.  The new Wizards Sporting joint is getting some run in the rumor mill, with Barcelona as the top choice for barnstorming Euro invitee.  The possible location of the game is somewhat interesting (Red Bull Arena is the other obvious choice, and would be much easier for me to get to), but what really caught my eye was Davis' note on friendly asking prices.

Editor's Note:  This is a guest post from Matthew Higgins, an American journalist working in Beijing. He blogs at Have Notebook Will Travel.




Ronaldinho is going to the Galaxy? Damn, and just when we thought the “aging superstar threatens to take his talents to America if he doesn't get a new contract” meme was finally played out.

Landon Donovan might be headed back to England and Everton in January, and the chances that it will be permanent just got a lot better.

So this popped up in my inbox this morning, courtesy of Major League Soccer's daily "Newsstand" email.

Weekend fare.





Not sure why this Galaxy fan wanted to heckle one of his team's own players. Big man.

*EDIT* Ben Rycroft of It's Called Football suggested that this could have been a setup, something I hadn't considered. It's very possible, and you have to wonder how News of the World got the video.

Rafa is escorting JPA to the big game

It's Wednesday.  The epic showdown of East vs. West, The Big Apple vs. La-La Land, Wall St. v. Hollywood, etc., etc., so on and so forth, is just two days away.  With fifty-ish something hours to go, let's take a look at how the hype machine is fairing, shall we?

That string of characters in the headline of this post that starts with the pound sign is called a "hashtag".  A hashtag is an identifier inserted in messages on Twitter to help make topics easily searchable.  "#LAvNY", as I'm sure you've figured out, is the hashtag being used for the upcoming clash between the Galaxy and Red Bulls at the Home Depot Center on Friday night.

Poor David Beckham. He missed out on the World Cup he worked so hard to be ready for by tearing his Achilles tendon in Milan, and now this. Fabio Capello says there's really no place in the England team for Becks, considering that the midfielder is simply "too old."


He is, of course, and it behooves England to move on from Beckham. Leadership, a cultured right foot, and whatever else Beckham might have to offer can't make up for the fact that he's 35 and coming off of a rather serious injury. England have better options than Beckham.


Since Beckham won't play for England anymore, he won't need winter loans from the Galaxy, a travel itinerary that limits his effectiveness for everyone, or a split focus that keeps him from doing what he said he intended to when he signed with LA in 2007. From an MLS standpoint, minus a few big crowds in the initial stages and half a season of Becks last year on the way to a Galaxy MLS Cup final appearance, Beckham's commitment must have been less than they hoped.


So now he can focus all of his energy on MLS, the Galaxy, and popularizing the game in the United States as he claimed he was so keen on doing back when he arrived. The only problem is that Becks is no longer the highest caliber player in the league, his star has faded over the course of the last three years, and his contributions on the pitch aren't likely to make him stand out much. Three years on and somehow David Beckham has become an MLS afterthought.


Not that the celebrity media care. Beckham's still got some juice with the paparazzi, and surely there's something to be said for that type of attention benefiting the league. Like it or not, Beckham is still more recognizable that Henry could ever be; while the Frenchman is the league's credibility boost on the field, the Englishman is the league's pop culture magnet off it. It's debatable whose effect is more beneficial, though the smarter league approach of going after the soccer fan that isn't yet a fan of MLS puts more weight on what Henry can do.


Still, it will be nice to have David Beckham as an MLS player and nothing more, won't it?


I should probably also mention that Beckham has returned to training with the Galaxy ahead of schedule.


In the end, Beckham's value comes down to creating a larger profile for MLS, proving to the league and its owners that a high-profile signing can be successful, and giving foreign stars reason to consider playing in the league. If you buy that Henry is here in part because of Beckham, than the midfielder is directly responsible for part of the new look MLS of 2010.


Now let's see how much he has left on the field. With the amount of points the Galaxy have accumulated, Arena has the luxury to bring him back slowly, no matter LA's current dip in form. Whether or not he's quite the player he was before, he's probably still good enough to contribute in some way in MLS.


No matter what he does, though, the three years of split-focus behind him mean he didn't quite live up to his MLS promise.

From the front page of Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.

FYI: €8 million = $10.5 million.


Meanwhile, reports claim Milan has accepted a Palmeiras bid for Ronaldinho. This will undoubtedly be followed up by claims by Milan that he will stay with them despite the interest. It's also worth noting that the Brazilian, dealing with a muscle strain, will not accompany Milan on their US trip to play in Detroit.

Sure, the Galaxy crashed out of the CONCACAF Champions League. It would be disingenuous to portray their exit otherwise, especially considering the egg they laid last week in LA. Losing 4-1 at home is a disaster, and the effort the Galaxy put in a disgrace. Last night's win, 2-1 over the Islanders in Puerto Rico, is only a small measure of pride-saving. The hill was steep, and between the Galaxy's form (not good), the Islanders' defending, and Bill Gaudette (both his play and his slow-mo routine), LA was in no position to make the climb.


Give the Islanders credit. They got up for the LA leg and built an insurmountable lead; MLS teams would be smart to take a few cues from Colin Clarke and Co. The Islanders success, 2010 being the third consecutive year they've advanced from the preliminary round, is no fluke. Puerto Rico isn't tearing it up in USSF D2, but they clearly know how to handle themselves in cup competitions.


Barring a shock bid from out of nowhere from a club he's is comfortable moving to, it doesn't look like Donovan is going anywhere this summer. If LA is keeping the band together, with the possible return of David Beckham looming, it would have been nice to see them in the CCL's group phase taking on the likes of Toluca. The Galaxy were one of the better MLS hopes considering their dominant (up until the last few weeks) league form and the quality of players like Donovan and Buddle. It's a shame then that they lost their focus at the wrong time, hit a rough patch that was bound to come eventually, and ran into a side that takes care of business in the CONCACAF Champions League.


So the league has four teams in the group stages as opposed to five. I don't suspect anyone believed all three of the clubs with preliminary match-ups would make it through, and while who did and who didn't is a mild surprise, the league is still well-represented.


Now to see a few of them can get out of the groups.


Meanwhile, I'll be rooting for the Islanders to make another deep run into the tournament. If MLS teams continue to struggle to break the Mexican monopoly, it makes sense to pull for a club playing in the Canadian/American second division.

MLS teams head back into CONCACF Champions League play tonight and tomorrow with three return leg matches. Both Seattle and Toronto take one goal leads into their away games and have reasonable shots at advancement. Meanwhile, LA is in Puerto Rico looking to salvage a bit of pride after their thumping at the hands of the Islanders last week. Dan Barkley is here to give us his thoughts on the three games.

by Dan Barkley

Motagua v. Toronto FC

Time: Tuesday, August 3, 8pm EST.

Location: Estadio Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Media: FSC/GolTV

First round: Toronto 1-0


Toronto holds a tenuous advantage heading into the second leg. They looked the better team, but they certainly did not dominate the first game, as Motagua generated some good scoring chances near the end. Motagua drew very big crowds in their last CCL appearance, with 35,000 sellouts in both their qualifying championship game with Saprissa and their first round game against Pachuca. It is hard to say if Toronto will draw that big of a crowd, but the atmosphere should be impressive either way. This will likely spell more trouble for Toronto, a team that is in a bad stretch and does not play well on the road, picking up only one win and four points from eight away matches this season in MLS. Also, with their grip on a playoff spot looking weaker than last week, what squad will Preki play? The good news is with their first leg victory, one goal should get them advanced, as good as their defense has been after the disastrous start to the season.



Metapan v. Sounders

Time: Tuesday, August 3, 10pm EST.

Location: Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador

Media: FSC

First Round: Seattle 1-0


I was impressed with the Sounders first round performance, they outclassed Metapan and should have come out with a big victory, but only came away with Montero's Jabulani goal. They did out shoot Metapan 15-2 and dominate possession, with Metapan playing a very, very physical game. Everything in this match seems to play in Seattle's favor, they have been in great form recently as well as playing well in cup competitions recently, the home field advantage will not be a prevalent as it may seem. Metapan's home stadium was deemed too small, so they are playing a couple hours away in the capital, where they do not seem to have a large fan base. No game in Central America should be taken lightly, but Seattle looks to be a great position to advance.



Puerto Rico Islanders v. Galaxy

Time: Wednesday, August 4, 8pm EST.

Location: Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Media: FSC

First Round: Islanders 4-1


Jason already wrote up something on the first round debacle, so I'll leave it at a haiku;

To advance, you need four,
dear Galaxy; but at least
save face with a win

Galaxy 1, Islanders 4. And if it weren't for a lucky bounce, LA wouldn't have scored.


What can you say? The best team in MLS, a side that with just two losses this season, a team that built its first half success on defensive strength, gives up four at home to a second division side in a competition they claimed they were taking seriously. Another MLS team, this one imbued with big hopes in an international competition the fans desperately hope to see an American (or Canadian) side win, fails miserably.


Every. Single. Year.


Foolishly, we bought into the Galaxy's chances in the CONCACAF Champions League. They've been so good in MLS, good enough that it wasn't entirely unreasonable to think they could get to the finals next year. The casual fan may not have an appreciation of the Champions League or the good it would do for the league's reputation to have an MLS club win it, but the rest of us know. MLS knows. The teams involved know.


So why the massive egg laid by LA? The lineup they put out was almost full-strength (no Omar Gonzalez did hurt them) and Landon Donovan claimed the team was taking the competition seriously. There are no excuses for giving up four goals at home, especially to a lower division opponent. Losing by on a lucky break for Puerto Rico would almost be excusable, if still disappointing. Rolling over to the tune of a three goal beat down is a joke.


Give the Islanders credit. They seem to play their best in this competition, and took the chances the were given. They weren't afraid of the Galaxy (and why should they be?) and gave a full effort. The moment they stepped on the field they seemed fired out of a cannon. The Galaxy, on the other hand hand, had all the momentum of a glacier.


Donovan and Buddle will be in Houston for the All Star Game tonight. I would imagine the first thing their All Star teammates will say to them is "What happened?" If there's an answer to that question, I'd love to hear it.


Time to move on MLS fans. Barring a miracle in Bayamón, league hopes in the Champions League will need to be transferred elsewhere. Maybe the Crew were always most likely to get it done anyway.


In that vein a quick question for the comments: In your opinion, which MLS team has the best shot of going deep into the CCL?

by Dan Barkley

CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round, First Leg.

Time: Tuesday, July 27, 10pm EST.

Location: Home Depot Center, Los Angeles

Media: FSC/Audio at LAGalaxy.com


Tuesday sees two MLS teams begin their CCL campaigns. The Galaxy get a fairly familiar opponent in Division II side Puerto Rico Islanders. In recent years, the Islanders have fielded a strong side, finish on top of the USL-1 table in 2008 and third place in 2009, while finishing second and third in the playoffs, respectively. Even more impressive has been their play in the CCL. In 2008 they made it to the semifinal before losing to Cruz Azul, a match that needed penalties to be decided. Their run also included a victory over another Mexican side, Santos Laguna. In the 2009 CCL, they beat Toronto FC before finishing last in their group, although they did draw both Cruz Azul and the Columbus Crew in Puerto Rico. This year, the Islanders sit fifth in the USL Conference and eighth overall in Division II.


The Islanders are what many would hope from MLS clubs; they've had solid domestic seasons while taking the CCL very seriously. In fact, their semifinals appearance is better than any MLS showing in the past two years. They have played very well at home during the tournament, and have unarguably punched above their weight.


The Galaxy have slowed a bit after their blistering start to the season, but at this point they still have to be the favorites for the title (depending on what becomes of the Landon situation). They showed during the build up for the World Cup that they are one of the deepest teams in the league as well. They certainly have the talent to beat the Islanders, though there are some notable factors to consider.


How seriously will Bruce Arena take this game? He recently complained about the US Open Cup after LA's loss to Seattle. He has paid lip service to the CCL in the build up to the All-Star Game, but it remains to be seen what type of side will be fielded Tuesday. The All-Star Game on the following day also complicates things. We'll leave complaints about MLS scheduling aside, but with four Galaxy players in the All-Star Game, it will at least play into Arena's decisions.


For those of us who want to see a strong MLS showing in the CCL, LA is integral. We know they have all the talent to handle the Islanders. MLS sides were 5-0 against Division 2 sides in the US Open Cup this year, including one win from the Galaxy, who didn't play many first team players in their 2-0 win over AC St. Louis. All of this is very encouraging, and aside from the Islanders good form in the CCL, this shouldn't provide too much challenge for the Galaxy. I predict a win in the first leg before LA is held in Puerto Rico and advances without having to tax their stars too heavily.