Daniel Fraiz-Martinez runs through the big talking points from matchday eight of the MLS.
New York, New York! Big Apple sides look to catapult their season
It has hardly been a buoyant time for both MLS’ New York sides in the season to date. The New York Red Bulls’ decline had been a rather steeper one than their newly found neighbours. Jesse March’s side had gone from one of the league’s best sides, and indeed the most impressive as last season’s Supporters Shield champions, to going dangerously close to propping up the table, albeit after only seven fixtures played.
So after posting a somewhat controversial win last time out, supporters of the Red Bulls will have been happier to witness their comprehensive 4-0 dismantling of last term’s fellow conference champions, the beleaguered FC Dallas.
In a contest that many would have been reluctant to predict the outcome of, the Friday night fans would bear witness to a rampant New York side that struck a resemblance to last year’s supremely effective side. Indeed with key players such as Sacha Kljestan, Felipe Martins and Dax McCarty finding form, and the recently announced acquisition of Aurélien Collin, the Red Bulls look well positioned to continue their climb up the table.
Over in the sky blue half of New York, the matchday was significant also, as novice coach Patrick Viera finally got his first home win as manager of New York City FC. Yes, it was at his second attempt of the week after a frustrating late draw with the Montreal Impact, and in fact at the sixth time of asking overall, but Viera will not be too bothered with the semantics, glad to finally lift the weight of both his and his side’s shoulders.
Predictably, the NYCFC win did not come easy, going behind in the first minute to only truly seal the contest courtesy of Steven Mendoza’s late strike, making it 3-2 for the home side. However, the fans at Yankee Stadium would have been happy to pay the sporting penance if only to witness yet another inspired performance by captain and talisman David Villa.
Record Spain international scorer Villa has been one of the few constants for the newly formed New York franchise throughout its brief existence, and even more so this term. The former Barcelona star continues to be ably supported by the industrious Argentine destroyer Fede Bravo in midfield, and the evergreen Costa Rican wing-back Ronald Matarrita.
They would still require significant cameos from both the goalscorer Mendoza, but also the side’s other star name in Italian designated player Andrea Pirlo, greatly improved as a result of having Bravo by his side.
The one cautionary note will be (haphazard defending aside) the imminent return of former England captain Frank Lampard, and the penchant that the City Group seemingly has for shoehorning all its big names into the XI. No doubt Viera will have slept well Saturday night, but will have plenty of food for thought for the rest of the week.
Birthday boy Valeri blows out the candles, then blows away Toronto FC
The Soccer Sunday ‘appetiser’ of the round posed an intriguing contest. A Toronto FC side finally completing its long eight-game road stand, led by the league’s undeniable best player in Sebastian Giovinco, faced off against MLS’s reigning champions Portland Timbers and their returning MVP Diego Valeri.
Valeri, who had sat out his side’s midweek draw through suspension, is arguably one of (if not the) league’s most undervalued superstar. So it could be seen as a poignant paradigm of sorts that on the day of his 30th birthday, Valeri would create his side’s first and score a spectacular free kick winner for the second, leading his side to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a dogged TFC, whose goal was created by? You guessed it, a certain Mr Giovinco.
Since the Argentine maestro’s arrival in MLS, Valeri has consistently performed at the top level of the game, leaving fans and pundits to wonder: if he had not suffered from untimely serious injuries in the past, or played for one of the more glamorous franchises, would Valeri have been crowned the league MVP?
Nevertheless, the low-profile nature of the player himself, and indeed the Timbers’ recent MLS Cup success, make this more of a pointless anecdote than a serious inquiry. Fans over in Portland’s only pending question will be this: if their talisman will continue to mature with age like a fine wine, how long will they continue to enjoy his unequivocal talents?
Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City and LA Galaxy all make a strange case for defence
It would seem paradoxical to lead with the line a “case for the defence” in relation to three MLS sides that failed to record a clean sheet in matchday eight, not to mention they have hardly proved efficacious in doing so even in the season to date.
However, LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake have to date proved to be three of the league’s most impressive sides so far.
So why the defence? With all three teams having notably impressive defensive performers including the likes of Nuno Coelho, Matt Besler, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole and Nick Rimando, it poses an intriguing question as to if a successful MLS franchise needs a more resolute structure to be successful, or will a (relatively) imposing name do the trick?
With the season barely in its infancy, it is one for fans of the league to keep an eye on. Will it be the name, or will it be the game that triumphs in the end?
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