By now everyone has heard that US National Team starlet Juan Agudelo has been shipped from the bright lights of "New York" to sunny California in another blockbuster, media shattering deal orchestrated by the Red Bulls. Chivas USA the recipient of a potential MLS MVP did not come without a price as NY received veteran defender Heath Pearce along with allocation money and a piece of Agudelo's future European transfer fee. According to Soccer-by-Ives the allocation dollars could be as large as $200K while the transfer fee percentage is more or less 1/3rd of the total transfer value. 

There is a number of moving parts and interesting developments as a result of this deal which I will now rant to you about...

1. Why did NY Pull the Trigger? 

Hans Backe and Erik Soler made this move for a few reasons. First, they needed to solidify the backline which has been disorganized to say the least this season despite their recent winning streak. Between Wilman Conde's arrest, Rafa Marquez's injuries, Markus Holgersson's inconsistent form, and Roy Miller's positioning woes the Red Bulls have had very little continuity along the backline.

Second, Juan Agudelo wanted out. Whether Agudelo deserved it or not Backe was not starting him and as any ambitious player that story gets old after awhile. This becomes especially apparent when you are a young player that is excelling at the international stage and receiving minutes from a coach of Jurgen Klinsmann's pedigree and then you return home to ride the pine.

However it was definitely interesting to read that Backe said Agudelo wanted to move clubs as early as last season. To me this means frankly that emotions were building for quite awhile and NY should have been more strategic with this prized asset. In essence, if they knew this problem existed last year, Agudelo should have either been on the pitch or traded, and if a trade went down I believe NY would have received even more than they did this time around. 

Third, Red Bulls perceived forward depth. Yes, NY is stocked at the starting forward position. Thierry Henry in my mind, when healthy, is the best forward in the league and Kenny Cooper is playing like the man that was once a highly regarded forward prospect for the national team. Then you have Backe under the impression that he may get Luke Rodgers back, which I do not believe will actually occurr, but if it somehow does, those 3 are a nice 3 to have up top.

When you look under the covers though, especially beyond this year, you are left with an aging, injury prone star in Henry and a man that has seen his form fluctuate quite a bit over his career in Cooper. Yes, Dane Richards can play a speed forward role now and then but he's not dynamic enough to succeed in this position day in and day out. Red Bulls do have their first round draft pick to lean on, Corey Hertzog, when it comes to a future goal-scorer but knowing NY's track record with young players it's hard to think of Hertzog as a future centerpiece of this team. As a result, you have to question the statement that NY is STACKED at the forward position. 

2. Long-Term Risk for NY 

For this move to truly not burn the Red Bulls completely they must win NOW and by win I mean win an MLS Cup this year or next. They really don't have an option here. They just gave up a MEGA MEGA prospect for quality parts but in the end these parts do not come close to amounting to Agudelo's future value on the field or off of it. Don't forget NY lost about two thirds of Agudelo's transfer fee if he heads abroad. Just think about the Revolution trading away Clint Dempsey and you will get an idea of how massive a mistake this could be. It's not quite at that level but it definitely falls under the same category.

Agudelo could have been the future face of the franchise, taking the mantle from Henry in a city that desperately needs a star player to get buts in the seats and instead they put all their eggs in the short-term basket which frankly is not that sturdy. Red Bulls must win now and win in style, LA-like style.

3. New Future for Juan Agudelo 

The clear winner of this trade is not NY, not Chivas USA, it's Juan Agudelo. Agudelo gets a clean slate, a slate in which he can start every day and get those much-needed minutes that will help him develop. Despite all the hoopla over his potential, the kid has to play. There's not a secret sauce here, the more Agudelo plays, the better he will get.

This is exactly what the doctor ordered for Agudelo and I'm excited for him to turn around the Chivas franchise and help them put together an LA Clippers-esque resurgence to compete with their winning older brother, the LA Galaxy, just as the Clippers did this season as they stole some of Hollywood's spotlight from the Lakers.

Somewhere Jurgen Klinsmann is smiling.

What did you think of the move? Would love to hear your thoughts...let's start the debate! 

Brad Guzan and Jose Torres....

The exciting World Cup Qualifying spring/summer for the US Men's National Team began yesterday when coach Jurgen Klinsmann announced an initial squad of 16 players to join the upcoming US camp in Orlando. Klinsmann has only called in 16 players thus far but may make as many as 13 additions on Sunday, May 20th to round out camp.

This group of Yanks will train in Orlando until May 25th and then the US boss will cut down the roster to 23 for the upcoming 5 US matches.

"All the players coming now for this very special four-week period represent our core," said the man in charge of the US National Team, Jurgen Klinsmann.

One noticeable player has decided for now that he would not like to be a member of Klinsmann's "core" and instead would like to take a "break" from competition, which put the US soccer community into a frenzy yesterday. This infamous player would be Timothy Chandler. Chandler who was born in Germany to an American father has appeared in 8 matches for the US, but has yet to cap tie himself to the US by appearing in an official FIFA competition. This has left the door open for a possible switch to the German National Team.

Despite repeated declarations from Chandler to the media that he has chosen to emblazon the stars and stripes and has no interest in Germany, his actions have spoken louder than his words recently. Dating back to last summer when former US manager Bob Bradley failed to recruit Chandler to the all important Gold Cup many fans have questioned Chandler's loyalty. Compounded by this most recent decision to not join Klinsmann and company for the start of World Cup Qualifiers, which would tie him to the US for life, fan paranoia has officially transformed into a bleak reality that does not include Chandler.

However the US has more than enough fire power to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and Jurgen Klinsmann is ready for the real games to begin.

"It's a clear signal to other players that right now it's down to business. We're playing World Cup qualifiers. It's not about experimenting or seeing different players, it's about who we think are the best," Klinsmann added.

The announced 16-man US roster and the upcoming US schedule can be seen after the break...

US Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (4): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)
FORWARDS (1): Clint Dempsey (Fulham)

Upcoming US Schedule

US vs. Scotland - Saturday, May 26 (EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fl)

US vs. Brazil - Wednesday, May 30 (FedExField in Landover, Md)

US vs. Canada - Sunday, June 3 (BMO Field in Toronto, CA)

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER - US vs. Antigua & Barbuda - Friday, June 8 (Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL)

WORLD CUP QUALIFIER - US vs. Guatemala - Tuesday, June 12 (Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala)

Noticeable Players Likely To Join:

Terrence Boyd- the young Borussia Dortmund forward that showed great potential during Olympic qualifiers announced on twitter that he will join the US side.....enough said!

Oguchi Onyewu- Gooch and Sporting will play Academica in a domestic cup final on Sunday so he should be arriving late to the squad.

Herculez Gomez- Gomez, arguably the US striker in the best form, is in Mexico's two-leg Clausura Final vs. Monterrey which wil also conclude on Sunday.

Clarence Goodson/Michael Parkhurst- Both players are still playing club ball in Denmark. Parkhurst has a chance to win the title and automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage as his club is 1 point from the top spot with two to play. The season is to end next Wednesday, May 23rd. Ironically, Parkhurst will take on Goodson on Sunday.

Noticeable Player to Rest:

Jozy Altidore- Altidore who is coming off a career long season (since he finally played consistent club ball) is reported to take a break this summer and thus will miss the first couple of US World Cup qualifiers.

Thoughts on Chandler's Decision:

Time to move on. As a fan, analyst, head coach you have to treat Chandler as no longer part of the team. You don't turn down World Cup qualifiers and a chance to officially position yourself as the starting wing defender at the international level if you are serious about playing for that team. Chandler simply made this move because he wants to keep his options open, as Germany is still his preferred choice.

However this does feel like a Carlos Tevez-light situation, especially with Chandler seemingly not in Germany's short- or long-term plans. Just as Mancini proclaimed Tevez would never return to City and then instead welcomed him back to secure an EPL title, Klinsmann will take Chandler back if he were to return with his tail between his legs. If you look at every great National Team, a dynamic wing back is always putting pressure on the opposition, which is exactly the role Klinsmann hoped Chandler would fill. Chandler isn't irreplaceable but Klinsi realizes his high value in the system and will be more than happy to bring him back into the mix if it comes down to it.

When played correctly, however, direct soccer can be just as exhilarating. Any purist can appreciate a goal created in three passes just as he or she can in 25.

On of my biggest pet-peeves of the MLS is that at times it can be too slow, but on Saturday most MLS games surpassed expectations. The LA Galaxy v. FC Dallas match was no exception with Bruce Arena’s and Schellas Hyndman’s sides clashing at break neck speed.

Brek Shea struck first for FC Dallas from the spot just past the hour mark, but Pat Noonan rolled back the years with a neatly placed finish in injury time to salvage a point for the home side.

The Galaxy will feel that it was more a case of two points dropped rather than a point gained after creating the better of the chances, but failing to put them away against an opponent playing its third game in eight days.

Despite FC Dallas having two clear-cut opportunities in the first minute and Donovan hitting a post, then finding himself wide open a second time from five yards out, the first-half somehow remained scoreless.

Both defenses were bypassing the midfield, finding the feet of the forwards first. The midfield then joined the attack after strong hold-up play from the target men.

FC Dallas should have been ahead first when the Galaxy failed to deal with the evening’s first long ball. With the Galaxy defense in a panic trying to deal with Blas Perez, the ball fell kindly for Brek Shea on the left side of the box. The angle was tight, but a player of his caliber should have buried it rather than blazing over.

Less than a minute later, Fabian Castillo should have given the Texas club the lead, but he put his effort wide with Galaxy goalkeeper Bill Gaudette left stranded on his line.

Gaudette was playing in place of Josh Saunders who, according to Arena is, “out for personal reasons and we don’t want to go past that.”

The Galaxy woke up and came into the game with both teams making frantic last ditch clearances, but the post came to FC Dallas’ rescue in the 11^th minute. Robbie Keane played a delightful through ball for Landon Donovan. America’s all time scoring leader did the first part right, rounding Hoops keeper Chris Seitz but somehow contrived to put his shot off the outside of the post with the goal gaping.

George John and Shea were both denied by solid Gaudette stops before Seitz was called into action again to deny Keane from point blank range.

The FCD shot-stopper was the hero once again when he scurried across his line to deny Donovan. Captain America was perhaps a bit too casual as the ball fell kindly to him following a scramble from a corner kick and he tried to pass it in rather than smashing home.

“The first one got away from a little bit. I was a little in-between steps, but I should’ve done better. I’m frustrated I missed that,” Donovan said in the locker room after the game. “The second one, I just kind of reacted and Seitz still made a good save.”

The question at halftime was whether or not both teams could keep up this pace in the second half?

We got our answer just two minutes in as David Beckham played a picturesque ball with the outside of his right boot to put Donovan in behind the FCD backline. Jair Benitez brought down Donovan and the Referee pointed to the spot setting off a strange sequence of events.

First Benitez was only yellow carded, while Landon Donovan went over to talk to Bruce Arena and Kean stepped up to the spot. It was the first time since June 23, 2007 that someone other than Donovan (Kyle Martino) took a penalty for the Galaxy. With something feeling off, Keane smashed his penalty wide right.

Donovan later explained why it was Keane who took the penalty. “I just told Robbie I wanted him to take it. Just to get him going. It’s been a little while since those guys have hit the net. We’re trying to get them more chances. We’re not doing a good enough job getting them chances in front of the goal so I thought it would help.”

In the 61^st minute Shea showed the Irish international the correct way to take a penalty. In a crowded box, Galaxy center back David Junior Lopes inexplicably tried to chest the ball back to Gaudette.  FCD forward Blas Perez took full advantage stepping to the loose ball and Gaudette had no choice but to bring him down.

Shea blasted his penalty into the lower left corner to give the visitors the 1-0 lead.

The teams traded chances with both Gaudette and Seitz called into action. Buddle had a goal called back for a handball and Beckham came close with a trademark free kick.

When it looked like the Galaxy were going to rue yet another night of missed opportunities, Arena’s three second-half substitutes came thorough two minutes into stoppage time.

Donovan floated the ball into the box. Adam Cristman fought for the first ball and kept it alive for Chad Barrett. The former TFC man laid it back for Noonan to sweep it into the far post and send the Home Depot Center into raptures.

“We can be happy because we finished the game well,” summarized Galaxy defender Sean Franklin after the game. “We got the goal and we got the point, but its also bittersweet because we knew there was three points out there to gain and we thought that we could have got that tonight by the way we played.”

While Galaxy players and fans may be a bit frustrated after failing to finish their chances and FC Dallas fans will rue giving up two points so late, the mutual should be delighted with the style and effort displayed by both sides. After a high tempo Saturday in the MLS, one thing is for certain. Somewhere, Jurgen Klinsmann is smiling.

CONCACAF qualifying for the U-20 World Cup will likely begin in early 2013 and will be held in Puebla, Mexico. The dates will run from February 18th through March 2nd at the Estadio Cuauhtemoc and the Estadio Universitario Lobos BUAP.  

The tournament will qualify four teams for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey 2013.

The players selected to each of the last few camps may give us an indication of what the US U-20 MNT roster will look like during the 2013 World Cup. As with the U-23 team, it would appear that players who are involved in a professional setting will be preferred due to their obvious experience.

However, given the recent disappointment of the U-23s, Ramos may be more inclined to choose a player performing at the highest level rather than an out of form professional player. It is clear that players who play professionally, will need to see playing time with their clubs if they are to see the national team field, which has been Klinsmann's mantra since he took the reigns of the US program .  

This line of thinking adds nothing to the ‘Pro vs. College’ argument, but simply emphasizes that if you are going to play at the international level, you need to perform and earn playing time first and foremost at the club level. Perhaps sitting on the bench will no longer be rewarded.

I'm participating in OSA World Juggle-a-thon to benefit Nothing but Nets to insure that all future soccer players are healthy and Malaria free. The Juggle-a-thon also helps me improve my juggling skills which hopefully means more playing time! I'm hoping I can beat my record of 16 this year. :)

- US Women's National Team player Lori Lindsey

I'm happy to be participating in the Juggle-a-Thon because it gives me the chance to help raise awareness and funding for Nothing But Nets, which directly helps children avoid contracting malaria. It's a fun way for kids to be a part of something important while giving themselves a challenge with the ball.

- Chris Rolfe of Aalborg BK in Denmark

I'm really excited to be participating in the OSA World JUGGLE-A-THON again this year. Juggling to raise money is a fun and perfect way to participate in such a special cause! It's even extra practice time for me to improve my juggling!

- Carli Lloyd of the US Women's National Team


Please visit the Online Soccer Academy for more details!!!

Jersey Availability Timeline

• April 17: Pre-sale for U.S. Men's jersey starts online at 12:01 a.m. ET
• April 26: Orders will start being shipped
• May 1: New jersey will be available for purchase in stores
• July 1: U.S. Women's jersey will be available

A month is gone in the 2012 season, and several factors are emerging that should help you determine which players to target for your fantasy team. A select group of teams is already pushing toward the top of the standings, indicating that their players will be good bets to contribute to your team on both the offensive and defensive ends. At the same time, a handful of teams have made it clear that they won’t be very competitive this season, and it may be time to re-evaluate the value of individual members of those teams.

Week to week, there also continues to be opportunities to take advantage of short-term situations which can make the difference between a Win and a Loss in your Head-to-Head league. In Week 7, there will be more double-dip opportunities, with three teams (D.C. United, Sporting KC, and the Vancouver Whitecaps) taking part in mid-week and weekend contests. Unfortunately, some key players around the league will inevitably miss time due to injuries this season, but if you know who their replacements will be, then you can turn that injury into a gain for your fantasy team. Below are five more players to take a closer look at in Week 7.

**Transfer deadline is 7:15PM ET on Wednesday

Two to Add:

Kei Kamara – Forward, Sporting Kansas City ($9.6M)

There is no better team in MLS right now than Sporting KC, and few players have had a bigger impact on their success this season than Kamara. After bouncing between four different teams in his first four MLS seasons, Kamara has found a home in KC, where he has quietly become one of the more consistent goal-scorers in the league. After seasons of ten goals (2011) and nine goals (2010), the 27 year-old has started 2012 with three goals in the first six games.

Sporting is off to the best start (6-0-0) in MLS history, and Kamara has been on the field for every minute thus far. This week, the league-leaders go on the road for two games in the Pacific Northwest, as they face Vancouver and then Portland in the span of four days. If trends continue, then Kamara is likely to net at least one goal in those games, helping KC continue its remarkable run to start the season.

The bottom line: Though he has been overshadowed by the emergence of several other star teammates, Kamara remains one of Sporting KC’s most productive players.

Nick DeLeon – Midfielder, D.C. United ($6.3M)

Already on the shortlist for Rookie of the Year, DeLeon continues to contribute for D.C. United, even expanding his role to taking corners and set pieces in recent weeks. Despite a relatively crowded midfield, the former Louisville Cardinal has excelled as perhaps United’s most dangerous attacking threat thus far this season.

In five games (four starts), DeLeon has two goals and three assists, including assists on each of United’s goals in last Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Revolution. DeLeon was also awarded four bonus points based on his performance vs. the Revs, thanks in a large part to his new responsibility taking set pieces. With two games on the schedule this week, he may not be able to play the full 90 minutes in both, but he will certainly be called on to help United extend its four-game unbeaten run.

The bottom line: One of the hottest commodities in MLS (and the fantasy game), DeLeon is nearly a lock to provide a boost in the short-term and long-term for your team.

Two to Drop:

Jack Jewsbury – Midfielder, Portland Timbers ($8.5M)

All is not well in the Rose City, as the Timbers have suffered four consecutive defeats and have the daunting task of facing unbeaten Sporting KC next. Jewsbury, or “Captain Jack” played a big role in the expansion team’s near-playoff run in 2011, but both the team and its captain seem to have taken a step backward in 2012.

After a positive 3-1 season-opening win over Philadelphia that included a two-assist effort from Jewsbury (11 fantasy points), the Timbers appeared to be building on their promising 2011 campaign. However, Portland has not won since, going 0-4-1 since the season-opener, and Jewsbury has only amassed a total of 10 fantasy points in that time.

The bottom line: Captain Jack had a career year in 2011, but that is becoming a distant memory as his individual and team struggles get worse in 2012.

Edson Buddle – Forward, LA Galaxy ($9.2M)

If you have been a regular reader of this column, then you may be getting used to seeing Galaxy players in the ‘Two to Drop’ section. Truthfully, the Galaxy have had a decent start to the season, but the sky-high expectations have done some damage to the team (especially on the fantasy front, where player values are over-inflated.) In Buddle’s case, he is a former MLS All-Star, who looked like a great choice given his scoring history, and the quality of his teammates.

However, the Galaxy hasn’t been as dominant as expected, and the goals haven’t been flowing as expected for Buddle either. The more concerning aspect to Buddle’s 2012 season has been his minutes on the field (or lack thereof). Last week he played just 23 minutes in a substitute appearance, and he has played the full 90 minutes just twice so far this season. Such are the problems when you have teammates like Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, whose names are etched in stone when it comes to the the Galaxy’s starting 11.

The bottom line: All is not lost for Buddle, who will regain his regular minutes this summer when Keane departs for Euro 2012, but stay away from him for now.

Bargain Watch:

Andy Gruenebaum – Goalkeeper, Columbus Crew ($4.6M)

The Crew’s veteran back-up goalkeeper got a lot more valuable last week when it was announced that the team’s regular keeper, Will Hesmer, would miss the next six months after undergoing hip surgery. The news means that Gruenebaum, a 29 year-old with six years of experience as the number two in Columbus, will finally get his chance to make a lasting impact on the team.

Despite one blip this season, a Thierry Henry-inspired 4-1 beat-down by the Red Bulls, Gruenebaum has done well for Columbus, recording two Clean Sheets in the team’s first five games. He has kept eight clean sheets in 30 career starts, and with a decent defense in front of him, Gruenebaum should put up respectable numbers this season.

The bottom line: The only regular starting keeper you’ll find at this price, the only question-mark is how a young Crew team will perform over the course of the season.

As the Olympics approach, the USWNT will seize any chance to play the top teams in order to properly prepare physically and mentally for the competition that greets them in London this summer. This past week, the USWNT traveled to Japan to play in the Kirin Challenge Cup, which featured three out of the top four teams in the world. Even though the Yanks went in with the No.1 ranking, this was somewhat misleading due to their recent failures against Japan, dating back to the World Cup final loss where Japan came out with a come-from-behind win in penalty kicks.  

The Kirin Cup started with a bang, as the Japanese-US rivalry kicked off the tournament on April 1st. Surrounding this heavy-weighted competition were 15,159 fans creating a World Cup-like environment. Either the US women were over-excited or just nervous, as they once again played sloppy and disconnected football.

The first half closely mirrored the first half of the last US-Japan matchup. The impatient Yanks forced the ball, which resulted in a number of turnovers. As a result the Japanese dominated possession and broke down the US defense with quick pace. 13 minutes in, however, the Yanks gained some sort of rhythm and were awarded three corner-kicks in four minutes. Japan defended them solidly though, and responded well to the threat by retaliating in a relentless ten-minute pressure streak resulting in a goal in the 32nd minute.

A few quick touches by Japan around the midfield culminated in a ball over the back line that found the right back, Yukari Kinga. Kinga slipped the ball to her teammate in the middle and even though Solo made an unbelievable initial save, the ball ricocheted right back to Kinga who drilled it into the right side of the net.

It was evident that the USWNT came out more relaxed in the 2nd half and with much more fire than they had in the first. Proof of this came four minutes into the 2nd half when Lloyd got things going with her rocket of a free kick that soared just high of the crossbar. This was one of the Yanks 5 dangerous opportunities in the 2nd half, which brought their total up to 8 in the game.

Morgan played a huge role in the scoring opportunities throughout the game and in the 2nd half in particular. Her speed up the sideline stretched Japan and made it very difficult for them to stay together as a defensive unit. In the 72nd minute, Wambach picked the ball off a Japanese midfielder and played a square ball across the field. With a few quick passes and some sloppy mistakes by Japan, Morgan found the ball a few yards in front of the penalty spot and slipped it past the Japanese goalie. At first, the sideline referee called Morgan offsides, but after a quick chat with the field ref, the equalizer was awarded making the score 1-1 with 18 minutes left. The game ended in a tie and the newly found rivalry between USWNT and Japan will now have to wait until the Olympics to find a winner.

After the game, head coach Pia Sundhage reiterated how the goal for her team is to start playing "their" game from the first whistle and not have to wait for the second half to wake up. Sundhage's wish came true in the game aginst Brazil two days later, when Boxx and Lloyd each scored in the 18th and 23rd minutes respectively.  

Lloyd's goal came off a set piece from captain Rampone as she dropped a beautiful ball right in front of the Brazilian goalie. The ball hit off the goalie and Lloyd, staying composed, and slid it right into the open net. Boxx's goal, a short five minutes later, also came from a set piece, this time taken by Cheney who sent the ball flying to the back post and right to Shannon Boxx who easily jumped above her Brazilian mark and headed it in.

Although Brazil had a few good opportunities, the refs were not on their side as they got called on a few offside plays and even had a goal called back. In the 82nd minute, Rodriguez proved herself as the ball bounced off a Brazilian player in the box and landed at her feet. She shot it first time and as the Brazilian goalie dove left, the ball ricocheted off a defender and shot to the right and into the back of the net.

Although the USWNT had a lot of success against Brazil, their well known superstar, Marta, was not on the field and the Brazilian Coach admitted that he has been working on solidifying his starting defense so they will be ready for the Olympic games. These two factors definitely hurt Brazil in the tournament.

Nevertheless, the game ended 3-0 and that was it for the Yanks trip to Japan. On April 5th, Japan and Brazil finished up the tournament as Japan beat Brazil 4-1.

The USWNT do not play again until they face China on May 27th. This match will continue to help head coach Sundhage narrow down the team from 27 players who will be on the roster for the upcoming game vs. China, down to 18 which is the limited amount of spots available to the Olympic team when they travel to London this summer.

Photo of Hamdi Salihi



With another week in the books, it has become increasingly evident that there are two groups of fantasy teams in 2012: those that include New York Red Bulls superstar Thierry Henry, and those that don’t include New York Red Bulls superstar Thierry Henry. The legendary striker leads MLS with 59 fantasy points this season, almost 50% more than his next closest competitors, Chris Wondolowski and Kenny Cooper.

It would be easy to include Henry as one of the “Two to Add” section every week, but if you’re reading USFutblog, then you’re probably smart enough to have figured that out already. So for the 6th week of the season, I continue to leave the Frenchman out of my recommendations, opting instead to highlight several less-heralded players, who would also make excellent additions to your team at this stage of the season.

Two to Add:

Nick LaBrocca – Midfielder, Chivas USA ($7.4M)

It can be easy to forget about Chivas USA, but LA’s second club has been better than expected in 2012, and LaBrocca looks like he will continue to be a mainstay in the Goats’ lineup after his breakout 2011 season. There is little flash in LaBrocca’s game, but if you need a consistent performer in midfield, then he is your man. He has played every minute of this season, and scored his first goal of the 2012 campaign (a game-winner) last week.

Few players can match LaBrocca for minutes on the field. In 2011, he started all 34 games for the Goats, and he has played in at least 28 games every year since 2008. Recently however, the 27-year-old has evolved from a minutes-eating midfielder to an effective playmaker. His final tally of eight goals and six assists last season compare favorably to many of the top midfielders in the league.

The bottom line: Perhaps the quietest playmaker in the league, LaBrocca is a sure bet to contribute every week, while adding a handful of goals and assists as well.


Hamdi Salihi – Forward, D.C. United ($8.1M)

Having a top fantasy team is all about taking the right risks. After a goalless start to the season, United’s once-heralded Albanian newcomer certainly represents a risk for owners in need of a scoring boost. However, despite contributing a paltry seven fantasy points in the first five games of the season, Salihi and his D.C. teammates may be poised for a breakthrough in the near future.

Next up for United is a trip to Foxboro, where they will face an ordinary Revs side that will be without its captain and midfield enforcer Shalrie Joseph, after he was suspended for a hard tackle last week. Without Joseph, who has given D.C. nightmares for much of the last decade, the game is likely to open up to the benefit of all attacking players. The following week, D.C. faces both Montreal and New York, which means Salihi will have three opportunities in eight days to get back on track.

The bottom line: Though he hasn’t performed thus far, D.C. didn’t spend big bucks on Salihi to keep him off the field, and his goal-scoring is still more a question of when than if. 



Two to Drop:

Danny Mwanga – Forward, Philadelphia Union ($8.2M)

Though it may be too early to declare the team a train-wreck, the Union appear to have at least veered off track in their third MLS season. Despite a decent collection of young players, including Mwanga himself, the club has regressed from its 2011 playoff form. Mwanga’s own problems with finding a consistent role in the team speaks to the greater problems at the club, as the players and coach Piotr Nowak continue to search for a winning formula.

After a promising rookie campaign in 2010, Mwanga has been unable to nail down a regular place in Nowak’s starting XI, much to the frustration of Philadelphia fans who expected Mwanga to be a part of the team’s core for years. At only 20 years of age, there is certainly plenty of time for Mwanga to reach his potential, but his short-term prospects don’t look as good. He played just four minutes as a sub in the Union’s last game, a drab 0-0 draw with Vancouver, and has only played the full 90 minutes once so far in Philly’s winless season.

The bottom line: Mwanga’s high value ($8.2M) has more to do with his obvious potential, than the reality of his situation in Philadelphia under Nowak.


Fredy Montero – Forward, Seattle Sounders FC ($11.4M)

A popular pick for MVP before the season began, Montero hasn’t come close to meeting those expectations through the first five weeks of the season. His teammate David Estrada stole the spotlight in the first two games, but alarm bells are beginning to sound in Seattle as they have gone goalless in consecutive weeks. What’s more alarming to Sounders fans and Montero owners is that the Colombian striker has yet to find any fluidity with the rest of the team.

Going without a goal over four games is understandable, but Montero has been invisible for large stretches of those games. He has been no stranger to scoring slumps during his days in Seattle, so there is still plenty of time for him to regain his MVP-candidate form, but for now the best course is to leave him off your fantasy roster until he shows signs of life.

The bottom line: Montero has been a streaky player in the past, so the goals are still likely to come at some point, but you can do more with his $11.4M price tag right now.



Bargain Watch:

Raushawn McKenzie – Defender, Chivas USA ($5.1M)

It was another week and another 90 minutes for McKenzie, who has apparently nailed down a starting position on the Chivas back-line. After two seasons each with Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake, the 25-year-old has found a home in LA, and is taking advantage of his opportunity. After five games, McKenzie has already played more minutes this season (450) than his previous career high (437 in 2009).

The bottom line: If you need a cheap defender, and you’re concerned that Mark Burch’s run of starts might be over, then McKenzie is your new bargain.