Keller Chosen for Best XI

by Dizzo on Nov 10, 2011 2:01 PM PST in Major League Soccer: News & Analysis

Don Garber spoke to reporters today to announce the league's best XI and talk a bit about the 2012 season. The only Seattle Sounder named to the Best XI was goal-keeper Kasey Keller. Keller, in his final professional season, anchored one of the league's top defenses. He led all league goalkeepers with 18 wins and made a career-high 110 saves. His 1.09 goals against average tied for fifth and his nine shutouts tied for third-most in the league. In addition, Keller is a finalist for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award and many of his saves are up for Save of the Year (including that incredible 4-save sequence against the San Jose Earthquakes).

The Los Angeles Galaxy lead all teams with four players named to the Best XI. Seven other teams (including the Sounders) had one player each named to the best XI. Forwards Thierry Henry and Chris Wondolowski were the two forwards named ahead of Fredy Montero. As usual, no defensive midfielders were named to the Best XI although the case can certainly be made that one of either Osvaldo Alonso or Kyle Beckerman deserved a nod (you all know whom I'd choose).

The Best XI recognizes the league's top 11 players at each position on the field. You can see the full Best XI here.

More about the 2012 schedule after the jump:

The other bit of big, if not terribly surprising, news that came out of the conference call was the move back to an unbalanced schedule for 2012. Despite adding another team (the Montreal Impact) the league will not add more games. On the positive side, the change will help with a very congested schedule for the Sounders next season and should reduce total travel with more regional games planned. Also, Garber announced that the league was looking at having the team with the best regular season record host the MLS Cup final (kinda like LA this year except without the back-room deals).

Also today, MLS announced that Mark Geiger is the 2011 MLS Referee of the Year and Corey Rockwell is the Assistant Referee of the Year. Gieger was generally one of the more consistent referees throughout the year. My only complaint with him was letting the first leg of the Sounders playoff get out of control with some very physical play by Real Salt Lake early in the game. Still, its hard to say Gieger was at fault for the absolutely abysmal play by the Sounders in that first leg.

I have no complaints about the referee and assistant referee selections although I'm sure many, many of you will!

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Two games is not a huge reduction

And not all that helpful in terms of fixture congestion.

by CarlosT on Nov 10, 2011 3:19 PM PST reply actions

they are also going to take the international dates off

so two more games in the compressed schedule does make a difference.

The schedule will also reduce travel by thousands of miles

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 10, 2011 3:54 PM PST up reply actions

Also possible with a balanced schedule

A guy from Vancouver has done an analysis and figured out how to have a balanced scheduled, with no overlap with CONCACAF or international dates, and reduces travel. So you can get all that and still have the benefits of a balanced schedule.

by CarlosT on Nov 10, 2011 4:10 PM PST up reply actions

He ignored US Open Cup dates

He also assumes that teams and players desire to spend 8 days on the road, only practicing a few times. Considering that MLS typically only travels 18 leaving behind 12 players to practice at their home facility once a month won’t help those players develop.

He also made no attempt to do it for 20 teams and 20 plus teams (today Garber noted that they are already planning for team 21).

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 10, 2011 4:27 PM PST up reply actions

Extend the season?

No facts or figures. Just wondering your thoughts. If we extended the season by a month it would make the schedule less congested plus allow for more games.

by rkp200 on Nov 10, 2011 5:35 PM PST reply actions

Extending the season is a difficult proposition due to the weather

It’s harder to draw fans when it is really cold outside, so in places like Chicago, Salt Lake City, Denver, and even some east coast cities (I’m thinking Boston and NYC), it’s generally going to be really cold in December and February, with plenty of chance for snow.

by ubelmann on Nov 11, 2011 10:41 AM PST up reply actions

Interesting XI

on defense you have two centerbacks and a left back, so I guess you ask Donovan to play right wingback? Beckham and Davis as holding mids in behind DeRosario in sort of a 3-4-1-2 shape, with Shea as the left wingback?. It’s a hell of an attacking lineup, for sure, not sure which manager in his right mind would start a match with that XI, looks more like what you field when you have a 3 goal deficit to make up in a away-home 2-match series.

Yeah, I kind of think the MLS Best XI is a joke, and has been for a while… I can’t figure out why you can’t have the voters select a right back, two CB’s and a left back, and a defensive midfielder, and thus have a “Best XI” that actually resembles an actual lineup an actual manager might use in an actual match.

Put there I go whining and complaining again…

...and you will hear us scream

by malcontentjake on Nov 10, 2011 7:37 PM PST reply actions

Voting rules were not by ROLE

but by position.

It required 3 defenders, 3 midfielders, 2 forwards and two other players of your choice.

I picked a 3-5-2 myself, because I didn’t feel there were any RB/LB who deserved recognition over the 3rd best CB.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 10, 2011 9:22 PM PST up reply actions

hmmm

what’s interesting is that I know that you know that fullback is quite distinct from center back, and the importance of fullback in the modern game. I’m actually mystified as to why you would believe the League’s best fullbacks don’t deserve recognition in the best XI.

...and you will hear us scream

by malcontentjake on Nov 11, 2011 12:42 AM PST up reply actions

Because they aren't as good as any of the other best XI?

No one asked voters to put together a 4 back team. The instructions barely ask for a team.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 11, 2011 7:37 AM PST up reply actions

Also notable

I picked two CDMs in my 3-4-1-2.

But there was no requirement to adhere to a diamond either (though most common formation in MLS there are others)

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 11, 2011 7:39 AM PST up reply actions

If you don't mind sharing...

Could you post your XI? I’m curious. :-)

The SAH Links Guy

by Dizzo on Nov 11, 2011 8:07 AM PST up reply actions

sure

Keller
John-Gonzalez-Olave
Beckham-Alonso-Beckerman-Davis
DeRo
Le Toux-Montero

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 11, 2011 8:34 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs

If the league wants to ignore actual team requirements

Why have a goalkeeper?

by Graham MacAree on Nov 11, 2011 8:41 AM PST up reply actions

There is no requirement in soccer to have a fullback

or a CDM, or a CAM. There are teams that play without those. Should a box2box CM not be picked because his club team plays a bucket rather than diamond?

There kind of is for a keeper. Only kind of.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Nov 11, 2011 8:57 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs