Major Link Soccer: World reacts to Eddie Johnson's USMNT exclusion

Sounders

The Sounders U-23 team has signed Mohammed Dumbuya and Luis DeLaVega for the 2014 Premier Development League season. DeLaVega has spent time in the PDL with the Laredo Heat and Dumbuya comes from Bethel University.

Osvaldo Alonso is the first Sounders player to reach 150 MLS appearances. The fine folks at Soundersfc.com compiled his top six games in the rave green.

MLS

In case you missed it, Real Salt Lake completely dismantled the Houston Dynamo, 5-2, fueled by the power of Javier Morales. Morales, at 34-years-old, scored his first career hat trick and RSL Soapbox has a solid breakdown on how it happened.

The Portland Timbers made a couple of roster moves to shore up the strikers up top. Nigerian striker Fanendo Adi is on a short term loan with an option to buy from FC Copenhagen. The 23-year-old forward started his European career in 2009 and has slowly but surely worked his way up various divisions. To make room, the Timbers waived Federic Piquionne. The 35-year-old has made three substitute appearances for the Timbers this season.

Chivas USA and Adolfo Bautista ended their short-term relationship on Tuesday. The Mexican national team fixture came to Chivas USA on March 9 but still hasn't registered a goal this season. He made one start this season and has played just 148 minutes.

FC Dallas midfielder Hendry Thomas will be out approximately six-to-eight weeks because of a muscle tear. He is yet another member of the walking wounded on the FC Dallas squad. This year, FC Dallas has used 21 different starters.

Real Salt Lake predictably climbed to the top of the MLS Power Rankings as posted my MLSSoccer.com. The Sounders dropped three spots to No. 4.

The Colorado Rapids agreed to a new three-year deal with team president Tim Hinchey. That is all.

USMNT

Once again, here is your 30-man roster for the USMNT. Three Sounders (Clint Dempsey, Brad Evans and DeAndre Yedlin) made the cut. One notable name didn't make the cut -- former Sounder Eddie Johnson. Johnson was rolling with the squad, to a certain extent, before Aron Johannsson and Julian Green came along. As Stars and Stripes FC points out, the spot over Chris Wondolowski's was Johnson's to win, and that is where he failed, having no goals in eight starts. DC United coach Ben Olsen said he was extremely disappointed that the USMNT snubbed Johnson. Olsen also called Johnson "a big boy" and someone that will "move on from this".

Every World Cup there is a group of death that predetermines the fate of its participants many months before the tournament even kicks off. Or maybe that is just the media perpetuating the bleak outlook on that group. Either way, a lot of people aren't looking through rosy colored glasses when looking at the USMNT's chances in the World Cup, but as the Burgundy Wave points out -- the unexpected teams have emerged victorious plenty of times before.

Europe

Nobody really expected Tim Sherwood to stay with Tottenham that long, but a few people were still surprised that he was shown the door after just five months in charge. The BBC says it is time to stop looking at the managers that are coming and going and to take a look at the man in charge of a team that has had nine different managers since 2001.

Liverpool has set its eye on Adam Lallana, but it is going to cost a pretty penny. Southampton have placed a 30 million value on the midfielder.

It might just be a coincidence of timing, but the Bristol Rovers shut down their online forum citing "libelous comments" and "misinformation". The Rovers were relegated from the Football League to the Conference, so angry supporters are already a bit more upset.

ESPN FC is getting in on the tactical analysis now that the season is over. Here is its breakdown of the tactical trends in the Premier League this past year. Speaking of the Premier League, the site also broke down its Premier League "Team of the Year".

Longform's are the Sunday feature pieces of the Internet. ESPN just published a great one about Bosnian forward Vedad Ibisevic that is well worth the time it takes to read.

Jozy Altidore was supposed to come to Sunderland and do some big things. Especially considering the success he had with the Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. Instead, Altidore has one goal to his name and has his coach wondering what is amiss.

ESPN is set to make a big push into the soccer world with a bid on the rights to broadcast the EPL after the league's current deal with NBC Sports ends in two years.

Remember when Donald Sterling said horrible things and the NBA came down with a sledgehammer? It appears that things operate a bit different for Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League.

World Cup

Nasser Al Khater, the media and marketing director of the Qatar organising committee, claims that no construction workers have been killed working on the 2022 World Cup sites. And I quote, "It's not possible to have 400 deaths when you are still digging a hole in the ground so I would like to make sure this matter is put to rest." The most recent report puts the number a whole lot higher than 400.

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