Donovan Reigns in Beckham's Return

2009-07-21T15:18:27-04:00

2009-07-16T22:18:58-04:00

2009-07-21T15:18:27-04:00

SoccerReform.us

Denver 815789

51 MLS is so far removed from the realities of global football that these are the stories that leak through the ether. Donovan has always been highly motivated by a personal challenge - moreso than by club of country. And So It Goes... the last of a dozen attempts to form a national soccer league under the franchise model since 1895. Until we can break our club soccer out of the franchise model in which it festers, we have more of these humdrum stories standing in the place of the real drama and total competition personified by the open league model, featuring promotion and relegation, in which soccer grew to unassailable global prominence. It's not that American players are lame, it's just that the franchise model doesn't work for this sport. 6176828

2009-07-21T15:17:23-04:00

SoccerReform.us

Denver 815789

50 Donovan is classic exhibition league (MLS) His motivations are usually personal in nature - challenge from David Football, fans on his back in DC, yada yada yada. MLS is so far removed from the realities of the beautiful game. Smothered in a corporate franchise model, stifled by micromanagement - these are the stories that make it through the humdrum tightly controlled world of Major League Soccer. Until we can pry club soccer out of the franchise model in which it festers - well, more of the same is on the way.... 6176817

2009-07-18T19:09:29-04:00

futboloco

Jacksonville 806925

49 how much money is wahl getting from this circus... ummmm. 6146756

2009-07-17T22:20:26-04:00

havasq

Brooklyn 812936

48 I have been following MLS since its start in mid 90's and as a newyorker and supporter of the MetroStars (I do not like "RedBulls" at all) I am about to truly wish the entire NY team was vanished, the only reason why the MLS is keeping this crappy team is due to the market that understandably the league wants to explore. I can hardly recall a handful of instances when this team has made me proud to attend their games or to skip work to watch them on TV. I truly wish there was a relegation system. I don't usually believe in superstition but..THANK A LOT CARICOLA! 6141146

2009-07-17T17:40:32-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/794/981/thumb/SH2WBSITE.jpg 848 CA

~Soccer-Hooligan~

Los Angeles 795641

47 The evolution of Donovan isnt finished. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxt98Rx5sOo[/youtube] 6139045

2009-07-17T17:33:14-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/794/981/thumb/SH2WBSITE.jpg 848 CA

~Soccer-Hooligan~

Los Angeles 795641

46 [/B]Proof![B] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXkModt0v1s[/youtube] 6138951

2009-07-17T17:18:55-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/794/981/thumb/SH2WBSITE.jpg 848 CA

~Soccer-Hooligan~

Los Angeles 795641

45 You guys are idiots for writing Donovan off when he is going off of momentum after the 2008 MLS Season. He had a good stint with Bayern, he impressed his teammates like Luca Toni and Ribery the only reason he didnt stay was because they had no room for him but it doesnt mean he looked out of place. You **** obviously missed the Confederations Cup its like why are you guys making these assumptions? Are you guys stuck in 2004???? 6138837

2009-07-17T17:13:06-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/794/981/thumb/SH2WBSITE.jpg 848 CA

~Soccer-Hooligan~

Los Angeles 795641

44 I dont understand why so many ignorant people put the 2006 WC blame on Landon Donovan when [B]A[/B]) He was played out of position by Bruce Arena, he played him in 2005 and early 2006 as a AMF then he brings in Claudio Reyna who really disrupted the play of both Donovan and Mastroeni. Because Donovan was confused whether he should wait for passes or playmake because Reyna didnt do crap. Same for Mastroeni he was there to play DMF but Reyna fell back to much and gae half ass chances in the center midfield on defense. So Mastroni had to try and pick up the slack if you watch the game vs. Italy Reyna let Pirlo slip by with ease and that led to Mastroeni getting the red card. [B]B[/B] Arena decision making was terrible leaving Twellman off for Ching, intergrating players like Reyna and O'brien was a mistake, putting Beasley as a RSMF made no sense, not giving Dempsey and Johnson more time. 6138755

2009-07-17T15:05:21-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/793/915/thumb/_40042465_bill_gordon203.jpg 11 CO

coltrane1137

Colorado Springs 794575

37 Based mostly on him not showing up for World Cup games. 6136752

2009-07-17T16:52:37-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/613/352/thumb/9.jpg 3879 XX

PootieTang: La D??cima

No City 613992

Based mostly on him not showing up for World Cup games.

43 So along those lines, Ibra must have "no heart" because he went scoreless in WC06, Ronaldinho-ditto, Wayne Rooney-0 goals = 0 heart... He had a bad showing, it happens. That doesn't mean he lacks heart, it means he had a bad tournament. 6138469

2009-07-17T15:05:21-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/793/915/thumb/_40042465_bill_gordon203.jpg 11 CO

coltrane1137

Colorado Springs 794575

37 Based mostly on him not showing up for World Cup games. 6136752

2009-07-17T16:22:07-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/305/20/thumb/dallasburn.jpg 34 TX

Burn

Cedar Park 30620

Based mostly on him not showing up for World Cup games.

42 Donovan had a good showing at the 2002 World Cup and scored 2 goals. So you are basically judging him mostly based on 3 World cup games in 2006 where NOBODY on the US team showed up with the exception of maybe Dempsey. That seems fair. Did you not even watch the Confederations Cup? 6137994

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Three thoughts after the Los Angeles Galaxy's 3-1 win over New York on Thursday night in David Beckham's return to Major League Soccer: • Landon Donovan needed to have this game. With a goal and an assist, the once and future Captain Galaxy was far and away the Man of the Match, a good thing for Donovan for two reasons: 1) After the controversy regarding his comments criticizing Beckham, Donovan needed to remind people how good he is, and 2) If he'd played poorly, Donovan himself would have been criticized for only coming in on a red-eye from Los Angeles the night before the game. (He was with his U.S. teammates accepting an ESPY Wednesday night.) Make no mistake, Donovan is the real thing these days, a player at the height of his powers who really does need to consider finding the right club situation in Europe. • David Beckham can fit into this team. There's no question that this is now Donovan's team, but Beckham showed tonight that he can be a useful addition to Bruce Arena's outfit. The Englishman had a decent game before coming off in the 70th minute. Although Becks didn't have a role in any of the Galaxy goals, he put in a full effort, had a good understanding with his teammates and didn't show too much rust despite a five-week layoff from game action. Plus, Beckham went out of his way to share some Kumbaya moments with Donovan after two Galaxy goals, sharing a full-on man-hug after one and a semi-awkward arm-around-the-shoulder maneuver on another. When it comes down to it, if this team wins it doesn't really matter to them if they aren't close personally. In fact, addressing the unspoken tension between them might just be the worst thing that could have happened for the rest of MLS. <ul class="unIndentedList"> </ul> <ul class="unIndentedList"> </ul> • New York is downright awful. Let's see: More eyeballs were watching this Red Bulls game than for any other game so far all season. And all they did was to go down 3-0 at home in the first half. So much for performing under pressure. New York is now 2-14-4, and the home fans who unfurled a WE DESERVE BETTER banner in the second half are dead right. With a shiny new stadium opening in Jersey next year, the Red Bulls can't afford to continue being a league-wide embarrassment, and Juan Carlos Osorio's coaching job is on thin ice. <ul class="unIndentedList"> </ul> How good do you think this Galaxy team is after four straight wins? And was tonight more a case of the Galaxy being good or the Red Bulls being terrible? Chime in with your thoughts below... Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment, is in bookstores everywhere. You can order it <a href="http://tinyurl.com/layry6" target="_blank">here</a>. You can also find him on <a href="http://twitter.com/GrantWahl" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/194/315/thumb/wahl_grant.jpg 11 MD

Grant Wahl

Baltimore 194615 70481