Daily news roundups

Seba talks endurance, U-18s win, Arena is coach of the year

A video of Seba Le Toux talking about endurance (careful, it auto-plays!). This is perfect. Nobody on Earth can possibly be more qualified to discuss this topic. Oh wait, he just says he works hard? What!? This is like getting superman to talk about his powers and walking away with a quote like, “I just do it, y’know? Pew-pew!”

The Union U-18s dropped a 3-0 performance on the Revs U-18s yesterday

“Of course some of the decisions are going to go towards what the other team is thinking,” Peter Nowak says in reference to the expansion draft protection list. 

A list of numbers from the Union’s 2011 season show that the team was good at defense and that MacMath and Mondragon didn’t face many shots.

MLS’s best XI includes both David Beckham and Thierry Henry. No surprises there. Todd Dunivant? Riiiiight.

Former Union boy Andrew Jacobson had knee surgery and may move to the back line next season for FC Dallas. That’s right, we got rid of someone who could be a depth defender. Man, he would have been so useful this year.

The Shin Guardian fondly remembers the USA’s 2010 World Cup victory over Slovenia. Then they look at USA against France and… worried. A bit worried.

Bermuda and Puerto Rico won their World Cup qualifying matches yesterday. Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago play today.

David Beckham won the MLS Comeback Player of the Year award. Who else thinks this is really the “Please come back!” award?

England manager Fabio Capello has no plans to invite David Beckham back to the squad. I know, this is still an actual story. Wow.

Carlos Bocanegra is set to hit a century of US caps today. I’m mixed on Bocanegra. I love that he is basically a role player who made himself an unquestioned starter through leadership and toughness. That’s America. But I’m increasingly uneasy with the idea that Bocanegra has been one of the best two US center backs for this long without challenge.

Greg Seltzer sends an update from US U-19 camp. 

Sporting KC says the club isn’t interested in acquiring Guti. KC’s CEO Robb Heinemann tweeted that he was making an offer to a Spaniard last week, and many believe it is the former Madrid man. There are plenty of talented Spaniards hanging around these days so I’m sure Heinemann can find someone.

Bob Bradley’s Egypt side lost to Brazil 2-0. This is totally consistent with Bradley’s history of managing teams that meet expectations without succeeding them.

Bruce Arena is your MLS coach of the year. I think he should share this with Hans Backe. If Backe’s Red Bulls don’t play so miserably all season, nobody would find it impressive that one of the two MLS superteams won the most games.

The Columbus Crew signed Eddie Gaven to a multiyear extension. If you have any reaction to this at all… why?

Mario Balotelli is crazy. But he must seem positively normal next to Carlos Tevez, who sent Manchester City a doctor’s note (!) saying he was not in a fit state to return from Argentina, a place the team didn’t even know he had gone. Your move, Balo.

A tactical breakdown of MLS formations gets a surprising  number of words without doing much more than skimming the surface.

UNC is the top seed in the NCAA soccer tournament kicking off Thursday. Akron is looking to repeat. I’m rooting for Charlotte. Niner Nation, baby.

One Comment

  1. Pulling for UNC in the NCAAs. Many ties to the Union with Sheanon Williams and Michael Farfan as former players and many former Reading United players on the Heels roster (Billy Shuler, Matt Hedges, Scott Goodwin, Josh Rice, Anton Sealy, and Jordan McCreary).

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