Schelotto, Donovan headline MLS Best XI

 

                                                                 Photo by ISIphotos.com

MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan were among the top names in the 2008 MLS Best XI, which was revealed on Saturday afternoon.

Here is the squad:

GOALKEEPER (1): Jon Busch (Chicago Fire)

DEFENDERS (3): Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Bakary Soumare (Chicago Fire), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA)

FORWARDS (2): Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)

What's my take? I think it's tough to argue with any of the selections, though I think Steve Ralston should have made first team for his contributions this season.

What do you think of the team? Surprised by any of the selections? Who do you think was snubbed?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Jason]

While I agree about Ralston, I think an even bigger snub was Javier Morales.

Two biggest question marks: Blanco, and Rogers. Though I guess ONE winger would be nice.

[Tim Crawford]

Yeah, Ralston and Morales would've been nice. I think Kljestan shouldn't have made it, and probably not Blanco. Blanco is very valuable, but I don't think he was one of the best 11 players this year.

[eric]

I thought Conde was better than Conrad, but it's marginal since he started on the bench and Jimmy had a ton of clutch headers.

I'd take Morales over Blanco since one played out the season and the other left the building sometime over summer, but still Blanco lead the league in wow moments. So maybe for Klejstan, which has more to do with how good Morales was. Also think Ralston was a better mf than Rogers, but buy Jason's winger argument.

All quibbles, it's a good team.

[Tony in Quakeland]

Don't know if it's a snub, but Darren Huckerby may have been the best midfield in the league the last three months of the season...

[Geoff]

Javier Morales? Hello?

[Phillip]

Why is Javier Morales hated so much?

[AltiCooper]

Was Robbie Rogers really that good this year? I thought he was solid but idk about best XI

[huricano]

Cuauhtémoc's inclusion is a sham.

[Tim F.]

Juan Pablo Angel over Kenny Cooper.

[Tim F.]

Dave van den Bergh over Robbie Rogers.

[Jimmy Bobo]

I agree that Javi Morales was more deserving than either Blanco or Kljestan. I'll also be the first to say that I'm glad Goldenballs was nowhere near this list.

[cunta]

david beckam

[cristianoronaldo]

juan pablo over cooper and donovan, agree with you Tim. with limited service, and injuries. the league's best striker

[wjmooner]

Morales was more deserving than anyone this side of Schelotto in the midfield. His exclusion is ridiculous.

[Tim Crawford]

Angel over Cooper is absurd. Kenny Cooper was a consistent beast all year. Any argument about a lack of service for Angel is just as clear, if not moreso, for Kenny Cooper. There's no Dane Richards or Dave van den Bergh over there . . . He was brilliant and deserves this recognition.

[ravenrooney]

Morales snubbed yet again. Shame on the league. He is the best midfielder in the league, with the exception of GBS. And they thrown in Kljestan.

[Darkman]

Gonzalo Segares

[Jl]

Ya Morales deserves to be there, not Sascha. He was ok, but if you factor in games he missed for the Olympics, and Nats, it shouldnt even be close. You gotta love that the two forwards are on non-playoff teams, when was the last time the top 2 scorers werent leading playoff teams?

[chris]

i think the MLS hates javi morales. he was the second best midfielder only to schelotto. maybe tied with joseph, but its really a joke that he's not included here. other then that, i think they did a good job.

[chris]

oh one more thing THANK YOU FOR NO BECKHAM

[Grant]

What is interesting about GBS is that he allegedly wasn't good enough to make the All-Star team. Either he had a heck of a second half or the selection process for the All Star game needs to be reviewed.

[kcb]

Good to see the Wizards 2nd leading scorer made the first XI. Less we forget Jimmy Conrad has a Posse!

[Dominghosa]

Nothing new to add. But yes Javier Morales over Rogers.
Ralston over Blanco.

[Boris]

Javier Morales and Juan Pablo Angel.

[Joamiq]

Morales over Rogers should have been a no-brainer. It's difficult to argue with the rest of the selections. You could make some other arguments, like Angel over Blanco or Kljestan, but those could go either way.

[glorygloryRSL]

note this: Robbie Rogers had 1 goal and 3 assists after May 10; Blanco was a little better, adding 3 goals and 5 assists after June 7.

For comparison sake, Morales had 4 goals and 9 assists after June 7, leading RSL into playoff position on June 14 (and first place on July 19)!

Shame on the Media (who voted for Blanco and Sacha), the coaches/GMs (who apparently can't stop thinking of RSL as doormats from the first 3 years) and everyone who fell in love with Rogers based on a strong April and May, and his Olympic play.

what a joke.

[Fred]

I think I could pick an 11 that would beat that 11. I don't think Bush is the best goalie, there's three right-footed central defenders, no true right-winger, and no Angel for starters.

[redbullfan]

angel will be playing tmorrow, donovan and cooper? are the galaxy or dallas playing? donovan however is a great soccer player, cooper is a great athlete. i prefer technique over physique. if donovan gets some humility he will do well in germany

[Brant]

Key thing is this - for every guy you want to put on the team, someone comes off. Don't like that Ralston got left out? Take Sacha out... Think Morales should be there, then who comes off? Blanco?
I don't necessarily think Rogers is Best XI - even with my Crew homerishness. But I do think it's unfair to just put 5 central mids on there just b/c the league doesn't distinguish between them and wingers.
And while vdB might've challenged JPA for the RBNY MVP, I don't know that he's Best XI ahead of some of the other wingers out there, even Rogers.
But to compare Rogers to Morales? Not accurate, since Morales isn't a winger.

[John]

It was bad enough that the league's MVP, Schelotto, and the next best midfielder, Morales, were left off the All-Star team. It's much worse now that Morales continues to be ignored. Another huge snub is Dave van den Bergh. NYRB would not be in the position they are in now without VDB. These two should have replaced any of these three in the best XI: Blanco, Rogers and Kljestan. I can't argue about the inclusions of Cooper and Donovan, who are both deserving, but props should be given to Buddle and Angel.

[Jonathan G]

cooper
donovan
schelotto
morales
dvdb
huckerby
hejduk
conrad
marshall
soumare
hesmer

[A.S.]

van den Bergh

[Toad]

Juan Pablo Angel, dammit!

[RSLfan]

Morales snubbed in All-Star game, MVP final three, and now Best XI, and to make things worse for an RSL fan they didn't qualify for any international tournament next season, 6 of 7 Eastern squads are playing in other tournaments only 2 of 8 in the Western conference. Ever since the loss to the Red Bulls RSL's season has just been getting worse, save Johnson winning best goal, but that was the fans doing.

[daggius]

nice joke not putting ralston and morales on there and ROBBIE ROGERS is on there !

[Tomr]

Good picks. Why trash Rogers? The Crew is in the final in large part due to this kids solid play.

[Nuvinho]

Marvell Wynne

[Al]

Beckham was awesome at the start of the season. His play dropped off a little bit and he missed a lot of games due to England WCQ and olympics. I still think he is both underrated and overrated due to his high profile. He deserves to be on as a mid. It's not his fault that the galaxy players are too lousy to got on the end of his beautiful crosses. My XI:

Angel
Donovan
Schelotto
Morales
Blanco
Beckham
Huckerby
Conrad
Marshall
Soumare
Busch

[Andrew]

No Javier Morales??????!!!!

[Jason]

In defense of Robbie:

He got fouled more than any person in the league (I think), and drew more yellows.

Yes, the goalscoring totals ended up being moderate, but there a serious case to be made he was the league's best winger.

Interestingly, seems the three best wingers (IMHO) are all left-sided players: Rogers, van den Bergh, Huckerby.

And three-center backs is also odd, if I had to put an actual TEAM out there:

GK: Busch (Cannon)
RB: Hejduk (Wynne)
CB: Marshall
CB: Soumare
LB: Segares
RW: Kljestan
DM: Joseph
LW: Rogers (van den Bergh, Huckerby)
AM: Schelotto (Morales, Ralston)
WF: Donovan (Cooper)
TF: Angel

People in parens would be the bench.

[Fred]

After much thought I believe that Guzan should be the MLS best-11 goalie. If Bush were better than him why hasn't he been called up to the Nats?

[Wil]

How is Shalrie Joseph on there? He only had one goal and one assist this season for New England