Juan Pablo Angel vs. David Beckham

Watching the Fox Soccer Channels MLS Game of the Week of NY Red Bulls vs. LA Galaxy presented tantalizing matchups all over the field and was exhausting end-to-end action. Great selection FSC and great game as both sides played exceptionally well and finished in a 2-2 draw. If there were more games like this and more talent on the field, Futbol in America would continue to grow!

Let's start with NY Red Bulls. Juan Pablo Angel is simply an amazing player who still has plenty of A-game left in his tank. His goal in the second last night was certainly a candidate for Goal of the Week. It was refreshing to see a NY side actual play with creative talent and chemistry. They currently are sitting in the basement of the MLS East Division, however, with the addition of the left-footed wonder Jorge Rojas, who had two assists in his MLS debut, it is easy to think that JP Angel will be scoring a lot more goals in his second half of the season.

It was understandable when FSC commentators Christopher Sullivan and Max Berritos said that Dave Van den Bergh should not have been left off of the All-Star Squad. He was clearly one of the players of the game. Attack after attack, he brought down the left flank, either striking with power (one goal) with either foot (and he's a lefty).

It was actually exciting to see Carlos Ruiz on the field with Donovan, Beckham and Buddle. Chris Klein and Beckham combine on the right side of the field to present problems for any team. Donovan was beginning to seem absent in the first half, but finished as my Player of the Game in the second half with a beautiful, "I'll pass and get a great bounce, as Buddle fakes out the keeper" goal and then his strike to end the game that went off the inside of the post was brilliant. Donovan showed World Class with two left-footed volleys in the second half.

Chemistry for LA seems to break down somewhere in the game. I believe it is because they lack a true offensive minded CAM and the defense was not superb at all. Having Donovan on the left side certainly paid off, but the middle and back line were all suspect at best.

However, for most of the game, despite the extreme heat there was end-to-end action. There was 48,000 plus fans who were wearing a combination of Aston Villa, Guatemala, England, and a whole host of first division European team kits in the stadium.

Best home field advantage that I have seen this year: Columbus Crews Corner fans and DC United Screaming Eagles.

Worst Pitch: Home Depot Center

Best Pitch: Columbus Crew's Field

Most Exciting Young American: Sasha Kljestan & Robbie Rogers

Most Exciting Internationals: Schelotto (Columbus) Rojas (NY)

Most Unexpected: Buddle (LA) (11 goals)

Should have been on All-star Team: Van den Bergh (NY) Schelotto (Columbus)

MLS 2012 Team: Atlanta, GA!

Robbie Rogers and Others to Watch

Three of the top US Young Talent playing in the MLS. Landon Donovan (no question), Robbie Rogers, and Sasha Kljestan.

Stats on Robbie Rogers (7/13/2008: 2nd on team in minutes, 1st in shots taken, and second in goals)

Others to watch: Stuart Holden (Dynamo), Chris Rolfe (Fire), Kenny Cooper (Burn), Adam Cristman (Revolution)...

We are really seeing a trend of Younger American Talent playing with seasoned international players: Rogers w/Schelotto (Columbus), Barrett, Mapp and Rolfe w/Blanco (Chicago), Donovan & Buddle w/Beckham (LA), Kljestan, Guzan & Borenstein w/Razov (LA Chivas), and to some extent Holden & McCarty w/De-Ro (Houston). If you watch these players week in and week out, simply, they are getting better.

Three things American talent has lacked on the international level as a whole: (1) creativity, (2) superior touches and ball control, (3) pure striking or scoring ability.

This article will deal with creativity and ball control. If you watch the EPL or any other of the major European leagues, our American players truly lack the creativity and superior ball control that other nations' stars exhibit. This is continually what plagues the US in international competitions (excluding WC 2002). However, if you season young players with the likes of Beckham, Schelotto, Blanco, etc. eventually we'll develop a new level of creativity. It is the old adage if you want to get better, play with better players. Well, this year by far MLS has ascended the talent ladder by paying and bringing in better international talent.

If you look at the US Men's National Team, the question arises, who in our Midfield or Striking Force is comparable to any major international team? Maybe, Landon on his best day. And I'm a big LD fan. If he's not on the team, it's a drag to watch. He moves excellently off the ball and has ideas. I like our defensive midfielders, but we lack true attacking midfielders and big, talented strikers who have the creativity to find ways to score. Bradley at Heerenveen is a nice improvement, but he's not the same player on the USMNT. Mastroeni is a stopper, is it Edu from Toronto FC?

Of those in the Lower 48 at this time: Robbie Rogers and Sasha Kljestan have the most potential to fulfill this "touch and create" void. Overseas, Freddy Adu is the answer. Demarcus Beasley is a nice player, but eventually his speed will fail. No more sending our promising, young talent to be lost on 2nd and 3rd division teams in Europe. Better keep them here in MLS for several years where they can gain confidence and get many touches (this was one of the purposes of MLS), and then send them to Germany, England or Holland for some technical work...then, with the exception of keepers, could we see a Premiere Club featuring a Yank!

We have come a long way from Balboa, Lalas, Ramos, and Stewart. This is not the same US Soccer program. We are headed in the right direction.

Thank you Mr. Beckham, Mr. Angel, Mr. Blanco, etc. We'll have our U-21's play with you all for a couple of years and then send them overseas for even more development.

Who has impressed me lately

Chris Rolfe...He's listed at 5'8" and 145 lbs, but he plays like he's 3 inches taller and 40 pounds of muscle heavier. Seriously, here is a player who has definitely benefited from Blanco's presence on the field. Not as much as Buddle's benefit from Beckham at Galaxy, but he's certainly the last two games been one of the hottest strikers in MLS. He's a player that plays extremely well with his back to the goal at the top of the 18' and has improved his first touch ability with Blanco firing creative touch after 30 yard pass his way. Hat's off to Chris Rolfe, he's my "One to Watch this week!"