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MLS All Star Game - completing the roster


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Any thoughts on who Caleb Porter might select to complete his MLS All Star gameday roster?

http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2014/news/article/2014/07/15/all-star-nine-usmnt-world-cup-veterans-former-champion-thierry-henry-lead-wa

"There aren't yet any Portland Timbers players on this year's group, but All-Star and Timbers head coach Caleb Porter could well send some when he names the rest of his All-Star game-day roster, to be revealed on July 19 during halftime of the ESPN2 broadcast of the Sporting Kansas City-LA Galaxy game (6 pm ET).

The Fan XI will not necessarily be the starting lineup against Bayern Munich, though. The 20-man game-day roster will be decided from among the Fan XI, Commissioner Don Garber's two All-Star picks, and players that received at least two votes from their fellow players, all based on player availability and tactical considerations. ...

2014 MLS All-Star Fan XI:

Goalkeeper: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders)

Midfielders: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)"

Perhaps Darlington Nagbe, Wil Trapp, Perry Kitchen, Kofi Sarkodie, Darren Mattocks. I would think he'd pick at least 2 of these guys if they get the 2 votes needed from their fellow players. I don't know if that means 2 votes from their own teammates or 2 votes from any active MLS player? I guess we find out on Saturday (July 19th).

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Any thoughts on who Caleb Porter might select to complete his MLS All Star gameday roster?

http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2014/news/article/2014/07/15/all-star-nine-usmnt-world-cup-veterans-former-champion-thierry-henry-lead-wa

"There aren't yet any Portland Timbers players on this year's group, but All-Star and Timbers head coach Caleb Porter could well send some when he names the rest of his All-Star game-day roster, to be revealed on July 19 during halftime of the ESPN2 broadcast of the Sporting Kansas City-LA Galaxy game (6 pm ET).

The Fan XI will not necessarily be the starting lineup against Bayern Munich, though. The 20-man game-day roster will be decided from among the Fan XI, Commissioner Don Garber's two All-Star picks, and players that received at least two votes from their fellow players, all based on player availability and tactical considerations. ...

2014 MLS All-Star Fan XI:

Goalkeeper: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders)

Midfielders: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)"

Perhaps Darlington Nagbe, Wil Trapp, Perry Kitchen, Kofi Sarkodie, Darren Mattocks. I would think he'd pick at least 2 of these guys if they get the 2 votes needed from their fellow players. I don't know if that means 2 votes from their own teammates or 2 votes from any active MLS player? I guess we find out on Saturday (July 19th).

Based on this current MLS Season, I'd only give Trapp the invitation as he's been very important for the Crew. Nagbe has been good, but Portland is horrible as a group, Kitchen, Sarkodie, and Mattocks are not MLS All-Stars yet.

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Based on this current MLS Season, I'd only give Trapp the invitation as he's been very important for the Crew. Nagbe has been good, but Portland is horrible as a group, Kitchen, Sarkodie, and Mattocks are not MLS All-Stars yet.

Columbus has not been playing well, either, but I definitely think Trapp, too, when you look at his statistics. For the tactical considerations, I think you could select Nagbe, no matter how poorly Portland is doing. Nagbe is technically gifted. I disagree with you about Kofi. He may not be as flashy as DeAndre, but he's had numerous spectacular saves with the Dynamo, albeit they haven't necessarily occurred this season. I believe DeAndre is the only fulback in the Fan Xi; Kofi could be the other. Who would you select as the other fullback? I also disagree with you about Perry. He may not get national accolades, but DCU is doing well this year, and he's a significant part of it. However, I don't think you could select both Wil and Perry. Mattocks' speed could be a huge help in this match, and we all know how competitive Caleb is. This may be a "friendly", but he'll still do everything possible to win.

By the way, I believe all 5 whom I mentioned were on the MLS All Star fan ballot. So, someone thought they could be All Star material

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Columbus has not been playing well, either, but I definitely think Trapp, too, when you look at his statistics. For the tactical considerations, I think you could select Nagbe, no matter how poorly Portland is doing. Nagbe is technically gifted. I disagree with you about Kofi. He may not be as flashy as DeAndre, but he's had numerous spectacular saves with the Dynamo, albeit they haven't necessarily occurred this season. I believe DeAndre is the only fulback in the Fan Xi; Kofi could be the other. Who would you select as the other fullback? I also disagree with you about Perry. He may not get national accolades, but DCU is doing well this year, and he's a significant part of it. However, I don't think you could select both Wil and Perry. Mattocks' speed could be a huge help in this match, and we all know how competitive Caleb is. This may be a "friendly", but he'll still do everything possible to win.

By the way, I believe all 5 whom I mentioned were on the MLS All Star fan ballot. So, someone thought they could be All Star material

I do not disagree, they are all worthy of being considered for the MLS All Star game, but I think others in the MLS are having far better seasons. I love watching the former Zips and I believe they have the ability to be All-Stars someday. Fullback Seth Sinovic from KC gets my vote. If Porter selects one player from Portland, he should select Diego Valeri. If I'm not selecting Wil Trapp, Osvaldo Alonso might be my choice. As far as forwards, you have to many others that would be ahead of Mattocks based on this current season. Jermain Defoe, Bradley Wright-Phillips, or even Erick Torres.

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I do not disagree, they are all worthy of being considered for the MLS All Star game, but I think others in the MLS are having far better seasons. I love watching the former Zips and I believe they have the ability to be All-Stars someday. Fullback Seth Sinovic from KC gets my vote. If Porter selects one player from Portland, he should select Diego Valeri. If I'm not selecting Wil Trapp, Osvaldo Alonso might be my choice. As far as forwards, you have to many others that would be ahead of Mattocks based on this current season. Jermain Defoe, Bradley Wright-Phillips, or even Erick Torres.

Thanks for engaging in discussion. I agree with you on Valeri and Wright-Phillips. I would definitely take Trapp, and I'd still take Kofi. (In my original post, I said 2 of the 5.) I really don't know anything about the others you mentioned... I know I'm biased to the Akron guys. Perhaps Garber will select Trapp as he seems to pick a verteran and a talented young player. At any rate, I think 2 additional former Zips aren't out of the question. Porter might take a little flack for favoring his former players, but those selections can be spread around several MLS teams.

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Thanks for engaging in discussion. I agree with you on Valeri and Wright-Phillips. I would definitely take Trapp, and I'd still take Kofi. (In my original post, I said 2 of the 5.) I really don't know anything about the others you mentioned... I know I'm biased to the Akron guys. Perhaps Garber will select Trapp as he seems to pick a verteran and a talented young player. At any rate, I think 2 additional former Zips aren't out of the question. Porter might take a little flack for favoring his former players, but those selections can be spread around several MLS teams.

I would be surprised if Porter does not select Nagbe, even when Valeri is arguably more deserving.

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Wil (on the first half of the season) and PK probably deserve a thinkaboutit

Nagbe's probably the only one out of the Zip group that has the "star power"/name recognition to beat out ostensibly more qualified candidates (Torres, B W-P) but even there he's outdone by the likes of Defoe, Higuain, Valeri

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Well, Caleb took no other former Zips. I really thought he'd select Wil Trapp, but he stayed loyal to the Timbers with Will Johnson. Garber selected Valeri.

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Well, Caleb took no other former Zips. I really thought he'd select Wil Trapp, but he stayed loyal to the Timbers with Will Johnson. Garber selected Valeri.

The Will Johnson pick makes no sense unless it was done to have someone from Canada represent the team.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well Caleb Porter has added one more player from Portland to the All-Star team. Recent signing Liam Ridgewell. I can understand Caleb's reason, but Liam definitely does not deserve a selection into the All-Star game. (3 MLS games)

http://www.timbers.com/mlsallstar/2014/08/portland-timbers-defender-liam-ridgewell-selected-2014-att-mls-all-star-game

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Well Caleb Porter has added one more player from Portland to the All-Star team. Recent signing Liam Ridgewell. I can understand Caleb's reason, but Liam definitely does not deserve a selection into the All-Star game. (3 MLS games)

http://www.timbers.com/mlsallstar/2014/08/portland-timbers-defender-liam-ridgewell-selected-2014-att-mls-all-star-game

I agree. A defender from Seattle, San Jose, Vancouver, perhaps Denver or Salt Lake...a team relatively close by would have been a better choice.

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