Week 17 Spotlight

Okay, last week I didn't get these out and I apologize for that. I got overwhelmed with stuff because of Sunday night's SuperLiga match and had to scrap something.

So after a week hiatus, here's the Spotlight for Week 17.

Top XI
G: Joe Cannon
D: Marvell Wynne Bobby Boswell
D: Ryan Cochrane
D: Chris Wingert
M: Jorge Rojas Dave van den Bergh
M: Christian Gomez
M: Guillermo Barros Schelotto
M: Kurt Morsink
F: Edson Buddle
F: Juan Pablo Angel
F: Kenny Cooper

Coach: Ian Russell, San Jose. It's always tough to fill in for the coach but to have three newcomers thrown into the fire (Darren Huckerby, Francisco Lima, Scott Sealy) and go on the road - to a different country no less - and still get a shutout and a point is pretty good.
Curt Onalfo - Had his guys ready to go away in Columbus, and rallied them after the let-down. Nice move to put Josh Wolff in and give him more time to make a difference.

Top player: Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus. Not an All-Star my ass. Guillermo Barros Schelotto is one of the most talented players in MLS and his display of magic against Kansas City was spectacular.

Top goalkeeper: Joe Cannon, San Jose. Nick Rimando and Jon Busch each had masterful games but Cannon was the only one of the three to stop a penalty kick. He did his usual Cannon hop, in which he takes a step forward before he's supposed to, but he did what he could to get the result.

Best goal: Juan Pablo Angel. If more players knew how to chip the ball properly, we'd see more fantastic goals in MLS. As it stands, we'll leave the chipping to Angel. Wonder if Greg Vanney has recovered from his broken ankles.

Best game: Columbus-Kansas City. We certainly weren't expecting for five goals in such a short span and a sixth midway through the second half but that's what we got in a game loaded with drama and great plays.
New York - LA Not nine goals, but lots of chances on both sides, drama, new faces, a goal in extra time and a post shot in the dying seconds. Excitement galore.

LOWLIGHTS
Toronto FC needs something offensively. It's a travesty to their great fans that the team doesn't score more at home. Ten goals in nine home games isn't going to cut it, and it's certainly not going to get this team deep into the postseason.
I figure the lack of goalscoring is karmic justice for digging in their heels on the McBride issue. No goals for TFC until they give a little

Columbus' defense was atrocious. Frankie Hejduk helped out KC's cause with an own goal and Danny O'Rourke did his best matador impression. Even Chad Marshall, who scored a nice goal, got burned on Roger Espinoza's goal. And that was against one of the league's worst offenses.
Poor calls. Chris Klein got an early yellow for an innocuous move, but then the referee let everything short of maiming a rival go, until pulling out another card on Jon Conway and Pete Vagenas for dissent. Hacking is apparently ok, but don't talk back!