2012 MLS All-Star MVP should've been...

As soon as ESPN cut back after the break to show the MVP presentation at the 2012 MLS All-Star game, I expected to see Vancouver Whitecaps defender Jay DeMerit. Unfortunately he wasn't there, but instead stood a front-runner for this years' MLS Comeback Player of the Year award, Chris Pontius.

Surprised? Yes. Shocked? Yes again. Sure Pontius got the equalizer and helped play a bit of a role in the game-winner, but anybody watching that game knew who the real MVP was. Even if I was picking the second best, or even the third best player on the pitch it wouldn't have been Pontius - no offense Chris.

DeMerit made numerous tackles, clearances and blocks, while his decision making was spot on as well - that of a former and (should be) present U.S. Men's National team player.

The team was playing superb in the first half, but the injury to Aurelien Collin (soon to be official on MLSSoccer.com) really hurt the MLS back line. Not necessarily in terms of production. More so it threw off their rhythm, ultimately leading to Chelsea's first goal of the night.

It was a joy to see the all the players clicking at such a high level. Their pace was extraordinary and their passing was spot-on. Sure Chelsea isn't in peak condition like MLS players are, but for the majority of the first half - other than a few spurts - they were seriously outplayed.

I could go on and on about how well the MLS players performed in the first half, but I won't because that's not really what this post is about.

Back to the MVP discussion - Beckham second and De Rosario and Beitashour in a tie for third.

For those of you that don't already know, David Beckham is an amazing player and MLS is extremely benefiting from him being here. Honestly, the guy deserves anything he wants. No other player I have EVER watched has had the ability to play the long ball more accurately than David Beckham has. What you witnessed last night was normal, everyday stuff from him.

Now let's discuss DeRo and Beitashour to wrap this up. DeRo is a great all around player. He's been doing it for years. If you have been watching the game you really don't need for me to go on. Steven Beitashour on the other hand has been that diamond in the rough coaches are trying to find. I haven't looked at the micoach numbers yet, but I'm sure they read this - Beitashour ran the most sprints, reached the highest speed and tallied the highest total distance covered by any player on the field - or at least for any MLS player.

No matter who the MVP was we have to appreciate the effort and skill put forth by all of the MLS players last night. I'm kicking myself for not going now.

2012 MLS Salaries - Top 20 players making $50k or less

After the MLS Players Union released salary information for the 2012 MLS Season, it was clear that several players were both out-performing and under-performing based on the contracts they had previously signed. This article will focus primarily on the steals of the 2012 MLS season.

It shouldn't take much for a player to out perform a $50k contract, but they're quite a few players that deserve much more. Some of these players are on loan and their former clubs could be paying some of their salary, but for MLS teams, these guys are definitely worth the little they're paying them.

Initially, I was going to release my top ten steals, but after going through the names again and again I realized that the list had to be expanded. Here are my top twenty steals of the 2012 MLS season so far.

1. Sebastian Grazzini - Chicago Fire ($50,400)
Unbelievable production for Chicago in the central (midfield) attacking role. A joy to watch on the ball in open play and an above average set-piece specialist. Chicago will need to consider picking up his option if they have any plans of making a playoff run. Oduro has proven to be the shaky finisher he was back in Houston so others will need to produce if Chicago plan on climbing back up the Eastern Conference standings.

2. Steven Beitashour - San Jose Earthquakes ($44,100)
An outside back who some consider USMNT potential, Beitashour has made a name for himself this year with his ability to get forward and cross in superior balls to Wondo, Gordon and Lenhart. I expect him to play a large role in San Jose's success or demise as the season draws to an end.

3. Rafael Baca - San Jose Earthquakes ($44,100)
At one time this midfielder was praised for his ability to win the second ball and create in the attacking half. For some reason head coach Frank Yallop doesn't seem prone to keeping him in more than 70 minutes a game. Not sure if Baca will rebound from his sub-par performances as of late, but the Earthquakes will need him to be more attack down the road.

4. Justin Morrow - San Jose Earthquakes ($44,1000
Strong defender who can play outside and in the middle. He has the ability to get forward and contribute in the attacking half, but he's more of a presence in the box than a crosser. We'll see what he can do going forward, as San Jose will need him to be above average down the final stretch.

5. Austin Berry - Chicago Fire ($44,000)
Beastly player in the back and a quick learner based on his production thus far. Rookies have been thrown into action much more frequently this season and Berry has stepped up. Arne Friedrich should return shortly from a hamstring injury, but Berry should continue to be used as a starter until he rebounds to full strength. Like Hedges, Berry adds another dimension at the attacking end with regards to set-pieces.

6. Rauwshan McKenzie - Chivas USA ($44,000)
Chivas has been up and down this season, but their defense has made some good improvements. Rauwshan is now teamed up with former Philadelphia Union starter, Danny Califf, who left Philly due to differences with ex-coach Peter Nowak. Losing Heath Pearce definitely hurts them because McKenzie still has a bit to learn. He too is a threat on corners and set-pieces.

7. Bernardo Anor - Columbus Crew ($44,100)
Columbus are set with Meram and Renteria up top so Anor must battle Gaven and others for playing time out wide. The Crew already have several starters out due to injuries, but Anor is a speed demon who can remain healthy all season. As soon as the next person goes down, look for Anor to come in and produce when called upon.

8. Tony Cascio - Colorado Rapids ($44,000)
A rookie no more, Cascio has become a focal point in Colorado's attack. Not sure how much playing time he'll get once Casey and Cummings are back at full strength, but he adds attacking depth that should prove helpful due to the long and strenuous season.

9. Martin Rivero - Colorado Rapids ($50,004)
Rivero is probably Colorado's best player in my opinion. Larentowicz and Moor are solid players, but Rivero adds creativity and vision in the attacking third. He's great on set-pieces and could be the deciding factor if Colorado plan to rebound from their sub-par start.

10. Matt Hedges - FC Dallas ($44,000)
When Ugo Ihemulu missed time with a concussion, Hedges stepped right in a made an immediate impact. He's gotten on the scoring sheet in very little time and it looks like Dallas made the right move grabbing him in the draft. Possibly a little overrated coming out of college, but I like the way he's come in and made a name for himself in very little time.

11. George John - FC Dallas ($47,250)
When I saw what John was being paid for his services this season I as shocked. To own a player for this cheap and possibly sell him to an EPL team in the future, well, let's just say the profit could be sizable. John has proven to be a top 5 back in MLS, but Dallas have not been playing up to their potential. Their defense seems strong on paper, but right now something is terribly wrong the lone-star state.

12. Nick DeLeon - DC United ($44,000)
Aside from Ryan Meara, DeLeon is the hottest rookie in the league. He's cooled down a bit after a hamstring injury sidelined him for multiple weeks. There's no question the rigorous schedule affected his rebound time. Now that;s he back to full strength look for him to continue to grow and excel as an outside attacking threat.

13. Nelson Rivas - Montreal Impact ($50,000)
A solid addition to a struggling expansion squad, Rivas has come in and held his own. He's a monster in the back and has pretty good vision as well. With Rivas and Ferrari minding the central defense position, Montreal looks to have a good chance of reaching the playoffs in their first year. Look for Rivas to continue to help shut down the oppositions' forwards if Montreal want to be successful.

14. Lee Nguyen - New England Revolution ($44,000)
This quick and crafty midfielder has brought new life to a Revolution team that seemed destined for the bottom of the table yet again. He's added a new dimension with his speed on the ball and his vision to find a cutting teammate. New England look like they'll be in contention for a finally playoff spot when that time comes.

15. Brandon Barklage - New York Red Bulls ($44,000)
Came in and instantly made an impact for a New York team that lost several starters. Helped turn one of the worst defenses in the league, into one of the best. Hasn't played much since entering the league a few years ago, but was a key contributor in the Red Bulls' turnaround this season.

16. Connor Lade - New York Red Bulls ($33,750)
Along with Barklage, Lade came in to a rough situation. New York was struggling with both on and off the field issues. Connor took the initiative and showed all short fellas that you don't have to be a "presence" to make your presence felt.

17. Ryan Meara - New York Red Bulls ($33,750)
Possibly a top 5 goalkeeper in MLS and a possible candidate for Rookie of the Year. Meara has made some huge saves and looks to be getting even better as the season continues. He's a key piece to New York's recent success and should be fun to watch come playoff time.

18. Raymon Gaddis - Philadelphia Union ($33,750)
Speedy right back who;s been hung out to dry in Philadelphia. He's made some great plays and some not-so-great plays, but when his technical skills on the ball improve, he could a promising young star in the future. Philadelphia is a mess, but Gaddis has continued to show the coaches that he's willing to do whatever it takes to be on the pitch.

19. David Estrada - Seattle Sounders FC ($44,000)
Off to a hot start then cooled down a bit, Estrada has stayed afloat with goals here and there. He's been given consistent playing time with Johnson, Rosales and Fernandez struggling to return to full strength, but some are still wondering if he's got what it takes to be an every-game starter. Only time will tell...

20. Zach Scott - Seattle Sounders FC ($46,314)
The Sounders have struggled to field a consistent back line all season, but Scott remains a strong option each and every week. He got abused against Montreal this past Saturday, but he's rarely injured and can play a full 90 minutes anytime he's called upon.

MLS Week 8: Good vs Poor - Decisions that lead to goals

Goals don't just happen. There's a reason why they happen - either a bad pass to a defenseless keeper, a great tackle that changes the possession, or maybe even an off the ball run which allows a teammate to get free on goal. No matter what the circumstance is, when it comes to scoring or conceding goals - there's always a could've, should've, would've on both sides of the ball.

Let's take a look at how a key goal developed in Week 8 and expand upon it from both sides.

Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders: Breaking down the own goal conceded by Arne Friedrich

Point #1 - Pressure forces poor decision making

At 36:45 Chicago Fire goalkeeper, Sean Johnson, catches the ball and rolls a short pass to Dan Paladini. Seattle Sounders' right back Adam Johansson immediately closes on him, forcing him to turn back to goal and lay the ball off to Gonzalo Segares. Segares has a clean pass to Patrick Nyarko up the line, but Jeff Parke immediately closes on him, forcing Nyarko to get rid of it quickly as well.

The ball eventually ends up at the feet of Jalil Anibaba who is, once again, immediately pressured by a Sounders player (Eddie Johnson). Instead of playing the ball back to Johnson who can launch it up field - Anibaba decides to switch the field of play in his own half. The high wind gusts force the ball to sail behind Dan Gargan and out of bounds, giving Seattle possession deep in Chicago's half. A few passes later the ball winds-up back in Seattle's half where a mistake by the Sounders' keeper almost changes EVERYTHING.

Point #2 - One touch can make all the difference
At 37:40 Sounders' goalkeeper Michael Gspurning receives the ball from Parke about 5 yards out of his box. He too makes a somewhat questionable decision (with the high wind gusts) by trying to chip the ball to Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Sebastian Grazzini's eyes light up as he sees the ball drifting right to him. Normally Grazzini will do much better here, but his first touch slightly gets away, allowing Hurtado (the only defender standing in his way of a sure goal) to win a crucial last line tackle. This tackle not only denies Chicago of a clear scoring opportunity, but ultimately leads to the start of an attack that results in a Sounders goal a mere 20 seconds later.

Point #3 Regroup and use your vision
After the tackle Osvaldo Alonso controls the ball and distributes to David Estrada around midfield. Estrada passes it back to Alonso who then feeds a brilliant half-field thru ball to a streaking Eddie Johnson. Johnson gathers the ball by the end-line and passes to Estrada who has just caught up to the play. Estrada's pass towards Freddy Montero has no shot of getting there, but a poor touch from Arne Friedrich catches Sean Johnson in "no man's land" and gives the Sounders the lead going into halftime.

Match Highlights and Recap - Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders

How it could've been avoided...
Multiple things could've went differently between Johnson's distribution to Paladini and the own goal by Friedrich. Pressure helps force turnovers, but the costly mistake was Anibaba trying to do too much. He should've known what the wind was doing to the ball, especially by the 38th minute.

Seattle instantly benefited by regaining possession, but almost gave it right back. Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (returning from an ACL injury) was my "Man of the Match" along with Osvaldo Alonso in this game. The Seattle back line had its hands full with Nyarko and Oduro all night, but Hurtado was a key contributor in Seattle's victory - at both ends of the field.

MLS Video: My Skill Set - Portland Timbers' Franck Songo'o

We don't always get a chance to see players up close and person. If you never meet a player or see them in an interview, it can be hard to fully appreciate their talent unless they're out on the field performing.  Newcomer for the Portland Timbers, Franck Songo'o, looks like he could be a nice addition to a struggling Timbers squad, but unfortunately he's only seen 151 minutes of play so far in 2012.

At just 24 years old, Songo'o has already played for clubs in both the English Premier League and La Liga. It's difficult to say how much playing time he'll get this season, but he's definitely got the skill set to perform at a high level. Will he gel with his teammates and does Head Coach John Spencer see him fitting into a specific role?

Only time will tell how quickly he adjusts to his new surroundings. Until then, meet Franck Songo'o and enjoy this video that highlights his skill set.

Week 7: Chris Pontius vs Dominic Oduro - Who was better?

Chris Pontius stole the show in Sunday's match against the New York Red Bulls - winning Player of the Week honors - but did he really have that good of a game? He did great to finish his opportunities, but the Red Bulls were responsible for all three goals to some extent. Pontius had 37 touches (less than 6% of DC’s total touches) in 87 minutes. 16 of the 37 touches were passes, of which he completed just 70% (14/20). He gave up possession of the ball 12 times (11 in the oppositions half) and his only touch in DC’s own half was a pass lost. He did however have 2 key passes to go along with his 5 shots. -  Pontius Heat map and total touches breakdown

Dominic Oduro capitalized on a Toronto FC mistake (combined with the hustle of Patrick Nyarko), scoring just 25 seconds into the game. He then returned the favor with a nice feed from midfield, setting Nyarko up for the game-winner. Oduro played 84 minutes and had 33 total touches. He completed 91% of his passes and only lost possession 5 times. He also won 4 fouls – 3 in the oppositions’ half. Oduro had the more complete game between the two, but was it good enough? You decide. -  Oduro Heat map and total touches breakdown

MLS Week 7: Statistical Breakdown

	Chris Pontius	Dominic Oduro
Touches	37	33
Passes	20	21
Passing %	70%	91%
Goals	3	1
Assists	0	1
Shots	5	4
Fouls Won	0	4
Possession Lost	12	5
Ball Recoveries	3	6

So, who do you think had the better game? Do the goals outweigh everything else?

My Friends Think I Work For Castrol...

If you think your forwards are slacking (or your whole team for that matter), and you’ve already used your free transfer the week, consider using your wildcard. With the wildcard you can reset your entire roster without losing a single point. But use it wisely because you only get one all season.

And if you need a mentor, check out my front line. When you compare it to the Castrol Index released last week you might think I had something to do with it. I promise I didn’t. Don’t be fooled though, managing a team this stacked does take some effort.

Adding Estrada to your squad will free up money for you to use on other key players.  He’s on a team full of talented playmakers and they’re going to score goals. He might not score every week, but he has the potential to score. Play around with your roster and if you have a fantasy related questions, just ask. You can find me on Twitter @Ben_Jata