MLS Team of the Week

With excellent performances, and surprising performances aplenty, there are several names on this week’s TotW that have not previously featured. There are also a couple of players that are likely to make Team of the Season if they continue their performances.

GK – Cody Cropper (New England Revolution)

Cody Cropper managed to make several key saves to shutout a Whitecaps team that has made a habit of scoring goals in most of the games they play. With the added luck of an excellently struck free-kick harmlessly bouncing off the crossbar, I’d say Cropper had an excellent game against a good team and is thus deserving of this week’s TotW.

DF – Justin Morrow (Toronto FC)

With a brace in the game against Toronto, Justin Morrow showed his attacking prowess, nearly doubling his goals scored for the season in this one game. Also his build-up play linked up well with Sebastian Giovinco all game long. Morrow has done more than enough to earn his spot on this week’s TotW.

DF – Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders)

Marshall’s partnership with Roman Torres is one of the key factors in the Sounders’ win over SKC. With Marshall being the pacier of the two, he helped wrangle in more of the through balls and lose attackers, as well as played a part in defusing SKC’s best chance of the night. He would be a welcome addition to any team, and the 2016 MLS Defender of the Year finds his way onto this week’s TotW.

DF – Eriq Zavaleta (Toronto FC)

A part of the Toronto defence that kept the Timbers to a single late goal, Eriq Zavaleta is an excellent defender, having a hand in keeping the likes of Diego Valeri and Darlington Nagbe in check. He is a continually a sound defender that the keeper and the midfielders can trust to handle onrushing attackers, and has made the TotW because of that.

DF – Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew)

Waylon Francis’ attacking prowess during the Crew’s 3-1 victory over the Fire was on display for all to see. A constant threat down the touchline, Francis’ assist of Justin Meeram’s goal was excellent to watch and a fine example of what Francis is capable of around the box. His dynamism on the pitch both in defence and in especially in the attack is what earns him his place in the TotW.

MF – Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)

Responsible for scoring the only goal in a seemingly one-sided game, Clint Dempsey has proven throughout the years that he has the quality to make a difference on the pitch. His header to win the game for the Sounders only goes to show how dynamic of a scoring threat he is, being able to score with his feet from out far or up close, and being competent with his head. This has landed him in the TotW.

MF – Kellyn Rowe (New England Revolution)

Kellyn Rowe made Teal Bunbury’s goal possible with an excellent through pass, and would have been responsible for more assists had the Whitecaps defence not been so solid. A solid option in the midfield, Kellyn Rowe is a constant threat on the pitch, especially in plays that are moving into the final third as demonstrated by his assist in Saturday’s game making him an excellent choice for this week’s TotW.

MF – Blerim Dzemaili (Montreal Impact)

Dzemaili had arguably his best game of the season on Saturday night, as he scored a brace and earned the penalty which in-turn made the third goal. He was tricky with his runs, and always seemed to escape his markers with ease. With all these things combined, he easily finds his way onto this TotW.

MF – Sean Davis (New York Red Bulls)

Sean Davis was playing director for the Red Bulls as they beat Orlando City 3-1 on Saturday night. With excellent passes, and his assist for Bradley Wright-Phillip’s goal to put the Red Bulls in the lead, Davis proves that he has an excellent awareness on the pitch. Couple that with his ability to score goal-of-the-week calibre goals like he did Saturday night, and you have a lethal attacking threat. These merits earn him this week’s TotW.

FW – Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)

The man pulling the strings for Toronto, Sebastian Giovinco added a touch of magic to just about every play in Toronto’s demolition of the Timbers. Whether it is curling shots in from distance, or placing perfectly weighted passes in scoring position, Giovinco is always able to influence any match. Though he didn’t make it on the score line this game, Giovinco is directly responsible for one of the goals, and indirectly responsible for another. This puts him on our TotW easily.

FW – Vicente Sanchez (Houston Dynamo)

Coming in as a late sub with only 15 minutes to affect the game, Vicente Sanchez did everything that you would want a late-sub coming into a tied game to do: He made stuff happen in front of goal. With a goal eight minutes after coming onto the pitch, and assisting the goal that came nearly 8 minutes later, he proved that the pressure that comes with being that late attacking sub doesn’t matter. He easily earned his way onto this week’s TotW.