MLS manipulates Best XI to include Donovan

Soccer Insider Donovan was on the ballot as a forward. According to MLS Commissioner Don Garber, the league felt Donovan belonged on the Best XI, so after the votes were counted, the league placed him on the final list as a midfielder. It's unclear who was bumped off (the player who received the fifth-most votes among midfielders). Garber: "Due to the large number of votes that he received, and the fact that he was on the Galaxy lineup as a midfielder nearly twice as many times as he was a forward, he was included as a midfielder [on the Best XI]. We needed to do the right thing." They are opening up a huge can of worms here. How can we ever trust any of the awards announcements again? In 2007, Cuauhtemoc Blanco was nominated for MVP yet didn't make the Best XI in a similar situation (he was listed as a forward, along with Angel and Emilio). They didn't feel the need to change things then. MLS need to reform the voting process, allowing for a flexible formation depending on how the votes come in. That way, this situation won't happen again. Besides, nobody uses a 3-5-2 any more. But it's clearly wrong to change things after all the votes are in and you don't like the results.

CONCACAF Gold Cup - All Time Stats

All Time Records GP W L D Pts PPG GF GA GD GC 1 United States 49 38 5 6 120 2.45 93 34 59 10 2 Mexico 45 32 6 7 103 2.29 103 24 79 10 3 Costa Rica 38 13 15 10 49 1.29 61 51 10 9 4 Canada 32 14 11 7 49 1.53 41 46 -5 9 5 Honduras 31 14 13 4 46 1.48 52 44 8 9 6 Brazil 14 8 4 2 26 1.86 22 9 13 3 7 Jamaica 25 6 15 4 22 0.88 25 47 -22 7 8 Colombia 13 5 6 2 17 1.31 14 17 -3 3 9 Trinidad & Tobago 19 4 11 4 16 0.84 24 35 -11 7 10 Panama 17 4 7 6 18 1.06 23 26 -3 4 11 El Salvador 17 5 11 1 16 0.94 11 31 -20 6 12 Guatemala 23 3 14 6 15 0.65 18 40 -22 8 13 Guadeloupe 9 4 4 1 13 1.44 10 13 -3 2 14 Haiti 12 2 6 4 10 0.83 10 19 -9 4 15 South Africa 4 1 0 3 6 1.50 7 6 1 1 16 Martinique 8 1 5 2 5 0.63 5 20 -15 3 17 Cuba 13 1 10 2 5 0.38 10 37 -27 5 18 Peru 4 1 2 1 4 1.00 7 7 0 1 19 South Korea 7 0 3 4 4 0.57 5 9 -4 2 20 Ecuador 2 1 1 0 3 1.50 2 2 0 1 21 St. Vincent 2 0 2 0 0 0.00 0 8 -8 1 21 Nicaragua 3 0 3 0 0 0.00 0 8 -8 1 23 Grenada 3 0 3 0 0 0.00 0 10 -10 1 GC is the number of Gold Cups played in. After 2009, we can see that Costa Rica has overtaken Canada for third on goal difference. However, they've played six more games. Guadeloupe is already 14th and has more wins than Guatemala. Grenada's zero points and -10 GD is the worst single performance in tournament history. You could also make a case for St. Vincent in 1996, who had zero points and a -8 GD in only two games. Mexico won the tournament without losing a game, but every winner has been undefeated. The only teams to have a 100% record are 1996 Mexico, 1998 Mexico, and 2007 USA. This year's Mexico squad did score 15 goals, second all time for a single tournament. The record belongs to 1993 Mexico with 28 (and only 2 against), which is unlikely to be broken any time soon. Despite their disappointing loss in the final, the USA did break Mexico's record Gold Cup unbeaten streak. Mexico went 16 games undefeated from 1991-2000, but the USA bested them with 18 straight. The streak started in the 2003 third place game and lasted through the 2009 semifinal. The record winless streak is held by Guatemala at 15 games (1996-2007). USA & Mexico Losses The top two teams have been incredibly dominant and only have 11 losses combined. USA losses: 1993-Mexico 1996-Brazil 1998-Mexico 2003-Brazil 2009-Mexico Mexico losses: 1991-USA 2000-Canada 2005-South Africa, Colombia 2007-Honduras, USA All Time Goalscorers 1 Zaguinho MEX 13 2 Landon Donovan USA 12 3 Walter Centeno CR 9 3 Carlos Pavon HON 9 3 Eric Wynalda USA 9 6 Paulo Wanchope CR 8 6 Brian McBride USA 8 8 Eduardo Bennett HON 7 8 Jared Borgetti MEX 7 10 Ali Gerba CAN 6 10 Blas Perez PAN 6 10 DaMarcus Beasley USA 6 13 Carlo Corazzin CAN 5 13 Carlos Ruiz GUA 5 13 Carlos Costly HON 5 13 Cuauhtemoc Blanco MEX 5 13 Luis Hernandez MEX 5 13 Luis Miguel Salvador MEX 5 13 Luis Tejada PAN 5 20 Dwayne De Rosario CAN 4 20 Rolando Fonseca CR 4 20 Juan Carlos Plata GUA 4 20 Benjamin Galindo MEX 4 20 Miguel Sabah MEX 4 20 Arnold Dwarika TRI 4 Donovan should be able to overtake Zague/Zaguinho/Alves/whatever if he plays in the next edition. Zaguinho scored 12 goals in the 1993 tournament, including 7 in one game versus Martinique. Centeno scored a goal in this year's Gold Cup, reaching third place. Also: the 500th goal in tournament history was scored this year. It took place in the group stage when Mexico played Panama. The opener, by eventual golden boot winner Miguel Sabah of Mexico in the 10th minute, was the milestone goal. Most Tournaments Scored In 1 Eric Wynalda USA 5 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2000 2 Walter Centeno CR 4 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009 2 Landon Donovan USA 4 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 3 Ali Gerba CAN 3 2005, 2007, 2009 3 Hernan Medford CR 3 1991, 2000, 2002 3 Paulo Wanchope CR 3 1998, 2000, 2002 3 Carlos Ruiz GUA 3 2003, 2005, 2007 3 Juan Carlos Plata GUA 3 1998, 2000, 2002 3 Carlos Pavon HON 3 1998, 2000, 2007 3 Andy Williams JAM 3 1998, 2003, 2005 3 Cuauhtemoc Blanco MEX 3 1996, 1998, 2007 3 Jared Borgetti MEX 3 2003, 2005, 2007 3 Ramon Ramirez MEX 3 1993, 1998, 2000 3 Brian McBride USA 3 2000, 2002, 2003 3 DaMarcus Beasley USA 3 2002, 2005, 2007 Centeno tied Donovan for second, while Gerba joined the three timers.

MLS: Top Ten American Goalscorers by Year

Somebody posted a comment to the Age of MLS Golden Boot Winners post which inspired this post. Man, 2001 was really pathetic wasn't it? Moreso if you look at the full leaderboard. Wynalda was the only American in the top ten. Jeff Cunningham was counted from 2002 on, as he received his citizenship after the 2001 season. In 14 seasons, only 57 different players have made one of these top tens. How many of those guys have never played for the USMNT? A total of ten: Burciaga, Carrieri, Elliott, Magee, Marino, Paule, Rammel, Rhine, Rooney, Wood. 2009 1 Jeff Cunningham 17 2 Conor Casey 16 3 Landon Donovan 12 4 Robbie Findley 12 5 Josh Wolff 11 6 Nate Jaqua 9 7 Brian Ching 8 8 Kenny Cooper 7 9 Steve Ralston 7 10 Chris Rolfe 6 10 Eddie Gaven 6 10 Stuart Holden 6 2008 1 Landon Donovan 20 2 Kenny Cooper 18 3 Edson Buddle 15 4 Brian Ching 13 5 Conor Casey 11 6 Chad Barrett 9 6 Chris Rolfe 9 8 Jeff Cunningham 8 8 Steve Ralston 8 8 Taylor Twellman 8 2007 1 Taylor Twellman 16 2 Eddie Johnson 15 3 Ante Razov 11 4 Jozy Altidore 9 5 Landon Donovan 8 5 Robbie Findley 8 7 Chad Barrett 7 7 Brian Ching 7 7 Nate Jaqua 7 7 Pat Noonan 7 7 Ben Olsen 7 2006 1 Jeff Cunningham 16 2 Ante Razov 14 3 Landon Donovan 12 4 Brian Ching 11 4 Kenny Cooper 11 4 Taylor Twellman 11 7 Jose Burciaga 8 7 Clint Dempsey 8 7 Nate Jaqua 8 7 Jason Kreis 8 2005 1 Taylor Twellman 17 2 Jeff Cunningham 12 2 Landon Donovan 12 4 Herculez Gomez 11 5 Clint Dempsey 10 5 Josh Wolff 10 7 Edson Buddle 9 7 Jason Kreis 9 9 Eddie Gaven 8 9 Pat Noonan 8 9 Chris Rolfe 8 2004 1 Brian Ching 12 2 Eddie Johnson 12 3 Edson Buddle 11 4 Pat Noonan 11 5 Alecko Eskandarian 10 6 Josh Wolff 10 7 John Wolyniec 10 8 Davy Arnaud 9 9 Jeff Cunningham 9 10 Taylor Twellman 9 2003 1 Taylor Twellman 15 2 Ante Razov 14 3 Landon Donovan 12 3 Brian McBride 12 3 Preki 12 6 Mark Chung 11 7 Edson Buddle 10 7 Pat Noonan 10 9 Clint Mathis 9 10 DaMarcus Beasley 7 10 Jason Kreis 7 10 Mike Magee 7 2002 1 Taylor Twellman 23 2 Jeff Cunningham 16 3 Ante Razov 14 4 Jason Kreis 13 5 Chris Carrieri 11 5 Mark Chung 11 5 Chris Henderson 11 8 Edson Buddle 9 9 Landon Donovan 7 9 Chris Klein 7 9 Preki 7 9 Bobby Rhine 7 2001 1 Eric Wynalda 10 2 Preki 8 2 Brian Maisonneuve 8 2 Manny Lagos 8 5 Clint Mathis 7 5 Dante Washington 7 5 Landon Donovan 7 5 Roy Lassiter 7 5 Sasha Victorine 7 5 Steve Ralston 7 5 Jason Kreis 7 2000 1 Ante Razov 18 2 Clint Mathis 16 3 Dante Washington 15 4 Jason Kreis 11 5 Imad Baba 9 5 Chris Henderson 9 7 Roy Lassiter 8 7 Manny Lagos 8 9 Paul Bravo 7 9 Cobi Jones 7 9 Josh Wolff 7 1999 1 Jason Kreis 18 1 Roy Lassiter 18 3 Joe-Max Moore 15 4 Ante Razov 14 5 Josh Wolff 10 6 Cobi Jones 8 6 A.J. Wood 8 8 Paul Bravo 7 8 Clint Mathis 7 8 Preki 7 1998 1 Cobi Jones 19 2 Roy Lassiter 18 3 Paul Bravo 11 4 Brian McBride 10 4 Ross Paule 10 4 Preki 10 4 Ante Razov 10 8 Jason Kreis 9 9 Jim Rooney 8 9 Josh Wolff 8 1997 1 Preki 12 2 Dante Washington 12 3 Jeff Baicher 10 3 Mark Chung 10 3 Roy Lassiter 10 3 Lawrence Lozzano 10 7 Paul Bravo 8 7 Jason Kreis 8 7 Pete Marino 8 10 Imad Baba 7 10 Gerell Elliott 7 10 Chris Henderson 7 10 Cobi Jones 7 10 Alan Prampin 7 1996 1 Roy Lassiter 27 2 Preki 18 3 Brian McBride 17 4 Steve Rammel 14 5 Paul Bravo 13 5 Jason Kreis 13 7 Jean Harbor 11 7 Pete Marino 11 7 Joe-Max Moore 11 10 Eric Wynalda 10