After viewing last night's scoreless draw between the LA Galaxy and DC United (who are on an unbeaten streak), its evident why the Home Depot stadium remains only half full.
Certainly by looking at just the stat sheet, it was a dismal showing: far too many shots on goal and none ever touched the back of the net. Many corner kicks and free kicks awarded in the second half especially, and still, nothing.
That isn't very shocking though - its not unusual for those things to happen in more advanced leagues. However, its not just the statistics of the game but how the game progresses and is tactically attacked - which, last night, was amateur, slow, and tired.
The MLS just cannot bring any sort of heat to make these games enjoyable to watch. The players move slow, they respond in spurts of energy that still isn't enough to make it engaging. Although its discouraging to miss so many shots and to remain scoreless, its the fact that both teams seem to give up 3/4 of the way through, and then sort of idle their way through the remaining time, until the clock runs and they make excuses as to why their play wasn't up to par. There is never a showing of any sort of fight, passion to win, or energy to move the 90 minutes along that leagues like the EPL consistently show.
The MLS couldn't really command relegation to a lower league which, in some ways, motivates such high impact play from the EPL. There just isn't any way, by which the MLS is structured, to allow one team to just be relegated. It would mess with the entire overarching structure that has been created to make all playing as "fair" as possible. Perhaps thats why the MLS struggles to gain fans - there simply is nothing to lose other than pride when these teams lose games or land in the bottom of the league.
It seems like an understatement at this point for any one of the MLS players - especially the Number 10 wearing Landon Donovan, to simply say they are frustrated - they should be embarassed. Even if there isn't much at stake professionally for them (because without the threat of relegation, and because no one really seems to be aware of these players publicly, what sort of financial or professional loss could there be, other then riding the bench?), the players cannot play in a manner that reflects such low - risk play - but maybe its only natural. Maybe its a testament to how ridiculous and over reaching the structure of the MLS is in terms of promoting fairness. Its a boring game. There is nothing really at stake and its clear that the players feel that way if you look at how they perform. Some players were actually walking after the ball on the pitch last night. Walking as though it was training, and not a season match. If the players can't give out the energy and commitment to the game as participants, no one can expect fans to pay money to spend two hours on a Saturday night watching teams who just feel "frustrated" but then do nothing to remedy that.
The MLS needs to kick their players into a higher level of play - and it seems doomed to say that bringing David Beckham will spontaneously do that for the entire league. Beckham is the MLS' cash cow and he cannot be expected to pull the entire league into more competitve play, and for any MLS GM or coach to hope for that is foolish and will only bring more disappointment. The entire league needs an overhaul.More importantly, what sort of example is this leading for the younger US players? What is there really to aspire to?
These players have the ability to play stronger, in fact, some of them did play for other more competitive leagues prior to coming to the MLS. If the MLS wants to kick that image of the "international retirement league" they need to start coaching and playing as though they are beginning their careers, and not just biding their time or awaiting those dying minutes until they retire completely. These players are talented - but motivated?- thats another story.
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