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London Calling: MLS All-Stars Take on London’s Tottenham

The 2015 MLS All-Star Game this Wednesday features a clash against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.  The match kicks off at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

Headlining the MLS All-Star lineup is one of the most talented groups of forwards the league has ever seen.   Among them is league scoring leader Kei Kamara.  Joining him will be the reigning 2014 MLS MVP Robbie Keane and one of this year’s front-runners Sebastian Giovinco.  Rounding out the scoring threats is New York City FC leading scorer David Villa, who has scored 6 goals it’s the last 3 matches, and United States hero Clint Dempsey.  Dempsey returns to MLS play after a 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup that saw him be awarded the Golden Boot honors.   

Tottenham’s frontline is no strangers to providing goals aplenty as well.  Leading the charge will be the England’s Young Player of the Year Harry Kane.  Kane finished 2014-15 with 21 goals in 34 appearances, which paved the way for his first English international call-up.  Scoring 80 seconds into his debut, the MLS defense will have a tough task keeping him off the score sheet.

The MLS midfield contains two US Gold Cup members, current captain Michael Bradley and Graham Zusi of Sporting Kansas City.  Zusi’s teammate, Benny Felihaber joins him in his first All-Star Game appearance in the midst of another stellar season.  Debutants Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and Brazilian icon Kaká have featured in World Cup’s and UEFA Champions League matches.  Kaká currently ranks 4th in the MLS with 9 goals so in his first season for Orlando City SC.

Spurs midfield is home to two rising EPL talents.  Christian Eriksen was valued as the 29th-mostvalue player in world football by a January 2015 study by the CIES Football Observatory, a research group part of the International Centre for Sports Studies who publishes annual player and club reports on the finest European talents.  Alongside him will be Belgium standout Mousa Dembele who featured for his nation in the 2014 World Cup. 

Defense is often overlooked in All-Star events.  However, Tottenham is home to one the United States top talents.  Since he burst onto the international stage in the 2014 World Cup, American DeAndre Yedlin seems to have found a new home in London.  Not only fans but also boss Mauricio Pochettino has tipped him for success moving forward.  Alongside him are Dutch international’s Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, surrounded by Yedlin’s competition for an EPL starting role of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose. 

The MLS defense Fan XI picks featured veterans of the United States national team: DaMarcus Beasley, Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez.  Gonzalez has emerged as one of the leagues best defenders having been named to three MLS Best XI’s.  Besler was named 2012 MLS Defenders of the Year with this being is 4th MLS All-Star selection.  

Goalkeepers for the MLS Nick Rimando and David Ousted will most likely split time.  Rimando in his 16th MLS season makes his fifth All-Star appearances in a season that has him tied for 3rd in the league with 6 shutouts.  Ousted can also be found at the top of the goalkeeper statistics with a league leading 11 wins and the 2nd most shutouts with a total of 7.

Play between the pipes has been one of the strengths for Spurs as their roster has two goalies that have proven they can put together world-class performances on any given pitch.  Hugo Lloris, recently handed the captains armband, posted 107 saves during 2014-15 while also handling the starting role for France during the 2014 World Cup.  Michel Vorm who moved to Spurs in 2014 is one of the most capable back-ups in the EPL, having been a part of the Netherland’s World Cup roster.

MLS Roster

Goalies: David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)


Defenders: DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders), Drew Moor (Colorado Rapids) and Chris Tierney (New England Revolution)
 

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas) Benny Felihaber (Sporting Kansas City) Steven Gerrard (LA Galaxy) Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls) Kaká (Orlando City SC) Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC) Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), David Villa (New York City FC)



Tottenham
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm, Luke McGee, Tom Glover

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, DeAndre Yedlin, Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Toby 

Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Kevin Wimmer, Jan Vertonghen, Federico Fazio

Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb, Harry Winks, Mousa Dembele, Josh Onomah, Christian Eriksen, Nacer Chadli, Tom Carroll, Dele Alli, Erik Lamela

Forwards: Harry Kane, Shaq Coulthirst

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