Team of the Week: MLS Week Nine

MLS Week Nine saw a string of splendid performances as New England Revolution ended New York Red Bulls unbeaten start and FC Dallas put four past Houston Dynamo in the Texan Derby.

Melia shone on his Kansas City debut

But, who will be making room on their mantelpiece for their Fish n’ Chips Soccer Team of the Week award?

Goalkeeper: Tim Melia (Sporting Kansas City)

Sporting Kansas City might have found the answer to their goalkeeping problems in the most unlikely of places following Melia’s splendid debut for the club.

In five seasons with Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA Melia made just six MLS appearances, but he was assured from start to finish against Chicago Fire and looks set to enjoy a run in the side.

Centre Back: Sean Franklin (DC United)

Franklin has to tuck in from his usual right back position to make our Team of the Week after another all action display for high-flying DC United.

The two-time MLS Cup winner helped DC to a fourth cleansheet of the season and showed great composure to volley home United’s crucial second.

Centre Back: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City)

Kansas City have conceded 12 goals this season, the joint second worst in MLS, but the US international produced a stand out performance in their 1-0 victory.

Kljestan in Champions League
action for Anderlecht

The Fire barely had a look in as Sporting nullified the speed of David Accam by playing a high defensive line to perfection, earning eight offside calls.

Centre Back: Damien Perquis (Toronto FC)

Perquis has been key to Toronto’s defensive improvement’s which have seen them record back-to-back cleansheets as they ended their seven-match away run with two wins.

The Polish international looks be a fine addition after joining from Real Betis in the summer and will play a huge part if Toronto are to qualify for the play-offs for the first time.

Holding Midfield: Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)

Kljestan is a new name to most in Britain but his impressive start to the season is unlikely to surprise those that have followed the former Anderlecht star’s career from the beginning.

Now in his second spell in MLS, the US international has shone for the Red Bulls and notched his second goal of the season against Supporters’ Shield leaders New England Revolution.

Right Midfield: Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas)

If Castillo wasn’t causing enough problems for Houston, Diaz made sure it was a night to forget for Owen Coyle’s men as he produced two assists of his own and scored the goal of the game.

With the score at 2-1, Diaz received the ball at the edge of the box, took one touch and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top left hand corner of the Dynamo goal.

A stunning strike from Mauro Diaz & @FCDallas are flying. #HOUvDAL https://t.co/rFLDxztIY5

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 2, 2015

Left Midfield: Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas)

We will soon run out of superlatives for Castillo, who for the first time in his career is consistently terrifying MLS defences – this week Houston bore the brunt of the Colombian’s wrath.

Castillo played his part in two goals, expertly finding David Texeira for his sides second, before leaving his marker for dead and toe poking Dallas’ fourth beyond a helpless Tyler Deric.

Centre Attacking Midfield: Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)

The Italian arrived in MLS with a big reputation and even bigger wage packet – after a slow start Greg Vanney is beginning to see the best of the former Juventus player.

Giovinco has now scored four times in his last four matches and this week’s 35-yard free kick is an early goal of the season contender; comfortably the best player on the pitch.

What a beaut from Giovinco https://t.co/izmyFxipb1

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 3, 2015

Striker: Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)

Martins’ two goals lift him above Octavio Rivero and Kei Kamara as MLS’ top scorer with six goals this season and it’s hard to look past him to be the league’s top scorer this season.

If he is beaten then his strike partner, Clint Dempsey, might be the man to do it – the American scored one and produced a back-heeled assist for Martins to finish a 18-pass move with aplomb.

Espindola celebrates scoring for DC

Striker: Fabian Espindola (DC United)

Since returning from his six-match ban last weekend, Espindola has been far and away DC’s best player and reaffirmed that this week with a goal and an assist.

He could have had more than one, but his dinked finish to open the scoring oozed class and his second half corner found Franklin in acres of space to put the game to bed.

Striker: Charlie Davies (New England Revolution)

After failing to score in his first five appearances this season, Davies headed home his third in three games to help New England end the Red Bulls unbeaten start to the season.

Davies has already levelled his total for the whole of last season and has every chance of bettering the 11 he scored on loan for DC United in 2011.

Images courtesy of R.Yeatts, Bongarts and Rob Carr, with thanks.