MLS vs. MLSAces: A Look At The All-Star Selections for the 2021 MLS All-Star Game | OneFootball

On August 4th, Major League Soccer announced the roster for the 2021 MLS All Star Game, a squad of 28 players selected by MLS players, fans and media (13 players via voting), MLS All-Star Team Head Coach Bob Bradley (13 players) and MLS Commissioner Don Garber (2 players). This year’s all-star game, is a special one: the game will be played in Los Angeles against Liga MX’s own all-stars, which were selected based on the Balón de Oro Awards. This historic game between North America’s best soccer leagues will be played on August 25th at 9PM EST – below is the MLS roster:

FORWARDS

MIDFIELDERS

DEFENSE

GOALKEEPERS

I could go through this list and explain why each player was selected as an all-star, why some weren’t selected or who got snubbed, especially since there is likely a lot of internal politics that go into who makes this final roster. However, I decided to do something different. A few weeks ago, I polled MLSAces community on who their MLS All Stars were for the 2021 season. There were 11 total voters and I took the liberty of deciding on any split decisions - call it me using my commission powers. Below is the 21 person roster, according to MLSAces:

STARTING XI

BENCH

Obviously, I am not going to sit here and say that we at MLSAces got it right, but our selections were pretty damn close to the league’s. When it comes to forwards, I think any MLS fan would be able to predict who would make the All-Star roster: Raul Ruidiaz, Chicharito, Gustavo Bou, and Daniel Salloi have all been atop the goal scoring charts this year and all four players made our team and the MLS team. Ruidiaz, Chicarito, Bou and Salloi have scored a combined 40 goals at ther All-Star break but, since MLS and MLSAces selections were the same, I don’t want harp on this point too much.

When it comes to midfielders, there were quite a few differences between MLS and MLSAces. I love that Damir Kreilach made the MLS All Star team because his contributions to RSL cannot be overlooked this season. Of course, the same can be said, and some, for Revs star Carles Gil. Gil currently has 15 assists currently and is on track to become the 4th MLS player with 20+ assists in a single season. However, there are two players who I feel were overlooked on the MLS roster despite an appearance on ours: Eryk Williamson and Gianluca Busio. There is a reason why these two played major minutes for the USMNT - they were balling out for their clubs. Williamson’s contributions for Portland may not always show up on the stat line, but he showed how much of an impact he can have when he filled in for Diego Chara at the 6, played as an 8, or even when he played as a 10, when needed. The same can also be said for Busio, who has settled in as a 6 for SKC, but has also played pretty well as a winger when asked. I also think the additions of Darlington Nagbe and Caden Clark on the MLSAces roster was appropriate, as both have been standout midfielders of this season. With that said, I think MLS ultimately got it right by selecting Cristian Roldan and Joao Paulo over Clark and Nagbe.

“Williamson’s contributions for Portland may not always show up on the stat line, but he showed how much of an impact he can have when he filled in for Diego Chara at the 6, played as an 8, or even when he played as a 10, when needed.”

Selecting defenders is always tough. Do you look at defensive performances as a team and factor in who’s played the most minutes? Do a defender’s offensive contributions carry more weight? There is a lot to consider, as there isn’t usually a definitive defender statistic, such as goals and assists, to look at. There were only three players between the MLSAces roster and the MLS roster that were the same - Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gomez Adrade, and Jesus Murillo. I personally think the MLSAces selections were truer to their performances on the year than the MLS group -  you can’t overlook how much of an impact guys like Jack Elliott and Jonathan Mensah have had for their teams, especially since they are league-leading defenses. You also can’t forget about guys like Ryan Hollingshead and Kyle Duncan, who may be playing on a poor backline, but have shined individually through it.

Lastly, there’s the goalkeepers. Matt Turner has been the standout keeper this season and made it to both the MLSACES and MLS All-Start selections. But, Pedro Gallese? Really? Gallese is clearly one of the most talented keepers in MLS, but did he prove it this year to earn the 2nd keeper spot for the MLS All-Stars? I truly don’t think so – I think MLSAces got this one right with the selection of Brad Stuver. Stuver leads the league in saves, has a 1.07 goals allowed per game, and 4 clean sheets in 1,350 minutes for Austin FC. To me, he was the only other keeper who deserved it, but what do I know?

“I think MLSAces got this one right with the selection of Brad Stuver. Stuver leads the league in saves, has a 1.07 goals allowed per game, and 4 clean sheets in 1,350 minutes for Austin FC.”

A Note from RBNY Blogger Matt Cia: Why A Red Bull-less All-Star Roster Is A Good Thing

I know what you’re thinking: is this guy really a fan? Trust me when I say I would not be writing this if I wasn’t. Yes, it’s true - I really believe that not having an RBNY player in the mLS All-Star game is a good thing, and here’s a few reasons why.

I believe it is the Red Bulls’ best interests to keep all their players at home for the All-Star break. I know many Red Bull fans would all love to see our players shine amongst the best in MLS and Ligue MX. However, in the big picture, I believe this worked out fantastically for this New York  side.