You know there’s a Cup final on the horizon when the ol’ Combined XI column pops up in your feed!
Let’s start with the obvious: LA Galaxy, even without Riqui Puig, are massive MLS Cup 2024 presented by Audi favorites on Saturday (4 pm ET | Apple TV - Free; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).
So LA dominate my team, while New York Red Bulls cry foul but not-so-secretly relish the underdog role. Surely, Sandro Schwarz’s biggest wish is for all media types to count his team out, ideally publicly. (You’re welcome, Sandro.)
Everyone is comfortable with their assigned role, just as I am perfectly comfortable giving the Galaxy seven of 11 spots available.
This is admittedly harsh on LA's John McCarthy, who was the better goalkeeper by the advanced numbers and the eye test (early season set pieces excluded) during the regular season.
I’m taking the Paraguayan international here because what he did during the spring, summer and early fall isn’t nearly as important as what he’s done in November. Coronel has been on an absolute heater. It’s no stretch to say the Red Bulls wouldn’t be in MLS Cup without him.
For content’s sake, gimme the guy on the heater, but I’ll take the spot-kick specialist (McCarthy) should the game go to penalty kicks. In other words, this is basically a wash.
Cameron Harper has covered every blade of grass on the Red Bulls' right flank and deserves a hearty shout, but Yamane might be the most underrated player in the final.
The former Japanese international is a rock (just ask Gabriel Pec, who has freedom to roam because of his cover) for this much-improved Galaxy group. The 30-year-old keeps the things Greg Vanney asks of him – anticipatory defensive positioning, connecting and advancing play, one-v-one defending – simple and effective. No wasted energy or movement. Just job done at a high level. Over and over.
How can you pick just one Nealis? One spot in the back is going to the brothers Nealis, whichever of Dylan or Sean fits your eye. They may be brothers, but have distinct strengths on either side of Andrés Reyes.
Sean’s Eastern Conference Final performance at Orlando, coming off concussion protocol, was gutsy and necessary. His ability to defend in the Red Bulls’ box, win aerials and time a challenge when the press gets broken is crucial.
Dylan isn’t quite as physically imposing, but he’s done all the little things to keep New York ticking in these playoffs, especially linking play with the central midfielders and wingback and showing a knack for extraordinary emergency defending.
Part of me wanted to take Emiro Garcés here, just because of the Galaxy’s defensive record since he became a permanent starter. But whether it’s Garces or Jalen Neal, Yoshida’s presence is ultimately what stitches this backline together.
Incredibly, Yoshida, at 36, is still looking for his first career trophy. Perhaps fate awaits him on Saturday afternoon…
JMi just seems to bring his best to the postseason. The most recent example is the seeing-eye cross to the back post that basically forced Andrés Reyes to score the winner against Orlando.
And while I’m taking Tolkin for his two-way play, I’ve got huge respect for what John Nelson brings to this Galaxy group. It’s not flashy, though he does have the Galaxy's only non-Killa P/Dejan goal in the postseason. Rather, he focuses on the defensive responsibilities and ball security, allowing those attackers to be their best.
Daniel Edelman and Peter Stroud ran their you-know-whats off against Orlando. Edelman, in particular, has been a straight-up Energizer Bunny these playoffs… but Cerrillo generally doesn’t have a partner to help him clean up the messes left by the Galaxy’s all-out attackers.
Cerrillo has to diagnose problems before they become fatal and cut out the danger. It’s a one-man job, and I’ll take the man doing it in my midfield.
Now, if I knew Red Bulls DP Felipe Carballo was healthy and available, this spot might be a different story. I don’t. Not yet anyway.
Hell, if Carballo was healthy, I might still go with Delgado, whose relentless movement to open space for himself and others and precise ball circulation give life to the Galaxy possession game. He’s like the air flowing through the group’s lungs when they have the ball, and has no problem stepping on the opponent’s chest to take the wind out of their sails when LA don’t.
Greg Vanney trusts him deeply, and for good reason.
What a shame, for the Red Bulls and those of us who enjoy good soccer, that the Swede missed basically the entire summer due to injury. This New York team wouldn’t have drawn so many games, a league-high 14.
Fortunately, he’s back now… and the game plan is pretty simple. Find Forsberg’s feet and run toward goal. He’ll get out of pressure and deliver a dime, and dimes are what the Red Bulls need to pull off an upset.
NOTE: Marco Reus is just as deserving of this spot, on talent and pedigree. However, his health and fitness are in the air after being removed at halftime of the Western Conference Final vs. Seattle. If Reus is healthy, this will be a helluva duel between former Bundesliga competitors.
The dude has 19 goals and 16 assists in his first MLS season. I could tell you all about what makes him special, but words can’t do this goal justice:
Credit to Paintsil, who got all the headlines to start the season, for not crying foul when Pec took over the right wing (where the ball flows most often for the Galaxy) while he took over more off-ball running on the left.
It’s not as glamorous, but the Ghanaian remained productive. Paintsil is a threat in behind, adept at arriving at the back post and a matchup nightmare who keeps right backs at home. He's got three goals already this postseason, with plenty of opportunity for more on Saturday.
Sorry, Red Bulls. It’s a clean sweep of the front line for the Galaxy.
Joveljić doesn’t have a catchy nickname. He gets the least hype of LA’s attacking foursome. He just scores goals, five so far in these playoffs.
The Serbian doesn’t need a ton of touches to be effective. He just needs one, and that’s all it took to get this Galaxy team to the brink of a record sixth MLS Cup title.
