Midseason awards are a lot like halftime leads: nice to have, but a lot of things can go a lot of different ways down the stretch.
Still, they're fun to talk about (fine, argue about) – and now, we've come to a big one: Which players, in the eyes of MLSsoccer.com's editorial staff members, deserve to be in the Best XI?
Fair warning: We asked everyone to submit their teams in a 3-4-3 formation.
Who did we miss? Let us know in the comments section below.
Ben Couch, Senior Editor
Tim Melia (SKC)
Florian Jungwirth (SJ)-Ike Opara (SKC)-Raheem Edwards (TOR)
Romain Alessandrini (LA)-Dax McCarty (CHI)-Bastian Schweinsteiger (CHI)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)-Maxi Urruti (DAL)
Gotta start with the guys I gave hardware, then go stats don’t lie on offense and throw in a couple of breakout defenders to boot. Come @ me, bro.
Andrew Wiebe, Senior Editor
Tim Melia (SKC)
Ike Opara (SKC)-Matt Hedges (DAL)-Justin Morrow (TOR)
Alex Ring (NYC)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)-Bastian Schweinsteiger (CHI)-Kellyn Acosta (DAL)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja NIkolic (CHI)-Josef Martinez (ATL)
Six teams are represented here – the top four in the East and top two in the West – and that’s not a mistake. The league’s best players drive the league’s best teams.
Arielle Castillo, Senior Editor
Tim Melia (SKC)
Steven Beitashour (TOR)-Matt Hedges (DAL)-Ashley Cole (LA)
Kelyn Rowe (NE)-Dax McCarty (CHI)-Bastian Schweinsteiger (CHI)-Kellyn Acosta (DAL)
David Villa (NYC)-Bradley Wright-Phillips (NY)-Sebastian Giovinco (TOR)
This formation is awkward and difficult, but here are some guys who are good this year.
Matt Doyle, Senior Writer
Tim Melia (SKC)
Matt Hedges (DAL)-Ike Opara (SKC)-Justin Morrow (TOR)
Romain Alessandrini (LA)-Michael Bradley (TOR)-Bastian Schweinsteiger (CHI)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)
Diego Valeri (POR)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)
Nobody in MLS plays a 343, so I can't in good conscience give a Best XI in that formation.
Nicholas Rosano, Senior Editor
Tim Melia (SKC)
Matt Hedges (DAL)-Ike Opara (SKC)-Justin Morrow (TOR)
Romain Alessandrini (LA)-Dax McCarty (CHI)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)-David Accam (CHI)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)-Maxi Urruti (DAL)
Do we have to pick just 11? That front seven especially is a toss-up, but I’ve gone with a mix of the most prolific, most exciting and most tenacious players in 2017.
Benjamin Baer, New Media Editor
Tim Melia (SKC)
Matt Hedges (DAL)-Ike Opara (SKC)-Justin Morrow (TOR)
Romain Alessandrini (LA)-Dax McCarty (CHI)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)-David Accam (CHI)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)-Maxi Urruti (DAL)
This matches most of the others with the exception of Accam, who has been the most productive attacking player in the league thus far.
Charles Boehm, Contributor
Tim Melia (SKC)
A.J. DeLaGarza (HOU)-Ike Opara (SKC)-Greg Garza (ATL)
Michael Barrios (DAL)-Dax McCarty (CHI)-Victor Vazquez (TOR)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)-Maxi Urruti (DAL)
This isn't an XI crafted to beat Real Madrid. It's a gathering of players who I see as pivotal to their team's success both on and off the field, and who are just plain fun to watch. I'd love to watch them run and gun in front of a big crowd sometime, though.
David Gass, Contributor
Joe Bendik (ORL)
Ike Opara (SKC)-Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (ATL)-Brandon Vincent (CHI)
Alberth Elis (HOU)-Dax McCarty (CHI)-Michael Bradley (TOR)-Miguel Almiron (ATL)
David Villa (NYC)-Nemanja Nikolic (CHI)-Maxi Urruti (DAL)
Well obviously all my award winners go in and on top of that the 3 most in-form strikers. Add to that a few All-Stars, the USMNT captain and Brandon Vincent who has quietly had a huge season and there is my best XI.
