MLS Musings is usually going to focus on one topic, but I felt the need to address two this week just because it’s likely that both will be outdated next week.  At World Soccer Reader, we generally like to keep things current.  This week, both CONCACAF Champions League and Alvaro Fernandez were on my mind.

Last night, Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy played the home legs of their preliminary round fixtures in the CONCACAF Champions League.  One team took their game seriously and matched the effort of their opponents.  The other did not.  Surprisingly, at least to me, was which team brought their best and which team did not.  Toronto FC are on the fringes of an MLS playoff spot and I don’t think that they would have been criticized too harshly if Preki said that he felt he had to rest his stars for a more important competition.  LA Galaxy, on the other hand, can very easily coast to the MLS Cup playoffs.  They sit six points clear of Columbus for the Supporter’s Shield, nine points clear of Real Salt Lake for the top seed in the west, and a whopping 17 points clear of the eighth and final playoff spot with 12 games left to play.  Los Angeles have no reason to prioritize the league over CONCACAF Champions League, but that’s exactly what they did last night.

Yes, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle started for Los Angeles.  Yes, Puerto Rico Islanders keeper Bill Gaudette was good last night.  It doesn’t change the fact that Omar Gonzalez and Donovan Ricketts were rested and everyone other than Landon Donovan appeared to show minimal heart.  The likes of the aforementioned Buddle, Juninho, Alan Gordan, and Chris Birchall didn’t look like the players we see week in,  week out in MLS play.  They looked lethargic.  They looked like it was just a run out, not a competitive fixture.  Backup keeper Josh Saunders had a shocker.  LA got downright embarrassed in front of a downright embarrassing crowd, and they managed to do so with their best two attacking players on the pitch.

With LA having virtually nothing to play for in the league, Omar Gonzalez and Donovan Ricketts should have been on that field last night.  We know they’re healthy, they were both available off the bench last night.  Los Angeles should have promoted this game to their supporters as important, they should have played a first choice XI, and they should have rested all of their stars against Chicago on the weekend if necessary, simply because they can afford to mail in games in league play.  LA has built up such a massive lead that they could have rested most of their star players in the league for the remainder of the year and still had a fantastic shot a league and continental double.  Now LA have dug themselves such a massive hole that they are likely to be bounced out of Champions League without putting up much of a fight.  Thanks to LA, all of the momentum that MLS gained from the Thierry Henry signing and the friendly defeats of Manchester United and Manchester City have been quickly stopped by the massive brick walls that are Bruce Arena, Bill Gaudette, and Josh Saunders.

Thankfully, one MLS team that played last night gave a damn.  Toronto FC were only able to defeat Motagua of Honduras 1-0 at BMO Field, leaving a tricky away leg, but they put everything they had into that game.  Both Dwayne De Rosario and Julian De Guzman were spotted literally everywhere between the 18 yard boxes for 90 minutes.  Preki brought Bastos and Mista off the bench when he felt he needed another goal.  Toronto could have easily said that qualifying for the playoffs domestically was their priority, but they came out like the game meant something to them and they should be applauded for it.

Toronto may not be the only MLS team that takes the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary stages seriously.  Seattle Sounders play tonight, and we have every reason to believe they’ll want to make some noise in this competition.  After all, they’re the only MLS team that takes the U.S. Open Cup completely seriously.  Even if they haven’t played first choice starting XIs in all of their games in that competition, they’re at least willing to bring the big boys off the bench if they’re in trouble.  I expect to see Seattle throw everything they have at this game, and if they don’t, they deserve to be scolded.  I don’t know about you guys, but I’m very sick of MLS being referred to as Mickey Mouse and Mexico’s bitch.  I think a healthy, first choice Los Angeles side could give the likes of Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna a run for their money, and it’s a shame they had no desire to find out if that’s true.  Seattle hasn’t been their best in the league, but maybe they can be our hope in CONCACAF Champions League, especially if the rumors of them adding Uruguayan international Alvaro Fernandez are true.

Speaking of Alvaro Fernandez, I watched Universidiad de Chile play Chivas de Guadalajara to a 1-1 draw last night in Copa Libertadores.  After watching La U’s performances earlier in the competition, I was surprised by their lack of a fast counter-attack.  I then realized how much of their counter-attacking went through Alvaro Fernandez, whose loan at La U has expired.  Fernandez is widely believed to be close to signing with the Seattle Sounders, a move which would be contingent on Freddie Ljungberg either being sold or traded.  After watching the massive difference in La U’s play with him and without him, I realized what an important player he was to their side in Copa Libertadores.  It was already a big deal for MLS to sign a 24 year old full international who had appeared in a World Cup, but last night I realized how potentially massive this signing could be.  Alvaro Fernandez could become the best player in Major League Soccer.  No, I’m not exaggerating or using hyperbole for the sake of hyperbole.  The noticeable drop-off in La U’s ability to counter down the right side and quickly get the ball from a defender who won a tackle to the strikers without using a long ball was staggering.  Seattle Sounders supporters shouldn’t be the least bit disappointed about exchanging Freddie Ljungberg for Alvaro Fernandez.

About Kevin McCauley

Kevin McCauley resides in Raleigh, NC and supports Tottenham Hotspur, Schalke 04, and Cruz Azul. In addition to his work at World Soccer Reader, he is a contributor on multiple levels to the SBNation Soccer family of sites. You can follow him on twitter @kevinmccauley.