MLS vs EPL

Tomorrow's MLS All-Star game seems pretty interesting as it depicts an All-Star MLS team against FC Chelsea of the EPL. Chelsea can be considered an international all-star team of sorts. The team boasts names like: Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Arjen Robben, Andriy Shevchenko, and John Terry.

Dynamo Houston is fairly well represented on the MLS side, with Ching, DeRo, Ricardo Clark, and Eddie Robinson.

As usual, many pundits see this as an opportunity for the MLS to show its quality or lack thereof. The ever-humble Jose Mourinho, Gaffer for Chelsea, seems to be moderate in his praise of the MLS.

"What I really enjoy when I come here and I play is that they always play with a very good tactical approach. They play like they are the same level you are. Of course, they aren't, but the way they play — by a tactical point of view — is like they want to play really top quality football."

When asked if the relationship between Chelsea and the LA Galaxy could lead to player exchanges, Mourinho shook his head and said, "I'm not saying player exchange because, you know the level of Chelsea players for sure they're not very, very keen to come and play in the MLS, but we can cooperate in many aspects, this is just a start."

Dutch forward Arjen Robben, who had an assist in Chelsea's 2-1 win over D.C. United last year, is expecting a difficult match against the best the MLS has to offer. "The football here is developing and I think the level is getting better and better, so I think we really can expect a difficult match. That's ... good for us, and also good for American football."

I don't think the game's result will serve as a great barometer of the league's progress. For one, the all-star team has never played together. Secondly, the Chelsea team is in its preseason training. I am hoping to see some creative play; that will be the true measure of the league's quality. I'm also looking forward to seeing the new Bridgeview Stadium (called Toyota Park, I guess...what a creative moniker). It seats a whopping 21K people. I assume it'll be filled to capacity, which would make it seem like a low-turnout game day crowd for Chelsea, I'd imagine.

My fervent hope is that DeRo and Clark show the ball magic of which they're capable (but not too much that they find greener pastures than Dynamo next season...), while Ching demonstrates his finishing abilities.