Investments always present risks. In Major League Soccer, investing in a Designated Player can turn out to be a blessing (see Keane, Robbie or Henry, Thierry) or a curse (see Jarju, Mustapha or Jaime, Sebastian).
But in Week 7 of the young season, the biggest stars, and the biggest paycheques, shone the brightest. Kaka and Sebastian Giovinco, who according to not-so-new salary figures and other reports (anytime you want to put out updated numbers, MLS Players Union, ANYTIME), will make roughly $15 million combined in 2015, put their clubs on their shoulders in difficult situations. Federico Higuain, Fabian Castillo, and Obafemi Martins, who will surely be making more than their combined $2.5 million in 2014 with big raises going to the first two, were equally dominant.
It’s performances like the ones these five put on that will have owners adopting a “Patrick Star” spending policy as seen in the GIF of the Week.
Kaka:
LWSC chief Russ McKenzie told us that “he is going to dominate”. He was right. On a night where pretty much nothing went right for the dudes in purple in a 3-0 shellacking against the Columbus Crew, Kaka’s veteran level-headedness stood out in the 34th minute.
OCSC right-back Rafael Ramos had an embarrassing outing. He outdid Michael Parkhurst for 2015’s worst “bad pass from a defender that leads to a goal” on Columbus’ first, and let his frustration boil over during a malicious slide tackle against Columbus’ Waylon Francis.
Ramos, 20, then proceeded to run away from the scene of the crime and couldn’t be stopped by players and coaches from either side.
But then Kaka, 12 years and one FIFA World Player of the Year Award Ramos’ senior, did this:
After about 30 seconds, Ramos walked back to the official, received his red card, and walked off the pitch.
If I were Anthony Precourt, I’m building a statue of Kaka outside Mapfre Stadium. Why? Because Ramos probably would have burned the whole place, and not just the scoreboard like from a few years back, to the ground, had it not been for the words of the legendary Brazilian.
Sebastian Giovinco:
I tried watching the whole match. I really did. But a combination of being 2-0 down inside the first 10 minutes, a long rain delay, and my being up at 4:30 that morning ended those hopes.
But in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Atomic Ant made like a real ant and carried many times his weight on his back. Both goals that he scored, a darting run-and-chip over the goalkeeper from close range, followed by a quickly taken free kick that caught all of Texas off guard, were masterful. After each one, he simply trotted back to his own half, knowing that there was still work to be done.
Apart from a brilliant passing play with, of all people, Jackson around the 22nd minute, Toronto FC looked like deadbeats. But if this franchise is still flirting with life support status, which I will remorsefully argue that they are, Giovinco is the defibrillator that with more sustained help could get this thing pumping again.
And for Pete’s sake, none of his three goals have come or have put Toronto in a leading position yet. Imagine how he’d react to scoring one like that.
Federico Higuain:
Pipa’s been brilliant ever since he arrived in Ohio. This weekend he took it up a notch.
His backheel goal that came off the Ramos blunder looked easy. His lobbed through ball that led to Kei Kamara’s chip was a perfect 10. Everyone knows how dangerous he can be, yet they still can’t find a way to shut him down.
Forget what I said about Columbus needing a Mix Diskerud-esque midfielder to add to their roster. Their midfield is already stacked enough whenever Higuain’s on the pitch.
Fabian Castillo:
If you know me, you’ll be well aware that I’m a huge Mauro Diaz fan. FC Dallas reach another level when Diaz is at his best as a ball distributor, free kick taker, and speedy attacking threat.
But it took me all of ten minutes to throw one foot into the Fabian Castillo bandwagon too.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody run onto a ball so quickly, and that’s having watched the Vancouver Whitecaps trio of Kekuta Manneh, Darren Mattocks, and Erik Hurtado go to work a few times.
Say what you will about the favourable matchup against an out-of-position Nick Hagglund. But throw in the Arjen Robben cuts into the box and any MLS defender you could name would have difficulty with Castillo.
This kid is (sorry, no weather delay pun intended) lightning in a bottle. I’m salivating in anticipation of the day I can watch Diaz and Castillo in full stride on the pitch together. Those two could be a thunder-and-lightning combo that storms to the top of the table for years to come.
Obafemi Martins:
I met Obafemi Martins when in Newcastle back in 2009. I would have been 14 at the time, young, but with enough of a brain to put two and two together. Having stood beside him for a picture, I can attest to the fact that he’s a beast of a man. He’s small (5’6”) but bulky, and looks like the type of guy you’d want to fight with during a zombie apocalypse.
But as easily as Martins could run through a brick wall, the mesmerizing thing about him is that he can pull apart the wall brick by brick and still leave you awestruck. This weekend against Colorado, he was pulling out the individual bricks.
The long pass from Andy Rose leading up to this was something. But Martins’ first touch was something else.
Obafemi Martins is a freak of nature. He’s as much of an athlete as Mattocks, he’s got strength I’m not shy to compare to Didier Drogba, and with the ball at his feet he can dribble like an FC Barcelona product.
Seattle struck gold with him.
DP money was money well spent this week. Let’s hope the stars can continue being worth the price of admission.
Main Photo:
