By: Anthony Miller
MLS announced their All-Star lineup Tuesday with Jesus Ferreira being named to the team from FC Dallas.
The league announced the players that will be on the team with one FC Dallas player being named to the team. Jesus Ferreira was not a surprise to see his name added to the list as he has been one of the top players in the MLS this season. Ferriera is currently tied for third in goals scored with ten on the year.
Half of the players were voted in by fans with the other half being selected by DC United and All-Star manager Wayne Rooney. Two additional players were selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Ferriera was one of the 12 players that were voted in as one of the forwards/wingers on the team.
There will always be players who should have been named to the All-Star team that are left off the list. For FC Dallas, Ferriera has been the highlight of the team, scoring ten of their 21 goals during the season. One player has stood out as someone who should have been at the least considered for an All-Star.
Why Maarten Paes Should Have Been an All-Star
There are a lot of factors on why goalkeeper Maarten Paes should be an All-Star. The first focus is on his individual performance this season. Paes ranks sixth in MLS in save percentage at 75 percent for the season. He is also tenth in saves (54) and among goalkeepers playing more than 1440 minutes, he’s tied for the second least number of goals allowed (18). Paes has been able to do this in 16 starts in front of the net this season.
Another factor in this must be the play on the field by FC Dallas. He has not gotten the offensive support that is necessary to be as successful as FC Dallas has scored just 21 goals in 19 matches. This is tied for the eighth least number of goals in the league. Time and time again the team has leaned on him to keep them in matches and has done the job well.
Fans can look at statistics and see that there are other goalkeepers who have performed better than him with the numbers. While numbers don’t lie, the eye test also doesn’t lie. A lot has been asked of Paes to help FC Dallas get results in a game and he has been able to help. FC Dallas is in the hunt for the playoffs as they sit seventh in the standings and if Paes continues his performance, they will be in it. Praise needs to be given to Ferreira, but a lot of respect must be given to Paes as well.
Featured Image via FC Dallas