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<DIV class=pagetitle><H1>Cunningham and Razov worthy of MVP debate</H1></DIV><DIV class=bylinebox style="MARGIN-TOP: 8px"><DIV class=bylinetext>ESPNsoccernet
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Editor's Note: Who is most deserving of the 2006 MLS MVP award? Jeff Carlisle and Kristian Dyer debate the issue in ESPNsoccernet's own version of "Pardon The Interruption."
Jeff Carlisle: Who is the MVP? It has to be Real Salt Lake 's Jeff Cunningham. Forget the playoffs. Without this guy, RSL is in the United Soccer Leagues. Cunningham has had a hand in 27 of Real's 44 goals this season, and with its leaky defense, Real has needed every single one of them. I'd put Houston 's Dwayne De Rosario second and D.C. United's Christian Gomez third.<DIV class=phinline>
<DIV style="WIDTH: 275px"><DIV class=photocred2>Juan Miranda/WireImage</DIV><DIV class=photosubtext>Chivas USA's Ante Razov receives the 2006 Chivas Player of The Year Award.</DIV></DIV></DIV>
Kristian Dyer: Jeff, love your columns, you're a great guy, but you couldn't be more off. MVP is the Most Valuable Player in the league, and only one guy fits that bill this year: Ante Razov of Chivas USA. Without question. Christian Gomez is a candidate for second, while Cunningham is third.
JC: Kristian, flattery will only get you so far. Razov? I admit, the guy has been money all season, but look at the attacking talent he has by his side: Juan Pablo Garcia and Paco Palencia as well as two stellar rookies, Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Klejstan. As for Cunningham, with the likes of Jason Kreis and Chris Klein, my MVP pick hasn't done it alone, but he hasn't had nearly as much help as Razov has had.
KD: So now you're citing two rookies as the primary reason why Chivas is better? Razov has been the element that turned the second-year side into a team with legitimate playoff ambitions. You're talking about Garcia and Palencia like they're two world-beaters right now. How about this for a stat -- Garcia and Palencia combined have scored fewer goals per game this season than last season. But let's not discredit them as players entirely, because Razov's presence has allowed Palencia to be the engine of the team and Garcia to focus on the creative aspects and the free kicks that he is so good at.
Yes, Garcia's and Palencia's effect goes beyond the numbers, and Klejstan and Bornstein are stellar rookies, but Cunningham isn't the only reason Real Salt Lake has turned around its act. There have been key contributions from players such as Kreis and Klein, plus Atiba Harris and Carey Talley (eight assists, two goals). Let's not forget Andy Williams (six assists, two goals) and Mehdi Ballouchy.
JC: I never said Bornstein and Kljestan were the primary reason Chivas is better, but they've been a big help. Bornstein has started every game, and Kljestan has almost done the same, with one sub's appearance. The words "rookie wall" have yet to enter their vocabulary. And I haven't even talked about Francisco Mendoza, who has been solid this season. You're going to compare those guys to Harris and Williams, who have been in and out of the lineup all year? There's no comparison. And look at how the goals have dried up for Razov down the stretch. He has scored only twice since the All-Star break, while Cunningham is still banging in the goals.
KD: Chivas had one of the worst regular seasons in MLS histor
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Editor's Note: Who is most deserving of the 2006 MLS MVP award? Jeff Carlisle and Kristian Dyer debate the issue in ESPNsoccernet's own version of "Pardon The Interruption."
Jeff Carlisle: Who is the MVP? It has to be Real Salt Lake 's Jeff Cunningham. Forget the playoffs. Without this guy, RSL is in the United Soccer Leagues. Cunningham has had a hand in 27 of Real's 44 goals this season, and with its leaky defense, Real has needed every single one of them. I'd put Houston 's Dwayne De Rosario second and D.C. United's Christian Gomez third.<DIV class=phinline>
<DIV style="WIDTH: 275px"><DIV class=photocred2>Juan Miranda/WireImage</DIV><DIV class=photosubtext>Chivas USA's Ante Razov receives the 2006 Chivas Player of The Year Award.</DIV></DIV></DIV>
Kristian Dyer: Jeff, love your columns, you're a great guy, but you couldn't be more off. MVP is the Most Valuable Player in the league, and only one guy fits that bill this year: Ante Razov of Chivas USA. Without question. Christian Gomez is a candidate for second, while Cunningham is third.
JC: Kristian, flattery will only get you so far. Razov? I admit, the guy has been money all season, but look at the attacking talent he has by his side: Juan Pablo Garcia and Paco Palencia as well as two stellar rookies, Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Klejstan. As for Cunningham, with the likes of Jason Kreis and Chris Klein, my MVP pick hasn't done it alone, but he hasn't had nearly as much help as Razov has had.
KD: So now you're citing two rookies as the primary reason why Chivas is better? Razov has been the element that turned the second-year side into a team with legitimate playoff ambitions. You're talking about Garcia and Palencia like they're two world-beaters right now. How about this for a stat -- Garcia and Palencia combined have scored fewer goals per game this season than last season. But let's not discredit them as players entirely, because Razov's presence has allowed Palencia to be the engine of the team and Garcia to focus on the creative aspects and the free kicks that he is so good at.
Yes, Garcia's and Palencia's effect goes beyond the numbers, and Klejstan and Bornstein are stellar rookies, but Cunningham isn't the only reason Real Salt Lake has turned around its act. There have been key contributions from players such as Kreis and Klein, plus Atiba Harris and Carey Talley (eight assists, two goals). Let's not forget Andy Williams (six assists, two goals) and Mehdi Ballouchy.
JC: I never said Bornstein and Kljestan were the primary reason Chivas is better, but they've been a big help. Bornstein has started every game, and Kljestan has almost done the same, with one sub's appearance. The words "rookie wall" have yet to enter their vocabulary. And I haven't even talked about Francisco Mendoza, who has been solid this season. You're going to compare those guys to Harris and Williams, who have been in and out of the lineup all year? There's no comparison. And look at how the goals have dried up for Razov down the stretch. He has scored only twice since the All-Star break, while Cunningham is still banging in the goals.
KD: Chivas had one of the worst regular seasons in MLS histor
