Welcome to this week's Designated Player Roundup, taking a look at how the league's 14 DPs fared over the past week of MLS play. For some background on each of these fellows, check out the first edition of DP Roundup. Done? Good. Let's see how some of the league's ostensible marquee talents did this week.
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Week 3 (March 28-April 3)
David Beckham (LA): Becks played virtually the full 90, being subbed out in second-half stoppage time, and turned in what Scott French of ESPN Los Angeles is calling "one of the better performances of his Galaxy tenure". Pushed into an unfamiliar holding midfield role with several teammates returning to the lineup, Beckham "was a true two-way player" and was "spreading passes around and giving the Galaxy midfield creativity it too often lacks". Not to mention, it was his free kick that ended up on the head of teammate Leonardo, who headed home the only goal in L.A.'s 1-0 win over Philly.
(Interestingly, though, Beckham also picked up a yellow card -- his third in three weeks.)
Juan Pablo Angel (LA): A week after opening his Galaxy goal-scoring account, Angel could have had another but, borrowing from Mr. French yet again, "sent a header flying past the left post he should have finished". That was one of Angel's two shots on the night, in which he saw the pitch for, all intents and purposes, the full 90.
Landon Donovan (LA): Landycakes was right in the middle of what was a rather scrappy affair between L.A. and Philadelphia, in which 10 cards (eight yellow, two red) were dished out. Donovan suffered four fouls and committed three in his full-90 performance, and was the recipient during one of those cautions when he, during second-half stoppage time, pulled the ol' "boot the ball away to waste time" routine. Unlike Robin van Persie, there's no doubt Donovan heard the whistle.
Julian de Guzman (Toronto): JDG got into his first game action since October, entering TFC's 1-1 draw with Chivas USA at halftime, and... well, he looked like someone that hadn't played a game in five months thanks to knee surgery. In fairness, it's especially tough to marshal a midfield when you just met half of your teammates a week ago. Jules was sure to get on the score sheet, though -- in the form of a yellow card.
Branko Boskovic (DC): Holy smokes, a BB sighting! He not only saw the pitch this week, he started! He played 54 minutes before being replaced by a-kid-who-I-may-loathe-or-be-indifferent-towards-depending-on-which-nation-he-decides-to-play-for, Andy Najar. Boskovic managed three shots from his position in midfield in his team's 4-1 demolition at the hands of Colorado.
I began wondering whether Boskovic's MIA status thus far was due to an injury I was unaware of, until I came across a D.C. United season preview by Dave Johnson of CSNWashington: "Boskovic has led his country Montenegro to the top of its World Cup qualifying group and has shown flashes with United. Still, Boskovic has yet to put it all together on this side of the Atlantic, though he had impressive moments playing wide in preseason."
Having read that, I'm officially awarding Boskovic with the title of DP Albatross 2011. This title can be transferred throughout the year based on performances and circumstances, but in the early going, I think BB's a decent bet to retain.
Thierry Henry (NY): Henry did what you'd expect from a striker earning more than the entire rosters of the Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution (two random DP-less teams, don't write angry comments) combined: launched five shots on the night, three on target, in a full-90 performance. Well, actually, what you'd expect from someone in that position would be goals. None this year yet. But hey, with the chance to work alongside a-kid-upon-whom-American-fans-are-terribly-afraid-to-pin-their-hopes, Juan Agudelo, and a guy who may be added to this weekly roundup soon, Dwayne De Rosario, he'll continue to get his chances.
Rafael Marquez (NY): No red cards this week. That's going to be my update on Rafa from here on out: whether or not he got sent off.
Alvaro Fernandez (Seattle): Fernandez got subbed into the game (better than being subbed out of the game, which he had been in Weeks 1 and 2) at halftime of Seattle's 2-2 draw with San Jose, meaning that he still hasn't put in a full-90 performance for the Sounders this year. Fernandez told Joshua Mayers of The Seattle Times that he was "surprised" at suddenly being a reserve player which, when run through the ol' Athlete Euphemism Translator, comes out at "seriously coach, what the hell?"
Fredy Montero (Seattle): Montero missed the San Jose game due to a wrist injury that required surgery earlier in the week, though Jeremiah Oshan of Sounder At Heart believes the injury "does not seem to be a huge deal" and probably won't result in an extended absence. Hey, if the guys in Seattle aren't worried, then neither am I.
Omar Bravo (KC): Bravo sat out KC's match with Vancouver due to suspension (after earning a dubious red card in Week 2), much to the chagrin of Canadian soccer fans who were forced to watch some kid (whose name I didn't catch, but it may be "Traitor" or "Trayter", based on the chants I heard) pick up the slack and score a brace for the erstwhile Wizards.
Alvaro Saborio (Salt Lake): Saborio and his Salt Lake teammates enjoyed a week off. Actually, I'm just guessing. They could have hated it, for all I know.
Eric Hassli (Vancouver): Hassli was forced to watch from the press box (a figure of speech; he could have been at a bar for all I know) as he was prematurely usurped as the Whitecaps' folk hero by upstart Brazilian Camilo Sanvezzo who -- as you likely already know -- scored twice in stoppage time to earn Vancouver a surprising 3-3 draw with Kansas City. Hassli, of course, was suspended after receiving a red card in Week 2, for his perpetually chippy play. For the sake of Vancouver soccer, let's hope young Camilo doesn't run afoul of him.
Andres Mendoza (Columbus): Remember that Chilean goofball who grabbed an opponent's hand and swatted himself in the face to try and draw a foul? Well, Mendoza is Peruvian, but he did try something kinda similar in the Crew's 2-0 win over Dallas, casually pushing defender Brek Shea's hand onto the ball in an attempt to earn a penalty. The ref didn't bite.
He did bite later, however, on a legit PK down at the other end, when Emmanuel Ekpo was hip-checked by poor ol' George John. Mendoza stepped up and (barely) converted his first MLS goal, which stood up as the winner.
Fabian Castillo (Dallas): The 18-year-old (!!!) started for Dallas and turned in a 78-minute performance in which his speed was fully on display, including an impressive 50-yard run down the left flank that resulted in a bad-angle attempt at goal. But hey, you can't score if you don't shoot.
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