I've had my quarrels with the MLS Team of the Week. This week, they nailed it.
Carlos Vela and Mark-Anthony Kaye are back in the team, as expected. And for the first time this season, Eddie Segura and Bob Bradley have been acknowledged.
Vela finished the week with three goals and two assists. The MLS leader in goals and assists, Vela now has nine MLS Team of the Week inclusions.
Kaye makes the team after returning to LAFC from the Gold Cup. The LAFC midfielder had a strong match in his return to the side, helping LAFC bounce back from only its second loss of the season with a 5-1 win at Sporting KC. Then in his return to Banc of California Stadium, Kaye scored an absolute banger to open the floodgates in LAFC's 6-1 over Vancouver:
For Segura, it's his first inclusion in an MLS Team of the Week but he's been a stalwart of LAFC's backline this season. With Walker Zimmerman away with the US Men's National Team, Segura has been lights out in terms of his defending. Whether it's 1v1s, stepping into the play, or sliding over to cover spaces in behind, the center back proved yet again this week that he is an elite defender in MLS.
As for Bradley, he's navigated international call-ups, injuries, and a congested schedule to have his side still on pace to shatter nearly every team record in MLS history.
Here's the rest of the team:
F: Toye (MIN), Przybylko (PHI), Vela (LAFC)
M: Lodeiro (SEA), Pomykal (DAL), Kaye (LAFC), Ledesma (CIN)
D: Herrera (RSL), Opara (MIN), Segura (LAFC)
GK: Clark (POR)
Bench: Rimando (RSL), Mabiala (POR), Moralez (NYC), Gaitan (CHI), Elis (HOU), Sapong (CHI), Ibrahimovic (LA)
Coach: Bob Bradley (LAFC)