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The MLS ALL-STAR GAME! While very much an American concept to assemble all of your top players from the entire division, this match does carry a lot of weight in the North American soccer landscape. We look at which personnel should be elected to become MLS All Star Players 2023 and put them in a 5-3-2 formation, which we believe will give them the best chance of beating Arsenal.
MLS All Star players 2023
Goalkeepers
Typically the All-Star game will have one keeper per half, meaning that two quality keepers are needed for the match with a couple of reserves. While Atlanta United hasn’t been defensively resolute all the time this season, Brad Guzan has been great. His performance in the 0-0 against LAFC was exceptional as he was counted on multiple times to keep the opposition out.
By virtue of earning the most clean sheets, Stefan Frei should get the nod. His nine clean sheets have helped Seattle Sounders escalate the Western Conference standings and could keep out an Arsenal side looking for fitness. This isn’t news, however, as the Swiss keeper has been one of the best shot-stoppers in MLS for the best part of 10 years.
Defenders
This is where the selection headaches start for all managers. Four at the back? Three that can be five? We’re going with three center-backs and two wing-backs to push on and hopefully take advantage of an Arsenal team which haven’t played competitive football since May.
Starting our back three trio is Walker Zimmerman. The Nashville SC defender has been part of a rock-solid defense. Add in Atlanta United’s Miles Robinson and that’s already a stern backline, capable of keeping out the opposition. Who should join them to complete the sturdy three? One of the best players this season is Jonathan Mensah. The Ghanaian defender might have left the Columbus Crew but has made strides to make San Jose Earthquakes a defensively capable team. This kind of attitude will be needed to keep out Arsenal.
MLS All-Star players 2023 can’t go too far wrong by picking an MLS Cup champion from last year. The LAFC #12, Diego Palacios, would make a fine addition as a left-back to any prediction-based or tangible All-Star roster. Given that this roster comes together in a short amount of time, they need versatile characters. Why not rely on Jake Nerwinski? He took to the starting RB position with ease upon joining St. Louis City and helped them ascend the table.
Midfielders
It’s worth remembering at this point, that the All-Star game is posed as an athletic sporting competition. However, it’s one game. It’s a great advertisement for the league as new potential viewers around the world tune in to watch the established European team. It’s all about putting the front foot forward for MLS, so even if say, Douglas Costa isn’t playing well for LA Galaxy, he has to play in this game even if for a small amount of time.
The fact is that casual onlookers will take notice that former mega club players are now in MLS and could tune in again to watch them. In our team, he’s going to sit on the right of midfield.
On his opposite flank, he’s going to be paired with Carlos Vela. He has found his rhythm after a slow start for LAFC. Plus, he’d probably love to get one over Arsenal having been contracted to the club for seven years but made less than 30 Premier League appearances for the club.
Given that the game is being held at Audi Field, the home of D.C. United, it’s fair to say that MLS All-Star predictions will include some of Wayne Rooney’s team. Mateusz Klich simply has to be on the team sheet owing to his fine performances in an underperforming team.
Forwards
Whether Lionel Messi hits the exact criteria to be within the MLS All-Star players 2023 or not, he’s going to play in this match. That’s a relatively safe MLS All-Star prediction, as he’s been said to be available for the proceeding Leagues Cup games for Inter Miami. For many viewers, he will become the totality of Major League Soccer.
Of course, there have to be some players picked on sporting merit. Hany Mukhtar can’t be denied a spot. While not the biggest name outside of American soccer, if he performs in this game like he does every week for Nashville SC, his stature in world football will only increase.
Subs
If you’ve never seen the MLS All-Star game before, you’ll be forgiven for not knowing that the teams make an excessive amount of substitutions throughout the game. The exact reasoning isn’t clear. The cause is somewhere between MLS franchises not wanting their superstars to get injured in a game unrelated to their team and Major League Soccer essentially using the game as a league showreel. Some players get as little as 20-30 minutes on the pitch, which can lead the game to lose any kind of flow.
In this case, spectators of the 2023 MLS All-Star game should expect to see our team but not for the entirety of the match. Maybe not even on the pitch at the same time. Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi, and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez will probably all come off the bench for old times and their global popularity.
Other players who have been remarkable in the league like Facundo Torres, Josef Martinez (granted, not as much this season) and Denis Bouanga will be expected to come on and perform like the ‘big names’ and show the world that MLS can not only attract established names but produce/foster emerging talent, too.
