The Blue Links: May 20th, 2015

Feels like SKC haven't played in ages. But this Double Game Week got me like..

Not that it is anything new for Sporting KC fans, but the lineup tonight will be really be filled with back ups, guys out of position, and only be 17 men strong. Sporting KC struggling for bodies ahead of Wednesday's match. This is likely what we will see tonight:

(4-3-3) Tim Melia, Amadou Dia, Kevin Ellis, Matt Besler, Jalil Anibaba, Paolo Nagamura, Soni Mustivar, Benny Feilhaber, Jacob Peterson, Dom Dwyer, Krisztian Nemeth

Benny Feilhaber and Charlie Davies are two American soccer veterans that will face off tonight. Feilhaber and Davies reflect on MLS's growth since 2011 - ESPN FC:

"You can bring in guys like Thierry Henry and David Beckham towards the end of their career to try and draw fans in, and of course they're still great players," he said. "But I think if you're going to build the quality for the future, you need to try and keep guys that are 18, 19, 20 years old in the league as opposed to letting them go out and play in Europe.

"Financially, there has to be some quality compared with the offers they're getting from Europe in order for that to happen. But I think they have to work from the bottom to the top to keep that kind of talent here."

- Benny Feilhaber

ICYMI: MLS reschedules Sporting Kansas City-Colorado Rapids postponed match for October 21

Sporting KC's Academy has been getting noticed from international EPB suitors lately. And now that they have big plans with the USL Professional Development League, more attention is coming... Sporting KC Set to Revolutionize Player Development in MLS.

The U-20's beat Australia 2-1 in a friendly ahead of the World Cup. New USMNT starlet Gedion Zelalem made his debut. Sporting KC's Erik Palmer-Brown who joined the team late, did not play.

Jozy Altidore is out 4-5 weeks with a hamstring strain. Don't all freak out at once though..... it is possible he could be back to full health in time to join the USMNT for Gold Cup action.

This was the other day in a friendly against Mexico where the US dominated 5-1. Tobin Heath ARE YOU SERIOUS with that elastico?!

LAFC released plans for a soccer specific stadium and they promise it will be "one of the cathedrals of soccer". Of course they aren't a real team yet and don't even know exactly when they will be. But the owners say they will now turn to finalizing club identity, building academy.

Let me tell you... they better get a club identity soon because right now it is literally just The Cauldron through a red filter. The LAFC took a photo of the Cauldron and put red all over it.

Get excited for Monday. #LAFC #MLS pic.twitter.com/FpS5Fb60kF

— LAFC (@LAFC) May 16, 2015

For the STL fans, or KC people awaiting a rivalry, Don Garber meets with St. Louis officials to discuss future expansion. The city is hopeful as he called it a "great soccer market" but it is a "long term project".

Garber is also going to Miami to continue that battle of stadium discussions with David Beckham.

Here is a graph to visualize the number of deaths in Qatar for the World Cup. Is this thing really going to happen and we are all going to watch? *Well maybe not.. Update below*

What it will take is sponsors threatening FIFA..... And HOLY S*** Coca-Cola Speaks Out About 2022  World Cup Migrant Worker Abuse!

Hey Joe Hart, that was a nice save! What did you think of Mangala's embarrassing defense?

Your face when you've got away with one #SWAMCI #joehart #mcfc pic.twitter.com/BGZ96Tg01w

— Sam Hodgkiss (@Splodgeeman) May 17, 2015

But then he's all... It's OK guys, I got your backs! And then he got real... NO SERIOUSLY..... I HAVE THIS!

Here are 10 locker rooms of some of the world's biggest clubs. Juve's is so Italian. But awesome. EPB you will enjoy it.

A while back I shared The Social Network Football League. Well the league has just expanded to include Reddit, Vine, and several others. I am going with Reddit! Those jerseys....

Leaving you with some Norwegians who invented Ski Soccer. Looks awesome but this would without question.. equal certain death for me: