VI Images/Getty ImagesJozy Altidore has gotten off to a terrific start for his new Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar, which is good news for U.S. soccer.

It's been a very good few weeks for U.S. soccer. The Jurgen Klinsmann honeymoon is ongoing, MLS nabbed an unexpected profile-raising new TV deal, and two, count 'em two, MLS teams (FC Dallas and Seattle Sounders) gained CONCACAF Champions League wins in Mexico. That's a terrific threesome of events, but the best news is the return of Jozy Altidore to the goals column.

The former Red Bulls phenom has ridden a lot of pine across Europe since leaving the friendly confines of MLS for the cutthroat world of La Liga and Villarreal in 2008. I don't blame him for boosting his bank balance but his game stalled, and his easy-going attitude seemed to take a hit as well.

Yet Altidore is only 21, and he's still got plenty of game. He just needs to play. And at his new Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar, he's got off to the type of fast start that should ensure playing time as opposed to his wasting more time. He scored two goals against NEC Nijmegen last Sunday, adding to his Eredivisie opening day strike against PSV Eindhoven, and bagged another brace Thursday night in AZ's 6-0 demolition of Aalesund in their Europa League playoff.

It seems Altidore has finally found a home after wandering in soccer's blighted loan deal wilderness for too long. Fellow Bradenton residency program alumni DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Bradley thrived in Dutch football and there is no reason Altidore shouldn't do so as well. He's big, powerful and has a natural instinct for getting into goal-scoring positions. His technique, finishing and stamina, though, have been very questionable for some time. That's why he needs to play. You can't teach size and instincts, but you can improve on the other items on this list. And the Dutch are masters at teaching them.

The presence of U.S. national team World Cup veteran Earnie Stewart in the AZ front office will also help Altidore. It affords him the luxury of an empathetic figure at the club that will ensure an even playing field to display his talents. The outdated attitude that American players are only good for playing in goal, not scoring goals, seemed to prevail once he got to Spain. It's one thing to sit behind a Champions League strike force at Villarreal, but quite another to never kick a ball for Xerez in the second tier.

Granted, Altidore bears plenty of responsibility for his own misfortunes in Europe -- the unfiltered Twitter comments and reported lackluster training ground efforts didn't help his cause at Hull City, but he remains the best U.S. hope to provide a real goal-scoring edge to the front line. And that's why Altidore blooming again in Holland is the best possible news for U.S. soccer.

Altidore has scored 12 goals in 39 internationals for the U.S. on raw talent alone. That's a pretty good return by any standard, and why U.S. fans love him. He's feasted mainly on CONCACAF opponents, including Mexico, which is fine, but for the U.S. to really lodge itself in the FIFA top 10, it must have a striker who defenders fear. At the moment, Altidore still has the potential to be that player.

Klinsmann, the new U.S. national team head coach, has made it clear that he wants high energy and a matching attitude from his players. These are two areas that Altidore must work on. Team defense was a problem area under Klinsmann's predecessor, Bob Bradley. It begins up front, and Altidore never seemed fond of chasing down defenders to pressure them from playing easy balls out of the back. For all the California sunshine evident in Klinsmann's demeanor, no one should forget that his standards are ultimately of German engineered precision. German soccer doesn't tolerate timeouts on the field -- only results. Altidore will do well to remember that.

Like Bradley before him, Klinsmann will give Altidore every opportunity to thrive and mature. But the new sheriff in town will expect his young gun to be playing and scoring goals regularly to ultimately be part of his American Revolution. With the new season underway, Altidore has made a giant stride in that direction.

At the risk of mixing my football metaphors, I'm giving a game ball to the Los Angeles Galaxy this week. The reason: for completing the Robbie Keane transfer from Tottenham Hotspur. It's an inspired piece of business. The Galaxy get a proven goal scorer and MLS's most prominent franchise demonstrates that it's willing to shed its financial training wheels once again to win a championship. And these days, like it or hate it, that's what big boy soccer is all about.

Keane turned 31 last month, has scored goals wherever he's played and his passion for the game resonates with fans like the unique aroma and velvet aftertaste of a perfect pint of Guinness. And like his nation's iconic stout, Ireland's captain is a much-traveled commodity (that according to some is an acquired taste that comes served with a big head). But by temperament, natural-born goal scorers are all divas, worth their weight in all the bouquets of white orchids placed perfectly in their locker stall. And Galaxy fans will be happy to pay any required florist bills for the foreseeable future.

According to reports, Keane will take his place in the Galaxy locker room for Saturday's game against the San Jose Earthquakes, replacing the quickly discarded, surplus-to-requirements (and MLS rules) Designated Player Juan Pablo Angel. The former Red Bulls striker has been one of the best DPs in MLS history, but this season he has scored fewer goals (three) than EPL teams Keane has played for (five), and now seeks to reboot his career across the Home Depot Center corridor at Chivas USA.

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Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesRobbie Keane is Ireland's all-time leading goal scorer in international competition.

Angel came to MLS with an EPL pedigree, but it wasn't anywhere near as extensive as Keane's. The Irish striker leaves the Premiership tied for 10th on the all-time goal-scoring list (123 goals, level with Dwight Yorke). He's also Ireland's all-time leading scorer with 51 goals and is still very much a fixture on the national team, and -- unlike other notable DP signings such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry -- Keane doesn't wash up on MLS shores carrying an injury.

So, what could go wrong? Well, for starters, Keane will be riding the energy-sapping trans-Atlantic shuttle to play in Ireland's Euro2012 quest (the Irish play crucial games against Slovakia and Russia in September). The Galaxy have already been down this flight path with David Beckham, and those England late-substitute appearance expeditions only expedited exasperation with the Beckham experiment. In addition, Keane clearly wore out his welcome with the easygoing Harry Redknapp at Spurs despite being a prolific scorer and significant contributor for much of his time at White Hart Lane. Also, his Liverpool move was a short-lived bust, and recent loan spells at Celtic and West Ham produced goals (especially at Celtic) but didn't lead to permanent moves. Finances were a factor in both cases most likely, and that's where the Galaxy brass must get some credit here. They not only put up a significant DP salary but also reportedly paid Spurs a transfer fee in the $5 million range.

The Galaxy want to win the 2011 MLS Cup, and this week they put their checkbook where the easy clichés reside. Bruce Arena's team already leads the Western Conference and is well placed for a title chase without another large expenditure. But the same could be said for Barcelona in a much bigger arena, and that didn't stop the world's best team from signing Cesc Fabregas this week. Of course L.A. isn't in the same galaxy as the Spanish giant, but the organization demonstrated huge ambition this week. And that's great for MLS and great for American soccer.

When MLS teams go beyond signing celebrity free agents who have few significant bidders on the European side of the Atlantic and begin competing in transfer payment bidding, then the league sends serious signals of intent to fans, sponsors and its players. It has ambition, and is willing to pay to fulfill it. MLS has a long way to go on this, but the Galaxy made a significant step in the right direction this week.

And now, the league and its best-known team have an established international-caliber player still in his prime with a point to prove and that rare talent for scoring goals. Another North London legend, Thierry Henry, leads the MLS scoring charts at the moment. Don't be surprised if Robbie Keane starts chasing him down very soon.

It's often said defense wins championships. That old chestnut may well be true, but it only holds in soccer if the goalkeeper can keep down the unforced errors. It's an often overlooked factor, but a safe pair of hands between the posts is to EPL title aspirations what catfights are to the "Real Housewives" franchise: absolutely essential.

As the Premiership kicks off, the title contenders have question marks in the goalkeeping department -- none more so than defending champion Manchester United. It's a lot to ask a 20-year-old goalkeeper who's new to the league to fill the void left by the retirement of a Dutch master. But at Wembley in the Community Shield last Sunday, David de Gea seemed to pick up exactly where his predecessor, Edwin van der Sar, left off against Barcelona in the Champions League final on the same hallowed turf in May, looking decidedly dodgy on letting in a long-range salvo that shouldn't have been allowed to hit its mark.

Sir Alex Ferguson has few weaknesses as a manager, but replacing goalkeeping legends might be one of them. The good knight fielded 10 goalkeepers (and no doubt lost many a good night's sleep) between Peter Schmeichel's retirement in 1999 and van der Sar's debut in 2005. One of those keepers, of course, was Tim Howard. The New Jersey native established himself as one of the league's best after moving from Old Trafford to Goodison Park in 2007, but it's unlikely Everton will feature in the title race this season.

On the red side of Merseyside, there is renewed hope for a title tilt. An unscientific poll I conducted among some of my ESPN colleagues (past and present) revealed overwhelming support for Pepe Reina as the EPL's best goalkeeper. And for Liverpool to have any shot at a record-tying 19th title, he'll have to be strong.

It would help new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas escape the Stamford Bridge shadow of his mentor, Jose Mourinho, if Petr Cech got back to cutting off dangerous crosses instead of instigating the occasional penalty-area game of follow the bouncing ball. Cech has come up big many, many times for Chelsea over the years, but there is every chance he'll take his eye off the ball once or twice this season and that could prove costly.

The football follies have been a feature of the tenure of Brazilian keeper Gomes in the White Hart Lane goal, and factored in Spurs missing out on a Champions League berth. A bit like the fabled "Little Girl With A Curl," Gomes has plenty of very good moments, but when he's bad -- well, horrid hardly begins to describe some of his howlers. Enter another American EPL stalwart, Brad Freidel. At 40 years old, the Buckeye stopper is double de Gea's age and doesn't have the razor sharp reflexes of his salad days at Blackburn (if that's not too much of an oxymoron), but he still commands the penalty area with an authority that his backline benefits from. It will be interesting to see who gets the starting nod from Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.

Across North London, Spurs archrival Arsenal is distracted by the Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nesri transfer sagas, but as always Arsene Wenger is putting his faith in youth. He seems set to put his last line of defense in the hands of 21-year-old Wojciech Szczesny. Gunners' fans are a bit up in arms about Wenger's continuing youth policy. They will be hoping the young Pole doesn't give them more ammunition.

Joe Hart will be making more money at Manchester City, having just signed a new contract. In sports, that can sometimes make a player relax. Hart was outstanding at the beginning of the last campaign but displayed some chinks in the armor down the stretch. After less than stellar performances against Switzerland in June and Manchester United in the Community Shield, Roberto Mancini will want to see normal service restored as the new season gets underway.

Goalkeepers, of course, are a different breed. Like closers in baseball, they stand alone with little margin for error. This EPL season, their mistakes will not only be magnified more than ever, they will be more critical than ever. My only predictions for the season are that my beloved Baggies will get more points than Swansea City, and that the title race will be tighter than a Joan Rivers facelift.

The title contenders will be looking over their shoulders all season, checking out the opposition, and often their own goalkeepers. They all know the team with safe hands at the back will most likely end up at the front.

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Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesLuis Suarez has four goals and three assists for Liverpool in the EPL since his arrival in January.

Paris famously has its Latin Quarter, and this upcoming English Premier League season a quartet of Latino players based in the decidedly less cosmopolitan confines of Lancashire could well decide the destination of the Premiership title.

The influence of Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Luis Suarez, Sergio "Kun" Aguero and Carlos Tevez on the fates of Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively, can't be underestimated on the eve of the new season.

Last season, Mexico's goal-scoring sensation Chicharito made a big impact in his first season on the red side of Manchester. He is to soccer what Rory McIlroy is to golf: the new prodigy on the block with the competitive instincts and charisma to match his great talent. But unlike last year, Chicharito will now face high expectations, opponents who will have spent more time planning how to stop him and bigger demands from sponsors and the media. That's a potent cocktail for any 23-year-old to handle, but I'd be very surprised if "sophomore slump" was in his bilingual vocabulary. He also has the advantage of playing for Sir Alex Ferguson. No one knows better than the good knight how to nurture precocious youngsters into bona fide long-term superstars.

Across town, Roberto Mancini is still doing the Tangled Up in Blue(s) tango with Tevez. The Manchester City want-away talisman will miss the Community Shield season curtain raiser Sunday, and there's a strong chance he won't play for City ever again. But that doesn't mean he won't have an enormous impact on the fortunes of the team this year. Bad attitudes can be replaced, but 21 EPL goals are harder to come by. Hello, Aguero.

If Tevez leaves, his countryman will have the biggest boots in the EPL to fill. But at this summer's Copa America, Aguero demonstrated pretty ably that he can handle the pressure of replacing Tevez in the starting XI. Impressive off the bench early on, Aguero's goals against Bolivia (a volley for the ages) and Costa Rica saw him move ahead of El Apache on the Argentina depth chart during the tournament. Copa America wasn't Argentina's finest hour, but it could well prove a springboard for Aguero on the international stage. And his career could take a similar leap forward this season in the EPL.

There has been a lot of talk about the so-called failure of Aguero's former Atletico Madrid teammate, Diego Forlan, in Manchester during his stint with United a few years back, foreshadowing problems for City's new striker. But similar things were written when another free-scoring Atletico Madrid striker moved to another Lancashire hot spot a few seasons back -- and Fernando Torres soon proved all his skeptics wrong at nearby Anfield. The only thing that could prevent Aguero settling in quickly in the EPL is the antics of Tevez. If City's leading scorer the past two seasons is forced to stay with the team, Aguero could find himself caught up in the dysfunctional carnage that is sure to follow.

The player to follow in the EPL this season can be found a few miles down the road from Manchester in Liverpool -- Suarez. El Pistolero has played a lot of football in the last 12 months, but the Copa America MVP seems to have an insatiable passion for the game, and he's only going to get better this season.

Liverpool is an intriguing team this season. With Kenny Dalglish at the helm from the get go, new ownership clamoring for a Champions League spot and some serious money being spent on new recruits, expectations are high on the red side of Merseyside. And with no European football to distract it, Liverpool can focus exclusively on domestic concerns. Defense will still be a problem for Liverpool, but offense will not. The main reason is Suarez. The signing of the January transfer window, Suarez is already well on his way to Kop legend status.

The big question for Dalglish is how much better Suarez can make the players around him. That's what truly great players do, and it will be fascinating to see if Andy Carroll can feast on Suarez's superb crosses, and how many assists the Uruguay star will pile up. Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard will boost their goal tallies this season as Suarez creates opportunities for them with his passing prowess, off-the-ball running and dribbling technique. The Suarez hype machine will kick into high gear this season, and it will be well-earned. Come Brazil and the 2014 World Cup, Suarez will be mentioned in the same breath as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

This season in England, it will be the Latin beat that will make the most noise. It will pulse throughout this season and very likely decide where the title-winning carnival will take place next May.