MLS Table Talk | Dictates of the Parity Police

Inexorably, the teams begin to pull apart as the table stretches out across the sun-bleached plastic pitches of Major League Soccer. The top two remain unchanged this week, but it's all in flux beneath them. Chivas have built a four point cushion above an 8-team chasing pack that, in turn, has established a three point gap above the six teams, all within one point of each other, that reside at the foot of the table.

So what jumps out this week?

• Points Per Game - The disparity between the playoff pack and the rest is even more starkly defined in the PPG table, where those at or above 1.3 points per game are in the playoff hunt, while those at or below a point per game are not. Actually, the Dynamo spoil the effect somewhat. Without their 1.0 points per game, the gap would be between 1.3 and 0.8.
• It's In The Net! - RSL (2.4 goals per game) leap to the head of the pack courtesy of the 6 goals they put past New England. The Fire are their closest competitors at 2 goals per game. On the other end, Dallas' woeful defensive record is highlighted by their being the only team with the dubious distinction of allowing two goals per game, though the Revs, Quakes, and Crew are in the hunt at 1.8 allowed per game.
• Whither the Goals? - There are only two teams that have allowed less than a goal per game, and, shocker of all shockers, they top the table. Chivas (0.4 allowed per game) and the Sounders (0.5) are way ahead of their closest competition, the Dynamo, in 12th place but only allowing a goal per game. Why are they in 12th? Well, the 0.8 goals scored per game doesn't help, though it isn't the worst in the league. That distinction goes to the Red Bulls at 0.7.
• Making A Difference - Chivas (+7) hold a narrow lead over Seattle (+6) and RSL (+6) on the positive end, while FC Dallas (-6) lead the way in futility. All of them are from the Western Conference. Coincidence? I think not. This is a pattern that is likely to continue, with the big dogs in the West piling up the goals as a result of the relative lack of competition. The more balanced East will likely see goal differential trends with lower peaks and shallower valleys.
• The Definition of Average - Look at the Rapids. Two wins, two losses, two draws. And goal difference is a wash. Even their goals scored/allowed per game are right smack in the middle of the pack at 1.3.
  
• Big Movers - TFC leap seven places on the back of their two 1-0 wins this week, while the Revs plunge five places after getting spanked by RSL. The movement should start to settle down somewhat from here on out, though it's still early enough in the season that dramatic table movement is still possible given the right results over a couple of weeks. Ah, who am I kidding? This is MLS. The Parity Police dictate that big table movement is always possible given the right results over any 2-3 given weeks.
• Winners and Losers - After Chivas and the Revs dropped matches this week, the Fire are left alone as the only team yet to lose. Now, obviously the Goats and Revs each have one loss apiece. But can you spot which other two teams only have one loss? DC United and the Galaxy. Huh? Of course, the Galaxy join the Crew as the only teams yet to win in this young season, thus explaining their lowly league position.

So, what else do you see in that pile of numbers up there? Anything strike your fancy? Any big shockers? Let's hear it in the comments below.

MLS Dogpile | Chaos Abounds

Chaos abounds, and the goals are flying in around MLS, particularly into the Revs' net. Chivas suffer the standard-issue Alpha Dog setback, but do enough to maintain their perch, more on the basis of Chicago's continuing struggle to post points in threes than any stellar form of their own. At the bottom, the Gals draw again, but can't quite seem to force their way off the bottom of the Pile, mostly on the basis of their being quite lucky to still be in some of these games they're coming from behind to tie up. TFC posts the biggest gains this week, both with two victories and with the loss of Carver at the helm, while the Revs go tumbling. So how do the chips fall? To the Dogpile, my kennel companions!


The Alpha Dog

1. Chivas USA (WDWLW)
Curse of the Alpha Dog revisited as the Goats drop a midweek snorefest to TFC? 9 shots, 4 on frame? That's not just one team, that's both combined! Ugh. The Goats then followed that up with a victory that they can attribute to a tale of two keepers. Thornton kept them in the game with some significant saves, while Sala earned his marching orders by handling outside the box to deny Chijindu. How good are they? Who knows? But they certainly get results...for now. Chicago's failure to win (and they probably should have lost) means that the loss to TFC doesn't dump the Goats off the top of the Pile.
Next: Quakes (Away)

The Playoff Pack

2. Chicago Fire (DWDDD)
Ably abetted by the officials, the Fire eke out another draw, coming back from 2-0 down. That makes four draws in the last five matches. Chicago are still unbeaten, but a few more W's where those D's are and they would have a commanding position atop the league. Can they get the job done at home to the expansion club next week?
Next: Seattle (Home)

3. +1 Seattle Sounders (WWLLW)
A goal on either side of halftime, and it's back to winning ways for the Sounders. Have they shaken off their first brush with the dreaded Expansion Fever? Despite the win, they managed fewer shots on target than their visitors, though the Quakes don't seem to have the firepower to punish anybody at this point. Next week might not be so forgiving with a trip to Chicago.
Next: Fire (Away)

4. +2 Real Salt Lake (LWWLW)
Back in the friendly confines of Rio Tinto and with the result to prove how much they love playing in their new digs. 6-0 was reflective of a match they dominated, but it could have been worse with surer finishing in the first half. RSL have planted their flag as a force to be reckoned with. Now, can they get the results away from home that will make their title challenge a reality? We'll find out next week when the Rocky Mountain derby is renewed.
Next: Rapids (Away)

5. Kansas City Wizards (WWDWL)
KC had the midweek match gift-wrapped for them by the Bull's Carlos Johnson as he managed to concede the penalty that led to the game's only goal and get himself sent off in only the second minute. The worry for the Wiz will be that they didn't build on that one-goal cushion. Neither could they find the net at the weekend, where they had a few chances, but ultimately fell to TFC. Not the best way to enter a bye week.
Next: bye

6. +1 DC United (DWLDW)
A second win, this time a last-minute (literally!) comeback on the road against their archrivals with some key cogs (Moreno, Gomez, and the substituted Olsen) watching from the sideline. It looked like they had squandered their chance after misses on a couple of breakaways that would have made it 2-0, but fortune smiled on the guys in black. Crayton still looks worrying in net, but the goals are coming.
Next: Dallas (Home)

7. -4 New England Revolution (WDWDL)
And reality comes crashing down on Nicol the Illusionist's smoke and mirrors show. RSL put six past the Revs, but it could have been so much worse with better finishing from RSL in the first half. 29 shots, 12 on frame for RSL? Wow! I've been mystified by the Rev's solid record to open the season, but I think this match was a more accurate indication of where their season will be heading.
Next: Houston (Home)

8. Colorado Rapids (WWDLD)
How many times have the Rapids played the Galaxy so far this season? Whatever the case, they couldn't get the result this time as they failed to put away a few early chances that may have seen them crush the Galaxy's spirit. Instead, Arena's boys nipped back in for another come from behind draw, as is their wont.
Next: RSL (Home)


Bum-Sniffing Omega Mutts

9. Houston Dynamo (DLLDW)
A week on the sidelines, watching and waiting, trying to figure out how to score goals. Think RSL's 6-0 thrashing of the Revs will have the goal-shy Dynamo salivating at the chance to have their own crack at the Revs?
Next: Revs (Away)

10. +3 Toronto FC (LDLWW)
Guevara bundles home a scrappy goal to win a rough (and, let's be honest, butt-ugly) game to halt TFC's long slide towards the bottom, followed by a narrow 1-0 over KC in the wake of Carver's departure. In that second match, Vitti looked like he's settling into MLS nicely. I wonder if Barrett still has a place in the team when DeRo gets healthy? TFC are back in the win column, but they're not dominating games, which limits their climb to three places this week despite the two victories. The home stand continues next week against the struggling Crew. A third win running will surely see them enter the Playoff Pack.
Next: Crew (Home)

11. San Jose Earthquakes (WLDDL)
I said last week that the Quakes need a go-to finisher in order to remain in the hunt for the playoffs this year. Case in point: the match with Seattle. The Quakes had chances, registering more shots on frame than their hosts, but they were simply unable to create anything that really tested Keller.
Next: Chivas (Home)

12. -2 New York Red Bulls (LDWLL)
The Bulls have certainly been seeing red in this young season, haven't they? Unable to build on last week's victory, they'll take comfort from only losing 1-0 despite playing almost the entire match against KC a man down. That might have said something for the improvement of their defense, so hurtfully exposed by Seattle in the season opener. But then they watched it all fall apart at home to DC, where balls over the top and through the middle exposed a slow center of defense on a fast, bouncy pitch...much like in Seattle. Too bad Osorio's men have to call that patch of plastic home, eh?
Next: Galaxy (Away)

13. +1 Columbus Crew (DLLDD)
Will the Crew ever win again? They looked home and dry up 2-0 but couldn't seal the deal, as has happened so often this season. True, the red was probably harsh, but losing two goals in the last few minutes is no way to stake your claim as a true challenger for the league title. When do things go from worrying to desperation?
Next: TFC (Away)

14. -2 FC Dallas (LLDWL)
Despite being a man down for much of the match, they did have their chances, only to see Thornton come up big at every time of asking. Tough luck for the Starcows, but their defensive effort, in spite of surrendering two goals, was a bit better. The question is: was this down to anything Dallas was doing, or was it a lackluster Goats attack? They may get more answers away to DC United next weekend.
Next: DC United (Away)

15. Los Angeles Galaxy (DLDDD)
There's a pattern emerging here. LA come under heavy early pressure, are bailed out by Ricketts in net, then come into the game when their opponents fail to put them away completely, and finally the equalizer arrives. LA were fortunate to have an official who realized his mistake or this one may have been their second loss. Question: does only one loss in five outweigh not having any wins? Nope.
Next: Red Bulls (Home)

United Match Reaction | Hot, Flat & Crowded

I apologize for the lateness of the hour. I had a birthday party to attend with the little one, and while I'm thankful to Match Center for having the archive available so quickly, I'm not best pleased that the 800k stream included 10+ minutes of the end of a movie and then proceeded to end midway through the second half. This necessitated jumping to the 400k stream and allowing it to play through (with frequent fast-forwards) in order to finish the match. Despite the streaming media pain, the joy was well worth the effort...

Enough of my sob stories. Let's hit those talking points!

* Not a match for the purist. Follow the bouncing ball. So should we blame the basketball court surface? The 100+ degree temps on the field? Both? There was an awful lot of head tennis and long ball madness, though that much had to be expected. Any time either side attempted to get the ball down and play, they surface conspired against them. No wonder every goal came from balls over the top or crosses. I still wonder why, knowing that such a match was in the offing, Osorio started with Oduro up top. Rotation policy? Regardless...

* Thank whatever deity you so choose that Kandji didn't start. After the defense looked relatively solid in the first half (yes, even Burch), Kandji created all kinds of problems and opened up space for his teammates as Burch and Jakovic struggled to contain his power. Having to split the focus from negating Angel to negating both Kandji and Angel left Angel free to score one and create the opportunity for the Red Bulls' second.

* Crayton is rapidly approaching liability status. His flapping at crosses was frightening to behold...and I've beheld Rimando! True, he had a couple of decent saves, but this has now become my biggest worry on the roster. Crayton doesn't look good. Certainly not worth the cap figure he commands. Wicks strikes me as third-stringer material at best. And Kocic didn't seem to be the answer from what I saw of the Open Cup highlights. Maybe it's time to toss Kocic in the fire and hope he survives, much like Guzan's rookie season. Crayton is simply getting paid way too much to not be among the top 5 keepers in MLS. We could use that cap money elsewhere and get more bang for our buck. Summer transfer window?

* Quaranta the creator. Speaking of bang for our buck, we've certainly had our faith in Tino repaid with interest. Witness the two moments of class that created the first two goals. Situation #1: killing a bouncing ball on the break with a touch off the sole of his boot before crossing hard to the runner on the back post. Situation #2: an instinctive, first-time lobbed cross on the volley. Luck? Perhaps a bit, but he got the ball into a dangerous area where the predator could do his work. Anybody else you'd hold up as man of the match?

* Pontius' secret weapon. I noticed last week that we started letting Pontius take long throws late in the match as we chased the game. We did the same this week. I have a question. Why aren't we letting him take all of our long throw ins from the first whistle? The dude can launch them. Why not exploit that throughout the match? Are we too proud of our feted "possession football" approach?

* Great never say die attitude. Not only by Khumalo and Pontius in grabbing the stoppage time winner, but by the whole team in fighting back through the heat, fatigue, cramping, and pain. That will be my abiding memory of this match. After last week's dramatic late equalizer, we're seeing stirrings in this team of the sort of heart that was mostly absent last season. Now, if we could just figure out how to instill a killer instinct, because...

* We should have been at least 2-0 up. Quaranta and Emilio both squandered golden opportunities to pad the lead. At least this time, the Bulls' comeback was more down to their forcing the issue than our sitting back, but I still worry about this shortcoming. We need to be able to finish teams off when we're in position to do so. Part of this is continuing to attack. Part is some of our really wasteful finishing. At least last week's most obvious goat in the finishing sweepstakes managed to redeem himself this time around with the winner.

Those boos raining down at the final whistle were sweet music indeed. Maybe I'm being too hard on this club, expecting too much by looking for some nebulous "killer instinct". Let's face it, I wasn't hopeful going into this season, and our current position is somewhat surprising to me. Much of that is down to how well the rookies and new signings have blended in to the team. There was hemming and hawing about a "rebuilding year," but I'm tempted to want the future now. Christian and Jaime have given us great years, but we've got some kids who play with skill and heart. There is a core of young players here, led by the phoenix that is Santino Quaranta, that give me hope.

Vamos United!

United Preview | Into the Concrete Cavern

Lots of questions heading into Sunday's tilt with Los Toros Rojos, and not just on our side of the ball. To wit...

• The Bulls are coming off a mid-week loss, but the bigger impact may not be the loss, it may be that they played a man down for 88 minutes. Tired legs + plastic laid over concrete = not so good?
• Tommy will have some interesting choices to make after some of the scrubs and those returning from injury looked good against the Starcows in the Open Cup.
• With Gomez out, do we need to stay in the 3-5-2? If we do, who gets his role in the middle: Fred, Olsen, Moreno, Quaranta, Barklage?
• Is Avery John ready to pick up any minutes? Because in a three-man back line, I'm not sure I like either Jakovic or Janicki in a wide role. That said, they're both playing pretty well at the moment, so I wouldn't mind seeing a 4-back lineup. Heck, I'd rather see the 4-man back line anyway, particularly against a team with speed on the flanks, strong aerial targets, and a playing surface that will run extremely fast and doesn't favor possession.
• Does Olsen get on the field considering the state of his ankles and the state of the concrete pitch?

Well, that gives us some things to think about. Now, how does Tommy line the boys up? As I said above, the cruddy field up there doesn't favor possession. It plays fast and bouncy, and for that reason, it's a recipe for disaster if we go for three backs, none of whom is blessed with terrific speed. It's not like we're going to be able to play fancy stuff with lots of slick touches anyway.

Better instead to go more direct. Of course, Tommy being wedded to the 3-5-2 probably means we'll line up that way by default. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have options. Starting with Jakovic and Janicki on the back line and Wallace on the left means that we can pull Wallace back and go 4-4-2 at a moment's notice (assuming, of course, that Tommy has raised the tactical possibilities beforehand). Also, having guys at back who are strong in the air and able to play the physical game is a necessity against Angel and Kandji. Incidentally, if Angel and Kandji play narrow, allowing Richards and whoever's on the left to push into wide attacking positions, we're going to be mighty vulnerable in a 3-man back line unless we have somebody (McTavish?) dropping into the middle of defense for extra cover.

The next topic for debate is going to be the relative merits of preserving Saint Benny's ankles and the fact that he generally hurts the Bulls. Also, we'll miss his competitive fire if he sits out. So which way does Tommy play it? I'm going to say he holds Benny out and subs him in if the team is flat. So who goes in place of Benny? Jacobson is tempting, but technical. I think we go with experience and defensive grit in McTavish, particularly in a 3-5-2.

And what about the attacking midfield spot left vacant by Gomez? On any other field, I'd be tempted to say Fred. But I don't think a short passing game will be productive. That's a knock against Moreno filling in as well. That leaves Quaranta as a strong possibility, though I wonder if we might benefit more from Barklage's energy in that position, particularly if Olsen doesn't start as part of the central midfield trio.

Up top, I think we miss N'Silu. This would be an ideal spot to stick him in there to get his noggin on the bouncing ball. Emilio probably plays by default in hopes that he'll get one of two opportunistic chances. Tommy will probably start Moreno as well, though I think that would be a mistake not only because the field doesn't favor his old legs or his possession play, but because we'll want speed and energy up top.

So, how would I line them up? Well, how about one lineup constrained by the damnéd 3-5-2, and another in the ideal world of my imagination where we can go with four at the back?

3-5-2 (Danger!Danger!) 4-4-2 (Pretty please?)

----Pontius---Emilio-- --------Emilio-------
-------Barklage------- --Quaranta-----------
Wallace-----------Fred Fred----------Pontius
----Simms--McTavish--- ---Simms--Jacobson---
-Namoff-------Jakovic- Wallace--------Namoff
-------Janicki-------- ---Janicki--Jakovic--
-------Crayton-------- -------Crayton-------

If John is fit and has an understanding with the other backs and keepers, this would be the type of game where his strength would be an asset in matching up with NY's forwards, so he might be a possibility as well, but I don't see him being ready yet. What do you think? How would you line up? What threats are you looking to counter, and where do you think the Bulls can be exploited?

Some Friday Rambling on Expansion & Whistlemen

You know, I do sometimes discuss the game outside of the ritual spleen-venting that goes on here in blogland, and one of the topics that seems evergreen over the last couple of years is the effect of MLS HQ's Rapid Expansion Plan on the product on the field. We've already shrunk the net available to catch the promising kids by reducing the roster sizes. Now, we're going to have to stretch the quality to cover Garber's mad dash to put a team in every market.

Yes, you could claim that adding more teams makes the net bigger by default, but tossing kids on in situations where they're not surrounded by quality teammates makes it harder for them to really shine unless the entirety of their soccer playing ability revolves around tricks or physicality. Is this the game we're trying to create? NBA partido dos? Or should we be looking for players who, for example, know how to pick out a through-ball (which requires a teammate making an intelligent, dangerous run) or play a quick, one-touch game?

Surely the HQ troglodytes have some inkling of the problem. Their words say they do anyway. We hear them point out that "the soccer fans are here, we just need to create a quality product on the field," and yet where do they expect the talent to make the product better will come from? You either need to focus on the aforementioned wider net, or (and preferably in combination with the former) you have to open the checkbook. And we haven't even mentioned the dreaded specter of the upcoming contract talks between the league and the players' union yet. Checkbooks indeed!

But I'm sure all of you are well versed in those arguments. Where I wanted to raise a point of concern was another area of "on the pitch quality" that doesn't seem to be getting any air time. I speak, of course, of the whistlemen. Now, it's every fan's right to bitch and moan about refs destroying games, being blind, etc., but we've got some pretty scary men running about with whistles in this league. Hell, Brian freakin' Hall is their standard bearer, which should send considerable chills down anyone's spine.

I'm hoping the numbers have increased since this time last year (they better have, considering we have the WPS in the mix now!), but the horse's mouth said to a blog last year (and I can't find anything on official sites outside of who is available for international matches) that there are 24 refs in the pool that work top level games, with only 4(!!!) of those being full-time (including your friend and mine, Mr. Jair Marrufo).

Now, there have been some deserved cards and penalties, and heck, even a few well-managed matches so far this season, but there have also been some egregious decisions and matches driven into chaos by the whistlemen. If this is the best we can manage now, what happens when we add 2 or 3 more matches per weekend, or however many Garber's march to nationwide coverage may lead to? It doesn't matter what kind of player you're going to be putting out there at that stage if the men in the middle can't run a decent game.

Hello, MLS HQ? You're not a cellular provider. Nationwide coverage is not a prerequisite for success. Just focus on getting us a solid signal in the existing markets. Part of that is players. And part is the men with the whistles.

Good luck with that.

United Match Reaction | Half-Cocked, As Usual

DC United took the first step towards defending its Open Cup crown by seeing off the Dallas Starcows 2-0. Wait...does anybody really defend the "Open Cup crown," or is it more of a "Hey, you want this thing? No? You sure? Well, if you really don't want it...maybe I'll hang on to it anyway..." That about the shape of it to you too? Regardless, the result clearly indicates that the answer to all of our woes is to give the kids more time, right? The kids are alright? Out with the old, in with the new? Barklage is Jesus in cleats? No? Well, given that I'm going only on hearsay, forum whisperings, and my trusty imagination, here's what I've been able to glean that seems relevant...

* Kocic ain't quite ready for primetime. Likewise Peters. Though neither embarrassed themselves, they weren't up to the standard of...

* Barklage apparently had quite the game, capped by scoring United's second, but anchored more by his ability to hold possession and distribute the ball from the attacking midfield position.

* Fred sounded like he turned in the typical Fred shift: busy, busy, good running, good in possession, some tricks...and the inevitable boatload of wasted finishes. Anybody getting a sniff of "surplus to requirements," particularly on his heavy salary cap figure? The disease apparently wasn't confined to our Mohicaned midfielder, with plenty of chances going begging. The "dominate possession, fail to finish" issue better not become recurrent or it's going to be an even longer season than if we just flat-out sucked. Imagine the frustration of having a team capable of controlling games, but unable to win them. Torture.

* The other disturbing trend appears to be that we sat back after going up 1-0. I'm sure this guy will be thrilled. What to attribute the problem to? It's got to fall on one dude: the coach.

* Quaranta is said to have played a very Moreno-like game, both for the good and for the ill.

* The prevailing theme seems to be that United played with energy and purpose. Is this a coincidence considering the youth of the team on the field? I'll leave you to pound that soft lob into the upper deck.

Conclusions?

Now the reasonable assumption becomes: the depth has proved, against MLS opposition (deflated though it may be), that it seems to be of a higher quality than last year. If this is so, perhaps seeing some of our old warhorses pull up lame might not be such a terrible thing. Olsen doesn't have the wheels to match with his prodigious engine any more. Maybe tossing a few more hungry, energetic kids into the mix wouldn't be such a bad thing for the overall commitment and determination of the team. If the early success of Wallace, Pontius, and Jakovic are anything to go by, maybe the long, trying summer might create more opportunity than woe.

A Few Things to Read and Watch

• Want to watch the US kids in action at the CONCACAF U-17 Championships? Go right ahead.
• Shatz does a nice job of recapping the first sixth of the season for DC United.
• Jonathan Wilson, king of the numbers game. Particularly relevant (along with this associated post) to the current tactical transformation that Bradley wants to implement with the US national team. Given the tools at his disposal, Soehn might try this experiment as well (as I've long been vainly harping on about).
  

MLS Table Talk | Goat Got Your Tongue?

Who'd-a-thunk it? Just five games in to the new season, and Chivas are four points clear at the top with an astonishing lead in the points-per-game table (2.6 vs. the Revs at 2.0). And what about the other end? You'd expect to find Dallas and LA languishing, but the defending champs? And, predictably, you've got the usual scrum in the middle, with just two points separating the Rapids in 5th from the Red Bulls in 12th. That's a recipe for some rapid table changes on any given weekend, a formula that seasoned followers of MLS will no doubt be familiar with.

Other points of interest?

• The points-per-game table also throws out the interesting tidbit that RSL would be in 4th and the Revs in 2nd if we were sorting by that statistic.
  
• Note that no team currently residing in a playoff spot has a negative goal difference, while every single team that's not in a playoff spot does.
  
• Only two clubs, the Crew and Galaxy, have yet to win a game. On the other end of the spectrum, the Goats, Fire, and Revs have yet to lose.
• The Fire lead the way in offense, netting at a rate of two per game. The Red Bulls trail the pack at 0.6 goals per game, though that could have been much worse without the two they put past RSL this past weekend.
• Defensively, Chivas' 0.4 goals allowed per game leads the way, though major props have to go out to Sigi et al for the expansion Sounders' impressive 0.6 figure. Who can't keep them out? FC Dallas, shockingly (/sarcasm), who are letting in two per game.

Anything else jump out at you? It's probably a bit early to be drawing any conclusions, but some things that surprise me are...

• Chicago allowing 1.4 goals per game. That's about double their total for the majority of last season (some late high-scoring affairs padded their final total). Considering they're returning much the same defense, what's going on here? They're barely better than the woeful Gax (1.5), fercrapssakes!
  
• The Wiz and Chivas are banging them in at a rate of 1.6 goals per game, though many, myself included, thought they might struggle offensively.
• Nice how those win totals sort out, isn't it?

Space-Time Continuum Issues in Sweden?

So I'm watching the clip below, waiting to see Charlie Davies' goal, and I can't help but wonder at the quality of the Djurgården keeper. I'm hoping like hell that he's the third stringer, or maybe the goalkeeping coach drafted in as cover for all the injured regulars, because he's downright awful. Slow to react, beaten from a ridiculous angle at both the near and far post, and he might as well buy a ticket the way he reacts to some of those headers.




But to be fair to the dude, I should in all fairness point out that having watched only goal clips from Chicago-KC this weekend, I was ready to proclaim Kevin Hartman a spent force...





...until I saw a couple of the saves he pulled off to keep things level...





So perhaps I'll hold my judgement on the "quality" of keeping that Davies is facing in Sweden. Perhaps I'll reconsider opining that Davies needs to be banging them in against stiffer opposition (in another league mayhap?) before he gets his "regular callup" pass issued by Skeletor Bob. Maybe the Djurgården keeper pulled off some fantastic reaction parries that didn't make the video clip? Maybe the goals only show him at his worst moments in the match? Maybe he was drugged? Or displaced to a dimension that straggles along a half-second behind our own?

Weekend Video Rewind

Timmy. Cup hero.

20090419_EVR_MAN
by 1513BB92024

Gooch with some deft noggin-work (also, deft avoidance of hurtling teammate body in the wake of the second...hilarity ensues).




Saint Benny, the Bearded Bombardier with some spirited noggin-work of his own.

MLS Dogpile | Revenge of the Parity Police

Here we go again with the Revenge of the Parity Police. Not a single Omega Mutt managed to lose a game this week, while only one of their Playoff Pack/Alpha Dog brethren recorded a victory. A pre-season pick to struggle sits atop the table, while another picked to go far is hanging out on the bottom. Question: does having unpredictable fixtures make for a more exciting league or does it eliminate the thrill of having underdogs vanquishing the juggernauts?


The Alpha Dog

1. +1 Chivas USA (WWWDW)
A win, yes, but not a hugely convincing one, despite the 2-0 scoreline. Seattle had their chances, but couldn't take them, while the Goats did what needed to be done. Chivas are an efficient, if somewhat brutal, team, though I wonder if they could survive a Kljestan move in the summer. Also, we'll have to see what kind of depth they have with a tough cross-country, double-fixture week.
Next: Toronto FC (Away), FC Dallas (Home)

The Playoff Pack

2. -1 Chicago Fire (WDWDD)
Down go the former Alpha Dogs. Best defense in the league? Tell that to two late goals by KC that equalized matters and left the Fire wondering what might have been. Make no mistake, the Fire dominated the match, and they still are undefeated, but they're surrendering far more goals than they did last year. A worrying trend?
Next: Crew (Away)

3. +2 New England Revolution (WDWD)
Battered by injury, the Revs still manage to eke a point with Nicol the Illusionist continuing to pull the wool over everybody's eyes with his chewing gum and dental floss contraption of a roster. Despite being dominated by United, it took a late equalizer to keep them from all three points. Their travels continue with a tester against a wounded RSL next week.
Next: RSL (Away)

4. -1 Seattle Sounders (WWWLL)
MLS reality continues to slap the Sounders around, though they were in control early, and Montero really should have put them ahead with his early chip. Still, when push came to shove (and the Goats can push, shove, hack ankles, throw elbows etc. with the best of them), it was Chivas that made their opportunities count on the scoreboard. Sigi's got a bleeder here. Can he staunch the wound next week when the stumbling Quakes pay a visit?
Next: Quakes (Home)

5. +2 Kansas City Wizards (LLWWD)
Down two goals with 10 minutes left and under heavy pressure from the Fire, things looked bleak for the Wiz. But two goals from former Fire frontrunner (isn't that always the way?) Josh Wolff earned them a point that they probably didn't deserve. Regardless, something has awoken in the Onalfo's men, and they're starting to gather the points they'll need for a post-season push. This week brings a test of their depth and fitness with two games in four days
Next: Red Bulls (Home), Toronto FC (Away)

6. -2 Real Salt Lake (LWWL)
So the question becomes: do RSL just not travel well, or is it that plastic pitches give them trouble now that they've moved to the real stuff at Rio Tinto? The stats are misleading as most of RSL's chances seemed to come late when they were playing with an extra man. This is where many of the questions about Kreis' team begin to surface. Can they find that predatory finisher that's going to win them games when given one solid chance?
Next: Revs (Home)

7. +1 DC United (DDWLD)
20 shots, 8 on frame to 4 shots, 2 on frame for the Revs. A dominant performance by United in all respects except the one that counts--sticking the ball in the net--until Saint Benny showed up to save the day. The Revs did what they do best and grabbed their only good chance to frustrate an improved DC side that was hamstrung by in-game injuries, poor finishing, and questionable substitutions from Soehn.
Next: Red Bulls (Away)

8. -2 Colorado Rapids (LWWDL)
Casey almost rescued the Rapids again with a mazy run to beat half of the Dynamo defense before being spun to the turf. Unfortunately for Colorado, he couldn't grab the equalizer from the spot. You do wonder what they're going to do should he come up lame in mid-season. Also, I wonder if he's back in the frame for national team consideration, perhaps amongst the B-squad at the Gold Cup?
Next: LA Galaxy (Home)


Bum-Sniffing Omega Mutts

9. +3 Houston Dynamo (DLLDW)
Finally a win, though it was a close run thing. Bouts of attacking pressure only resulted in a single goal, setting the stage for the Rapids to equalize from the spot, but Onstad came up big with the double save to preserve Houston's first three-point haul. Now they'll have a week to rest on their laurels before returning to action, and hopefully be able to find something resembling offense in the interim.
Next: bye

10. +4 New York Red Bulls (LDLDW)
Finally a win, and a convincing one at that, with the majority of RSL's chances coming late as they chased the game with a man advantage. Has Osorio found the answers after a slow start in gathering all of the weaponry he wanted? He'll have a big test this week with two matches against some likely opposition for the final playoff spots in the East.
Next: KC Wizards (Away), DC United (Home)

11. -1 San Jose Earthquakes (LWLDD)
Ouch. The Quakes had their chances to bury the Gals early, but could never quite find the second that would have killed them off. Instead, another late rally sees Arena's men just about keeping their heads above water. As has been consistently pointed out: the Quakes need a go-to finisher who is going to capitalize on the chances their dynamic midfield creates.
Next: Seattle (Away)

12. +3 FC Dallas (LLLDW)
The Starcows nearly managed to give this one away after grabbing a two-goal edge. I mentioned last week that they'll need to start finding some clean sheets, but when you leave Barrett with as much time and space as he had to settle and finish the equalizer, even he's going to make it count. The offense seems fine. Now they just need to address the other end.
Next: Chivas USA (Away)

13. -4 Toronto FC (WDLDL)

Fought back from a two-goal deficit, only to see the point slip away on a late PK. Since their impressive early victory it's mostly been a downhill trend for the Canucks. Can they recover against two of the hotter sides in the league this week? Will their defense be able to cope?
Next: Chivas USA (Home), KC Wizards (Home)

14. -3 Columbus Crew (DDLLD)
A week to sit and stew and wait for the return of McBride. It's not a good week on the Pile when everybody below you gets a result, is it? Only the fact that I see more potential in the Crew than I do in the Galaxy keeps them off the bottom now that only two winless teams remain.
Next: Fire (Home)

15. -3 Los Angeles Galaxy (DLDD)
The new 3-5-2 looked awful shaky to start, but Ricketts kept things close, as he did last week, and late pressure from the Gals paid off. Ricketts may be the difference this year for LA. He's got precious little in front of him, but he's been making the big saves consistently to keep LA in games that they look in danger of being blown out in. They've proven they can earn draws, but when do the wins start arriving? Until they do, you're looking at the most omega of the Omega Mutts.
Next: Rapids (Away)

United Post Mortem | Questions for Tommy

All right, we've had a night to reflect, we've seen the post-game interviews, and it's time to pose a few questions...

(1) Tommy lays the blame on Simms for the double swap at halftime, claiming he wouldn't have made the Quaranta for Burch move if he knew Simms couldn't go in the second half. Fine, that gets you off the hook for not having a sub available when Jaime came up gimpy (though one could also claim that we then wouldn't have had anybody with sufficient dead-ball quality on the pitch to deliver the cross that Olsen nogginned in for the equalizer, neh?).

But that still begs the question: why Burch? I had assumed that it was due to his carelessness in possession in the first half (I would have had words, not yanked him for that), but Tommy's comments seem to indicate that he thought Burch was doing just fine. So why pull him? Wallace's speed was causing the Revs problems on that flank. Putting him in the back three negated that threat. Perhaps Tommy thought he needed Wallace's fleet feet to counter Nyassi? I'm still not convinced that you need to break up a back three that wasn't giving up much in the first half. Maybe Burch's big body and greater professional experience as a defender does better on that cross than Wallace? We'll never know.

Still, I will admit that, after we finally got going in the wake of the goal (pre-Gomez-injury), we certainly looked far more likely to score than we did in the first half, with Pontius and Moreno both failing to capitalize on golden chances. Was Tommy just unlucky? That still doesn't explain...

(2) Why are we losing these key moments in the game? Soehn has taken pains to identify that we're coming up short in those critical junctures on either side of half-time and late in the game. True, we did manage to "win" the last five minutes this time around, but we got caught out in the wake of halftime. That doesn't speak well for Tommy's motivational techniques and prompts another question: is it better to try and make an immediate change to capitalize in those key moments, or do you stick with what's been working fairly well for you until you get through that patch, and then make the change if things aren't looking so rosy?

I've been critical of Tommy in the past for failing to make changes quickly enough, but in this instance, I think he jumped the gun. If he thought Burch was doing fine and that we just needed a bit more attacking threat, why not have words with the team, encourage them to really come out with guns blazing in the second half, and then pull the trigger on the swap if things aren't working out so well?

Note that this criticism is based entirely on this specific team and in this specific game. Let's get this straight: if we had a team full of guys ready to go 90, I would have had absolutely ZERO problem with Tommy making that early change--it's a poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe issue of when you think the swap might prove most effective. Where I think he jumped the gun was in using a sub for a guy that's probably going to make the full 90 without issue, while leaving three guys on the field who might not. Calculated risk or coaching myopia? I'd probably lean towards the former and even give Tommy a pat on the back for trying to be proactive were it not for this news from the Goffster.

(3) Avery John? Really? We're going to add another old soldier, and a thuggish one at that, who hasn't really impressed in USL1 lately? So who gets bumped? Does Pontius' early success make Boyzzzzz surplus to requirements? Their finishing is certainly in the same unreliable category. Maybe we've figured out that Peters isn't going to cut it at the MLS level? His presence on the bench suggests otherwise. Or did Doe find his way back into Tommy's doghouse?

Likewise, doesn't this indicate that the 3-5-2 is here to stay? John was effective, if not pretty, on the left side of the Rev's three-man back line that had so much success over the last few years. In a four man back line, I think we've got better options in Burch and Wallace because of their attacking qualities, but John probably pips them in a three-back set and prevents us having to push Namoff onto the left. But what does this mean for Burch? I don't see him playing wide mid in a 3-5-2. Is he just depth now? Another failure to develop a promising young talent in the Soehn era?

So what about you? Any questions for Tommy? Want to take a stab at answering any of the hand-wringing queries above? Fire away.

If Ever There Was...

...a legitimate excuse to use roflcopter, this picture must surely be it. Thanks for the smiles to brighten the weekend, BTB! And somebody better tell the rook to protect the package. Puffed out chipmunk cheeks aren't going to get the job done, Mr. Pontius.

[Update: I showed my wife this picture, and she thought they were posing for it ;-)]

United Match Reaction | Benny the Savior

So what do you think? Did the Bearded Bombardier save Soehn's job? I was already typing up my invective-laced screed about handing Tommy his pink slip during the inevitable dead ball stoppages towards the end, but Benny and Jaime showed up at the death to throw their boss a lifeline. I almost wish they hadn't...

* I will agree that Burch should have been yanked at half-time if we replaced him with a defender (see my half-time notes)! By putting Wallace on the back line you neutered his one big contribution--speed down the flank. Also, with Simms coming out (Why was that again--injury? I didn't have an English feed), you can't possibly make two subs at halftime. My in-game notes are quite clear on this point, though they're too littered with obscenity to post here. With Gomez, Moreno, and Olsen all likely to run out of gas before the end, you can't waste your subs early, particularly on guys who can go the 90.

* On a related note, color me shocked that we didn't completely lose the midfield battle after we swapped Jacobson for Simms. Jacobson doesn't impress me as the type to throw himself about and Olsen is half-crippled (though he has extra heart!). How exactly were they supposed to win the battle against Larentowicz and Joseph? This is where we miss Vide's energy.

* Pontius needs to get those two big chances he had on frame. Sure the angle was a little tight, but you've got to test the keeper. Those misses changed the game. Put one of them in, and it's game on with plenty of time to go. Jaime had a golden opportunity as well, but at least he forced a save. I suppose the glass half full is that Pontius is getting in the right positions to score. Now he just needs a bit more composure.

* Jakovic is growing on me. He's poised on the ball (sometimes too poised for comfort), strong, gets his head up to pick his passes, and is starting to make some key tackles and interceptions. The biggest benefit to his play is that when he distributes, it's generally to a teammate and to feet. He even started making some dribbling runs up the gut of the Rev midfield in the dying moments. At this point, I'd rather have him in the middle of a back three than Janicki. Still, the glaring best option would be to pair Janicki's physicality with Jakovic's technical qualities. Namoff at right back and Wallace on the left gives Wallace the freedom to bomb forward and ensures that Burch stays planted on the bench where he belongs.

* Jaime was glacial, even before he pulled up lame. I've always admired his ability on the ball, when things seem to slow down around him as he skates past defenders. But in this match, the ball came, he slowed down, and the game proceeded apace without him. Considering how quick some of our attacking play was in the first half, it felt like the ball hit quicksand whenever it came to Jaime. He's still a quality player, but perhaps it's time he becomes a super-sub?

* It's a shame Gomez went off with an injury, because this was his best performance since returning to United. He was heavily involved, had a few chances on goal himself, and generally looked lively. I'll temper that with a note that his touch was unusually heavy at times, particularly when on the run. I wonder if that's down to a lack of sharpness or to some heavy legs owing to extra fitness work? Regardless, I hope he's only out short-term, as it would be a shame to lose him just when we're starting to see glimpses of the old Gomito.

* Here comes the injury express, pulling back into town. How many will be struck down by the Bum Hammy Hammer this time around? At least we've got a bit more depth this time. Now let's see if we can use it.

So what's the final conclusion? It's tempting here to leap aboard the good ship Fire Soehn and start shouting my displeasure. Very tempting. No way should he have made two subs at the half unless they were forced by injury. Who does he think he is, Mourinho? Screw that. Even Mourinho wouldn't have pulled two and left three guys on the field who might not make it to the final whistle. And let's not forget that the direct result of those changes was another goal surrendered in one of those "critical patches" of the game that he's at pains to tell us he recognizes.

Still, despite all of that scorn and doubt, until the injuries to Gomez and Moreno, we were looking odds on to score. Pontius' two chances, Moreno's chance, and Gomez' half-chance were all signs that the breakthrough was coming. So do you attribute the injuries that ruined that rally to bad luck or the inevitable result of bad judgement on Tommy's part? I'd like to say bad luck, but there comes a time when you can't blame the fates any more.

Vamos United!

FBF's United Half-Time Show!

Not a bad first half. We created a handful of good chances and dominated possession. Still, they had their chances on the break and from set pieces. Some things that caught my attention...

* Gomez looks much more dangerous and involved, but his corners are still pretty pedestrian. Also, there were a handful of heavy touches and balls pushed too far ahead while he was on the run. Lack of sharpness or the results of heavy legs from fitness training?

* We're definitely working the flanks, and getting more joy than I thought we might through the middle. Still, we need to get one of these chances in the net before they catch us out.

* How many times has Burch coughed up possession on heavy through balls, ill-conceived cross-field missiles, balls across the center of defense, and weak touches back to Crayton? Terrible. At least Nyassi isn't burning past him with regularity, though that seems more a function of Nyassi dropping back to help Igwe with Wallace.

* Good thing Marrufo's eyes are working just as well as they did in LA in Week 1, or he might have seen that ball hit Namoff's hand, eh? Karma?

* Pontius isn't as involved as I would like, but when he is, his one-touch passing is ridiculously confident and accurate for a rookie. What do they call that? Good soccer brain?

* Olsen's got nothing in the way of acceleration, and that means he misses out on interceptions and challenges that I would really like to see being made in the center of midfield. The good news is that he looks like he's broken out the aviator googles and strapped on the leather cap. Come on, Bearded Bombardier, stick one of those bombs in the upper 90!

* Jakovic's distribution from the back is pretty good. I just wish he had a central defensive partner to cover when his tendency to want too many touches bites him in the arse.

Alright, let's put this one to bed. I just hope we don't try to sit on another one-goal lead if we do manage to stick one in the net. I'll return at the conclusion with some closing thoughts. Assuming, that is, that Jaime's glacial progress across the pitch doesn't put me to sleep ;-).

United Pregame

Looks like my lineup was pretty close. No Fred, Pontius instead, Jaime up top. That Revs backline definitely looks young and exploitable, not to mention the backup between the pipes. We better put some serious pressure on these guys. With Larentowicz and Joseph clogging the middle, we'll have to work the flanks. Can Pontius and Wallace deliver? See you at half-time, or full time, depending upon how well things are going...

United Preview | Blood on the Grass?

It's been a frustratingly inconsistent start to the season, so what better way to continue the tide of oddities than having a game on Friday night? A United emerging from an early-season injury crisis now finds itself ready to play host to a Revs side still saddled with the walking wounded. So let's take a look at three key points, at least to my mind, when the teams meet this evening...

1. The Injury Factor, Part I

Yes, United are growing steadily healthier. There are only two names on the injury list, Janicki and Wicks, both of whom are listed as probable. That said, Quaranta, McTavish, and Fred are still all working their way back from injury and may not be ready for a full match. Similarly, Janicki may not be ready to pick up significant minutes either. Add to that the fact that Moreno, Olsen, and Gomez don't exactly inspire you to think they can go the full 90, and we've got more worries than the relatively clean bill of health would indicate.

The question then becomes, how many of these folks that may not be able to go 90 do you risk in the starting lineup? Do you go for broke and put out your strongest eleven, regardless of how long they might last, and hope for the best? Or do you play it safe and go with your fittest eleven? The first is bordering on suicidal, and the second shows no ambition. The best approach is probably somewhere in the middle--put out the strongest eleven that only includes 2-3 of those who might not be able to go 90.

2. The Injury Factor, Part II

As I noted above, we're actually in better shape than the Revs, who have three likely starters (Badilla, Twellers & Castro--not a law firm--out), two other starters (Reis & Larentowicz--also not a law firm--listed as questionalbe), and some rotation players (Dube, Alston & Thompson) either out or carrying minor flesh wounds. There are two upshots to these holes in their roster.

(1) With Badilla out, and assuming Reis and Larentowicz don't go from the start, that means that we have some defensive inexperience to prey upon. Similarly, Joseph's attacking impetus may be blunted without Larentowicz in the midfield. True, he'll still be a beast, but he may be more of a defensive monster than a two-way one.

(2) Nicol's boys are going to resort to thug-ball even more than they usually do. With some of their skill and possession on the pine or in the treatment room, we'll probably be served a hearty portion of physical and direct counter-attacking stuff. We'll need to both guard against their speed on the break and try to exploit their defensive aggression.

3. The Tactical Questions

Carrying forward, that leaves us with the question: 3-5-2 or 4-4-2? Frankly, the Revs flank pace and trickery scares me. That argues going to four at the back to guard against getting stretched. Likewise, they've got some speed up top, another cause for concern. Balanced against those defensive concerns has to be the fact that we need to put the Revs under pressure defensively. Flooding the midfield with five keeps the likes of Ralston from picking out the passes that will release the burners. Similarly, pushing Gomez into the gap between two forwards and the midfield keeps their central midfielders honest and defensive-minded, assuming that we find him more and that he can do some damage.

Conclusions

So where does that leave us? Probably still in the 3-5-2, though I'm a bit scared by what Nyassi might do to our left flank. As for those emerging from the treatment room and those without full-match fitness levels, I think we risk three at most from the start, with the others available to come off the bench. So how would I play it?

-----------Emilio-------
-----Pontius------------
---------Gomez----------
Wallace------------Fred-
-----Simms----Olsen-----
--Burch--------Namoff---
--------Jakovic---------
--------Crayton---------

Burch still scares the hell out of me defensively, but he wasn't terrible last week, and I don't think you risk Janicki from the start. Wallace can help against Nyassi on that flank. Jacobson wasn't terrible last week either, but he doesn't have the combative edge that we're going to need to match steel with steel in midfield, hence Olsen. Fred is probably more fit than Quaranta and provides a dangerous flank option of our own. Pontius gets another chance to impress alongside Gomez and Emilio in attack and can slot in for Gomez or Fred if either start to fade, with Moreno coming off the pine.

So what's your take? Who are your danger-men for the Revs? What lineup would you run out against them? Confident that Tommy can make the changes if, and when, they're called for? Think the Revs are ripe for the picking? Anticipating any blood on the grass?

More Video (Can You Tell I'm Sick?)

Loved the look at Simpson with the keepers. Hope we get more of that kind of thing, particularly in regards to Soehn/Ashton. I'm curious how they run a practice, what they're saying to the players, if the players are listening to them (and in the case of some of the veterans and foreign guys) respecting what they say.

Also, is Tony Limarzi ever not excited and happy about something? Even when ruing the loss to RSL, he does it with a smile on his face. Lucky guy.

Programming Note!
I'm still trying to kick this nasty bug, but I promise I'll have post with more substance (the Revs preview) up by this afternoon.

On The Coffee Fields of Nashville

Oh man do I enjoy those field-level highlights with no commentary. You may have seen the play from three or four elevated or behind the goal angles, but the view from pitchside puts things in a whole new perspective.

Also, watch Frankie Hejduk's cameos in that clip. Is it just me, or does he seem to have a whole mess of unnecessary movement about him? You look at the other players, and they seem smooth and controlled, their heads up as they move with economy and efficiency. Hejduk is all flailing arms, manic energy, and extra touches. And that doesn't even take into account the stepovers! Question: do you think his reputed massive caffeine intake is required to keep him operating at peak jitteriness, or is said twitchy behavior the tragic result?

Chickens. Chickens and eggs, my friends.

MLS Table Talk | Time To Get Talkin'!

As promised, here's a first look at the 2009 edition of MLS Table Talk. Since we're only a few weeks in, I'm not going to go in with the fine-toothed comb to pore over the statistical data. Rather, I (and my nasty head cold), will point out a few intriguing bits, allow you to look over the data and raise your points of interest in the comments, and leave you with the teaser that the combined table isn't going to be the extent of my stat-mining operations this year. It's yet to be decided if I'll spin off another column entirely or keep it within the bounds of Table Talk, but enough of that! Let's put our fingers on some highlights...

• Holy Crap Stats? How about the Bulls only tallying at a rate of 0.3 goals per game? How about the expansion Sounders only letting them past at the same rate?
• FCD setting the bar low at a -5 goal differential, while Seattle posts a +6. Which side is the expansion team again?
• What's more surprising, Chivas and Seattle on top of the table, or the Crew and Dynamo languishing in the non-playoff spots?
• Every number from 1 to 10 has at least one side with that number of points thus far. Parity alert of just plain weird?
  

Alright, time to go nurse this congested noggin of mine. Anything else jump out at you?

MLS Dogpile | Array the Mongrels of MLS!

Another rash of reds around the league, and all of the top three on the Pile fail to win. And what's this? All of last week's Omega Mutts managed not to lose? True, only one of them grabbed three points, and thus levered themselves out of that kennel of the curséd, but it's still a more than worrying indication that the Parity Police are on the prowl, jackboots crunching the fieldturf and truncheons awhirl. Nevertheless, this was the first week where no team moved more than two places up or down. To the Dogpile, my friends, and let us see where the mongrels have arrayed themselves this week!


The Alpha Dog

1. +1 Chicago Fire (WDWD)
Well, there's fight in the Fire, judging by their equalizing three times to take a road point. With a couple of important cogs missing, the depth that makes the Fire such favorites was on display. Still, you don't expect a side that probably has the strongest defense in the league to ship goals like that. Worries are sniffing around the edges of their camp, but for now, it's still unbeaten, and barely, just barely, the kings of the hill, if only by virtue of others' failure to capitalize.
Next: Wizards (Home)

The Playoff Pack

2. +1 Chivas USA (WWWD)
Close, but no cigar. I would have given the Goats their Dogpile due with a victory over the Gax, but a typically bloody and card-happy affair in the LA derby sees them fall just short. An early battle atop the West comes to town in the form of a visit from the high-flying new boys from Seattle next week. Will the Goats prove their mettle and press their claim for high Dogpile honors?
Next: Sounders (Home)

3. -2 Seattle Sounders (WWWL)
Well, the dream had to come crashing down eventually, didn't it? Still, despite losing Keller to a first-half red, the Sounders nearly managed to get something from this match. Next week comes an early test of their lofty position in the West with a visit to Chivas. How will the Sounders handle their second road match, this time without the veteran calm of Keller at the back?
Next: Chivas (Away)

4. +1 Real Salt Lake (LWW)
That's win #2 under the belt, and it looks like RSL have overcome their early wobble to reignite the campaign for the Western crown. Goals from Olave and Morales do highlight what could be their significant weakness: production from the front-runners. Now, we've seen some wins at home, so how about a road performance to match? Kreis' boys get their chance against the moribund Crimson Cows next week.
Next: Red Bulls (Away)

5. -1 New England Revolution (WDW)
Isn't it nice when you sit on the sidelines and watch everybody above you lose or draw? Still, I can't see that the Revs have enough about them to climb the Pile based on others' failures. On the contrary, I'm going to use RSL's win to shove them above New England. Tough, ain't it? So prove me wrong away to United this week, and then we'll talk.
Next: DC United (Away)

6. Colorado Rapids (LWWD)
Herein lies a tale of two teams riding a single horse apiece. Schelotto grabbed the lead for the Crew, but the en fuego Conor Casey advanced his early challenge for the Golden Boot with another opportunistic finish. I said it last week: with a healthy Casey, the Rapids are a playoff side. Without?
Next: Dynamo (Away)

7. +2 Kansas City Wizards (LLWW)
And here come the Wiz! After an early stutter, KC are starting to post the type of results that were expected by many in pre-season. Despite being a man up for over an hour though, KC didn't exactly run the show away to the upstart Sounders. Still, it's a second, momentum-building win. Away for the second week running to the Alpha Dogs (this time it'll be Chicago) doesn't do their charge any favors.
Next: Fire (Away)

8. -1 DC United (DDWL)
Well, it had to end some time, didn't it? United's surprising unbeaten start to the season comes to an end, though a one-goal loss on the road to one of the favorites to challenge for the Supporters' Shield isn't the end of the world. They're getting pieces back to full health, but it'll be important for the defense to post at least one clean sheet in the near future. Can they do it at home to the Revs?
Next: Revs (Home)

Bum-Sniffing Omega Mutts

9. -1 Toronto FC (WDLD)
So much for Fortress BMO! A week removed from a pasting at the hands of the expansion Sounders, this time around, TFC found themselves outshot to the tune of 19 (7 on frame) to 10 (2 on frame). And that's against the only team without a single point in league play through the first three weeks. Ouch. Think they can do better in the "return leg" next week away to the self-same Starcows?
Next: FC Dallas (Away)

10. +1 San Jose Earthquakes (LWLD)
A big improvement over last week against one of the likely top sides in the league. Still, they grabbed the lead three times at home, only to see it slip away each time, albeit the last one was aided by the continuing rash of reds that seem to be flying out of the pockets of the league's whistlemen. Now that they've found the goals, can they shore things up at the back once again?
Next: Galaxy (Home)

11. -1 Columbus Crew (DDLLD)
The defending champs just can't seem to hit their stride. Despite creating more and better chances, they only managed to bundle one home, allowing the Rapids to sneak a late equalizer. That leaves the Crew winless after five games and searching for answers. With a bye week coming up, they'll have plenty of time for head-scratching.
Next: bye

12. Houston Dynamo (DLLD)
Eight total shots, five on frame. Six yellows, two reds. Sounds like some bad blood was circulating around Robertson Stadium. The Dynamo continue to struggle to find the important finish without DeRo. Will they recover? Probably. Will they challenge for the Supporter's Shield? Not at this pace.
Next: Rapids (Home)

13. Los Angeles Galaxy (DLD)
In last week's Dogpile I asked: "Will Berhalter fix the back line, or does he just add to the preponderance of years that Arena seems to be strapping to the Galaxy's ankles?" One awful turnover and red card later, do we have an early indication of the likely answer? Bruce's blend of raw youth and pensioners hasn't yet won, but they do have only one loss. Ricketts made tremendous saves to keep them in this one, and having a solid netminder to save their bacon may scrape the Gax a few more points than they deserve. Will it be enough to see them still in playoff contention by the time the prodigal Posh returns?
Next: Quakes (Away)

14. New York Red Bulls (LDLD)
Well, at least they kept a clean sheet. Not much else to say about what looked to be a fairly testy affair that ended goalless. With the reinforcements trickling in from various foreign climes, we probably won't get an accurate feel for what Osorio's putting together for a few weeks yet. Still, a win or two might be helpful in propelling them away from the bottom of the Pile.
Next: RSL (Home)

15. FC Dallas (LLLD)
Finally a point, and a deserved one at that. Now, if they can just stick a few more of those chances past TFC next week, they could start to haul themselves away from the bottom. Of course, keeping a few clean sheets might help matters as well.
Next: Toronto FC (Home)

United Match Reaction | This Won't Hurt a Bit

Hmph. What's the word for "I knew this was coming eventually, but when it finally arrived, it didn't seem to hurt quite as bad as I thought it would, probably because the manner of the coming wasn't as complete a crash-and-burn scenario as I thought it would be, particularly because MLS's crappy Match Center wouldn't let me watch past minute 37 or so, thus limiting my frustration and pain"? Good thing I'm not a German speaker or I might whip out some half-page mashed-up monster to deal with that mouthful. As it stands, this will be an even more half-cocked reaction than usual, owing to the aforementioned troubles with Match Center. So what do 37 minutes + goal highlights?

* Gomez looked more active than in the previous matches, at least in the parts of the match I saw. That's encouraging. Where he fell flat on his face for me was in dead ball situations. I'm well and truly aware of the DC United Corner Kick Curse, but come on! At least get the ball high enough to clear the first defender, won't you? By contrast, RSL always looked like they were a danger from corners and free kicks.

* Wallace needs to clean up his first touch. While he seems to be able to bring things down on his chest magnificently, balls to his feet often rebound like they're coming off a wall covered in springs. Defensivley, he seemed to be closing down a little more effectively, so maybe Tommy had a word with him about that. In fact...

* In the 37 minutes I was able to watch, I thought our pressure on the ball was excellent, and we limited RSL to only a couple of chances from open play. Additionally, increasing the pressure higher in midfield leaves us with fewer opportunities for the defenders to win balls deep, putz around with them, and eventually surrender possession and bad chances to the opposition. That being said, D indicates that we reverted to the crappy dropping-off bunker behavior trying to preserve a point on the road, so I'll take his word for it, as it's not surprising to me in the least.

* Jacobson looks like an interesting player. Maybe he's not up to full speed yet, but his touches were quick and intelligent, though you can see his futsal bias in the way he generally keeps things short and plays through tight spaces. Given Olsen's frailties, we're going to see a lot more of him, I would expect. Fingers crossed that we're not about to witness the "Iron Rod Reprise."

* Continuing on the "new guys" theme, I wonder if Pontius is a victim of his non-veteran status. there were plenty of little ticky-tack fouls that he was suffering that would have been whistled if he were say, Olsen or Jaime or Gomez. Notice that I'm not claiming it was a team bias. Rather, I didn't think he got the benefit of the doubt that a veteran might get by flinging that little, "oh, come on, ref" look at the whistleman. Something to keep an eye on.

Sorry I don't have more here, but I'm stuck on a borrowed machine and subject to the whims of the MLS Match Center. If anybody wants to fill in the gaps in the comments unitl I can get a more extended look at the match, feel free. I'll just leave you with my general feeling about this team...

It's probably a little better than I expected going into the season. We aren't going to be challenging for a conference crown or the Supporters' Shield, but we've got a legitimate shot at the playoffs; moreso than I would have expected in March. Assuming, of course, that we manage to avoid the dreaded mid-year injury crisis.

United Match Preview | Braving the Red River

Since I'll be at the in-laws this weekend, I don't know if I'll be able to steal an hour or two to log on to the MLSNet.com Match Center, so my match reaction post may be delayed. Regardless, I'll catch the game as soon as I can, even if I am dreading it a bit. Yes, dreading.

RSL tore up the Crew, even if they were abetted a bit by some lax defending and questionable goalkeeping. Considering our own lax defending and questionable goalkeeping ways, that might spell trouble for tomorrow night. But I'm getting ahead of myself. What about a look at some roster concerns heading into the match?

• Janicki and Wicks are out per the latest GoffTweet. That guarantees Crayton in net and almost certainly a reprise of the Burch-Jakovic-Namoff back line, assuming...
• More of the 3-5-2? With McTavish returning to fitness, it's possible that we might go 4-4-2 with McTavish pairing Jakovic in the middle, with, I'm assuming, hilarious and horrible consequences.
  
• In other "return from injury" news, I'm guessing Fred might be fit enough to start, and Quaranta is probably ready to get some minutes, if not start himself. With McTavish also available, does that mean Wallace sees pine or does he remain at left mid? And...
• Where does Pontius go? The kid has impressed at both forward and right mid. With Moreno suspended, does he rejoin Emilio up top, with Fred/McTavish taking over the right mid spot, or does he remain at right mid, leaving N'Silu/Doe to partner Emilio?

Considering we'll still be missing Janicki, I think we'll stick with the 3-5-2. The difficulty is going to be for that back three to keep the pace and movement of the RSL strikers in check. They may very well stretch us, and it's going to be imperative that the midfield cuts down the passing lanes quickly and consistently. I'm going to assume that Fred is ready to go from the start and look for...

--------------Emilio------
-------Pontius------------
----------Gomez-----------
Fred--------------McTavish
-----Simms---Olsen--------
---Burch----------Namoff--
---------Jakovic----------
---------Crayton----------

Do I feel sick giving Burch the starting nod? Yep. I'd rather a back four with Wallace at left back. But that begs the question: why no Wallace? In my mind, and in the minds of many others, Beltran and Olave are the the weak links in the RSL chain. Using Fred instead of Wallace allows us to bring more attacking pressure to bear on Beltran at right back. Also, I'd play Pontius over N'Silu because of Olave, who is a beast suited to banging bodies with N'Silu. With Pontius, he'll have a bit of guile to deal with. McTavish on the right of midfield helps us defend against what will probably be the more attacking flank.

For a nice look at what our opponents are bringing to the table, I point you to this helpful post (noting that later in the thread, the poster agrees with subsequent comments that Mathis and Johnson will flip sides, thus leading to my McTavish appointment above).

So what do you think? Worried about another possible mauling in the Beehive State? Excited to see some of our injured boys returning to the fray? Can the unbeaten run possibly continue? What lineup would you run out for this match?

United Grab Bag

I'll be back later today with a preview of the RSL match, but in the meantime...


Break Out the Sandwich Boards

I'll admit that I haven't been too focused on the whole DC stadium debacle. Primarily, that's because I prefer to cede ground to those closer to the front lines. Likewise, I prefer spend my brooding energy on the soccer side of things. But it's getting to the point that the soccer side of things might not exist any more in DC. So, here in my remote mountain hideaway bubble in the PA highlands, I'll just float the following...

Garber's threat to move United smacks of the "Beckham Dealine" that he issued to Milan. Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, and all that jazz. And you'll forgive me here for delving back into Macbeth and reclaiming the lines preceding those that have claimed the lion's share of the fame, won't you? Let's see...

...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

The bolded emphasis, of course, is mine. The Commish is trying, in his oafish, heavy-handed way, to use the media to sway potential suitors. But, like the Beckham fiasco, I think the primary players will continue beavering away, paying little attention to the whining brat in the corner who says he's going to take his ball and go home if nobody passes to him.

I know that, all things historical, financial, and political considered, any optimism at this point is bordering on the foolhardy, but I think there are a few more avenues to be exhausted before we need to break out the sandwich boards and start proclaiming that the end is nigh.

Let's hope.


Move Along, Oscar, Nothing To See Here

And, on a lighter note...


Good cause. Rough acting. C'mon, Tino! Can't you hide that little smirk? How about a poll? We haven't done one of those in a while. So...

poll by twiigs.com