Last year the US Open Cup! This year anything can happen! Week 5, just one point out of the playoffs! My optimism knows no bounds!
To continue the positive vibe. There was only one Home team to win their game this week, DCU. PS: Richmond also won.
It'll be tough. Assuming that SKC and TFC are locks. Houston always finds a way. That leaves a lot of decent teams fighting for those last 2 spots. Columbus already has a head start. I also don't see a clear door mat team in the East this year. Points will be hard to come by and the standings will be tight.
All we gotta do is hit some home runs and keep our RBIs up and we'll have enough football touchdowns for the deuce.
We're 4 games in and I haven't yet felt the need to start a thread explaining why we're already effectively out of playoff contention. I guess that's progress. But I don't think anyone should get their hopes up. Seems to me Columbus, SKC and TFC are locks. I still expect to be on the outside looking in when those final two spots are decided. I just don't expect to be in absolute last place this year.
This is why the game Saturday is such a big one. United jumped one hurdle by beating NE, another conference team struggling, they need to do the same to NY who is in the same situation, having not won a game yet. Personally, I don't think TFC is a lock. Bradley will miss a lot of the summer and Dafoe is already injured, but he will also probably miss the summer while off with England. I don't think their strategy of counter all day every day is a sustainable one for success. Once teams start to play at their optimal level, I see them coming back to the middle of the pack. I don't think Columbus is a lock, either. They are Higuain or bust at the moment, and teams not named United have figured that out already.
We wouldn't have to worry about this playoff shit if MLS would just go to a single table with promotion and relegation. <ducks> LOL
I think the Nats have a pretty good shot at making the playoffs this year. Oh wait, you meant DC United?
Now just 1 win from first place in the east! 2-2-1 .500 baby! Wait till Eddie Johnson gets going... We will be unstoppable. And some implied that my optimism was totally unreasonable. Vamos United! Look it was ugly but I'll take it and smile for a week!
the only caveat is that I would like those three points to be well earned. Not a repeat of 2012. We don't need that false sense of accomplishment that comes from squeaking out a few wins by the skin of our teeth. We've been there and the existing management seems incapable of not repeating the same mistakes (e.g. where is all of our allocation, you suck, etc. cash Kasper!).
I didn't realize that you got more points for winning pretty than you did for just plain old winning. That changes everything.
Let's give them 8 games and then give the following players grades, and we will have an ideal of the effect of the offseason moves. IN: M Davy Arnaud (12/10/13 - trade from Montreal) D Sean Franklin (12/12/13 - Re-Entry Stage 1) D Bobby Boswell (12/12/13 - Re-Entry Stage 1) F Conor Doyle (12/13/13 - transfer from Derby County) F Eddie Johnson (12/17/13 - trade from Seattle) F Fabian Espindola (12/18/13 - Re-Entry Stage 2) D Jalen Robinson (1/6/14 - Homegrown) D Nana Attakora (1/9/14 - Re-Entry Stage 2) D Jeff Parke (1/14/14 - trade from Philadelphia) D Steve Birnbaum (1/16/14 - SuperDraft) F Christiano François (1/24/14 - waiver draft) D Christian Fernández (2/7/14 - free) M Alex Caskey (3/4/14 - trade with Seattle) M Chris Rolfe (4/2/14 - trade with Chicago)
How were any of: 1 Home loss (in the opener) 8 points off the Supporters' Shield 2nd in the East Eastern Conference Finalists (which we had a damn good chance to go through save for Pontius pulling his groin and a no call on the Augusto foul, which would have led us to HOST the championship game) Beat the donkeys in the most controversial playoff series in MLS history False accomplishments? That's as real as it gets.
1 point out of first and just demolished the top team in the league. don't care about red cards it's part of soccer.
11 points in the last 5. They had to have it, because now they go on the road to Portland and Philly. The red turned the match, but subbing out Diaz probably didn't help them either. United took advantage for a change, well done. The playoffs are an attainable goal, we'll see what happens.
Maybe Columbus is better than Dallas and better than most of the other teams. And maybe, despite each player being a pro and having played many years, maybe it still takes time and weeks of practices and discussions and games together as a team to figure out how to do this effectively. And without leaving yourself open to counter-attacks
Both are hard road games, but both of those teams are down right now. Playoff teams take 2-4 points from those games. Non-playoff teams take none. We'll see if we can get a couple of points or even a win. I don't have a great feeling about Portland. They aren't playing horribly, but they do play in the West where teams are clearly better. And Philly is a toss-up too.
Yeah, I think a couple of ties or a win in the next two would be reasonable. Especially since Portland and Philly aren't exactly top tier teams right now.
Portland is too talented not to break out, I think they are a time bomb ready to go off. I expect they rout United next week. A draw at Philly is feasible, I can see that and who knows, maybe they surprise and get a win.