Now that we've clinched the playoffs...

[BigKris]

...what should our approach be to the remaining MLS matches?

have at it.

[MattMathai]

...what should our approach be to the remaining MLS matches?

have at it.

Crush our enemies, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentations of the women.

[SideshowBob]

The approach should be to win every match until the SS (and its accompanying CCC berth) is locked up. No reason to change how we are doing things.

[sch2383]

Just keep on going with what is working. The only change to the pattern I could see is a little more time off for Olsen and other players carrying an injury that won't be better until the offseason. Maybe limit them to a start a week or the like.

[Sundevil9]

If it ain't broke.....

[sch2383]

Do we have a magic number for the SS yet?

[onefineesq]

Keep rotating, and keep winning. We automatically are going to have some rotation between the regular season and Sudamericana due to the 3 starters who are out for the Chicago game who will now be fresh as daisies for the game 3 days later against Chivas at home. Rotation is good, when all of the players being rotated are seemingly able to continue the winning ways. With all that being said, if I could only pick a full starting team for one of either a Sudamericana game or regular season game AT THIS MOMENT with the way the standings look, I would take all guns to Sudamericana. But that could change depending on several other factors.

[Sanguine]

Crush our enemies, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentations of the women.

That's your answer to everything, Conan.

Do we have a magic number for the SS yet?

15 for our nearest competitor, Chivas. (16 to beat them, but we hold the tiebreaker, so 15 would do it) It varies for the other teams still in the hunt, but if we win all our remaining games, it's ours.

[MattMathai]

That's your answer to everything, Conan.

Life is simple when you're a barbarian

[John L]

Keep rotating, and keep winning. We automatically are going to have some rotation between the regular season and Sudamericana due to the 3 starters who are out for the Chicago game who will now be fresh as daisies for the game 3 days later against Chivas at home. Rotation is good, when all of the players being rotated are seemingly able to continue the winning ways....

Yup - Thats pretty much it - I voted for keeping as we have been -

However, if (and thats a mighty big IF) we get past Chivas (Round of 16), then I'd seriously think about going all out to advance from the Quarter Finals into the Semis of the Copa Sudamericana - Winning the whole thing is not very realistic - Doing well and advancing is

And the prestige of an MLS team getting to the Semis of this tournament would be huge - Huge in attracting young talent from South America - Huge in getting sponsorships from an International company - Huge in keeping our current talent

Yeah - The primary goal is still something like SS (if its within our grasp), and the MLS Cup - But advancing the Copa ranks up there with them even without any hardware

[rwhgeek]

I want all focus on the playoffs and the MLS Cup. I want to watch my team in my stadium take back the Cup. Everything else is extra. If the Cup was not in DC I might answer a little differently.

[writered21]

I'm not really a fan of any kind of rotation system, in general, but whatever Soehn is doing, he seems to be making it work, so there's no reason to change it.

And with the suspensions for the game coming up with Chicago, his hand is kind of forced anyway.

[TOTC]

Now that we've clinched the playoffs, what should the supporters do?

If it involves whipped cream, I'm in.

[AlecW81]

The bracket for CopaSudamericana is up here: CopaSud (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copa_Sudamericana_2007)

If we get past Chivas, we'll play either Arsenal or Goias.

[RedAndBlack]

If it ain't broke.....


Don't fix it!! (nobody)


I think we need to do the same thing that has been working for us. Take us all the way to the cup. Can't wait to see that place filled with 50K black jerseys!

[Baldiviego]

1. Keep Rotating players for MLS games and throw in the big guns if we need to win a particular game to clinch the SS
2. Throw everything at Chivas and advance into the Sudamericana
3. Playoffs should be on the far far back of everybodys mind, look at it as starting a whole new season

[gocaps]

The choice I would make isn't on there - de-emphasize the Sudamericana and go all out for the SS and the playoffs.

As many have mentioned, it's a bit moot because cards are forcing Soehn's hand.

[Sundevil9]

Do we have a magic number for the SS yet?

See this thread: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=594716&page=2


It's currently 16 against Chivas USA.

[dcchelseafc]

talking to will chang the other night, he says they all are pushing for the SS hard.....which is the right thing to do, gives us the spot in the CC.

if chivas usa loses tonight and we win in chicago i say rest everyone for the remaing mls matches and focus on superliga and playoffs.

[BigWave]

talking to will chang the other night, he says they all are pushing for the SS hard.....which is the right thing to do, gives us the spot in the CC.

if chivas usa loses tonight and we win in chicago i say rest everyone for the remaing mls matches and focus on superliga and playoffs.

Yes, the Copa Sudamericana is very important. If we beat Chivas this time, they can't whine about them being in preseason, nor can we whine about us being in preseason if we lose. Finally we get to play each other on equal footing, plus Olsen, Fred and Gomez will be on two weeks rest. I've also heard that the lower bowl is already sold out, so we know that the atmosphere will be great! Plus we should get more DCU fans than the last time against Chivas, since we're playing them during the regular season now...hopefully it won't rain! Oh, I also heard that the ol' baseball diamond will finally be gone forever. I'm so pumped for this match! Vamos United!!!