Okay, kids. Limited action the next few weeks what with the International Break and all, but it's also that crucial time of the year where we have a better sense of every team's post-season fate, and where what's left to be decided are those crucial points that will sort out playoff position, the Supporters' Shield, and Champions League eligibility. The latest bits on the MLS standings, points-per-game take and such info is here in the Toast thread. https://www.bigsoccer.com/index.php?posts/37047546
Should be an interesting week for the Bulls. 2 matches remain in a 3 match week. Coming off back to back rivalry games they have Houston at home and Montreal on the road. They should handle both pretty easily if conditions were ideal but that's a lot of minutes over a week and a half period. I have not been paying attention to their match sheets so selfishly I'm hoping for fatigue or a dip in performance due to player rotation. Their dropping of a couple points this weekend would be quite helpful to say the least. As for our match on Sunday? We'll have our debut at Audi Field against a DC team that: 1. has historically handled us well 2. has real playoff aspirations 3. has enjoyed a fresh breath of life with the addition of Rooney No gimme to be sure. Finally, we'll see the pigeons go to Columbus. Hoping for the Crew to have the same <swear word> you attitude they showed in the playoffs last year and give NYCFC a beating. That would all but eliminate them from Shield contention.
Schedule congestion is a real problem in a league with such thin rosters. If I were a betting man, I'd think Red Bull would be happy to take 3 points out of 6 in the last two games of a three-game week, especially with one of them being an away match, albeit a rather close one.
Wow. I was on my phone when I made the thread, intending to put more stuff in the post when I inadvertently pressed something and thought I'd erased it. Well then, on we go. The schedule is generally favorable, as Atlanta's remaining opponents include the bottom 2 teams in the west and more teams lingering outside of playoff position from the east: @ DCU @ COL @ SJE vs RSL @ RB:NY NER CHI @ TFC The next match this weekend vs DCU will be aided by the fact that DC will be playing their 5th game in 2 weeks, so even though it's on the road and the Capitol side is playing with that Rooney boost there's a good chance they'll start to fatigue much like Atlanta did last year when they, too, played a congested schedule. The trio of matches from Colorado to RSL is within one week, so that will be a lot of traveling and Salt Lake is gritty enough that the home match won't be easy. Have to hope that the road games yield points (hoping for 4) and that it can be done with squad rotation. I say go for the win at Colorado, then play for a comfortable draw with San Jose. The trip to Harrison, NJ, may well decide top seed in the east. Team Energy Drink still has trips to Montreal, DC, and Philly in addition to playing TFC and Atlanta at home, so they'll surely drop some points. Possibly enough for Citeh Football Group to sneak into the #2 spot. As for that season ending clash in Toronto, which I'm sure the TV folks expected to be a 1 vs 2 match-up, that may well yet be dripping with story lines: Will TFC be playing for their playoff lives? If not will it mean some players may not yet return? Will Atlanta be playing for a chance to break Toronto's MLS points record? Will they be playing to secure a Supporter's Shield, or top in the east, or for Champions League qualification? How many goals will Martinez be on? Speaking of points, Atlanta needs 16 from a possible 24 to set that record. Games versus Colorado, New England and Chicago should yield 3 wins for 9 of those points. If we're lucky then Toronto is eliminated before their final match and so some youth get face time as part of a "building for next season" experience. In which case the matches with San Jose, RSL, and the Reds might be fair game for draws or better. So with a cursory glance a lot of the hope for breaking the record seems to rest on the result this weekend at DC. But keep in mind, Red Bull still controls their own destiny, too, and could likewise take the top spot and the Shield if they mostly win out, especially in beating Atlanta.