We now have 10 days off. Or in more florid terms, "On the first through the tenth days, they rested." On the eleventh day, we play @ Chicago, and with that game we begin the toughest stretch of our entire season: five matches in thirteen days. Jeebus. We have: Sunday 9/23 -- @ Chicago Wednesday 9/26 -- CD Guadelajara, home leg (Copa Sudamericana) Saturday 9/29 -- Toronto FC Tuesday 10/2 -- @ CD Guadelajara, away leg (Copa Sudamericana) Friday 10/5 -- @ Kansas City Other biscuits of adversity: in that match against Chicago, we'll be missing Fred, Gomez and Olsen because of accumulated yellow cards. Guadelajara is at 5200 feet. We have yet to play well this year against KC, with a 4-2 drubbing at home and a 1-0 win at Arrowhead that was against the run of play. After starting out pretty poorly, Chicago seems to have found some rhythm and is getting results; they've worked their way into the 8th playoff spot. A key in that resurgence has been the play of legendary Mexican international Cuauhtemoc Blanco, better known as "that goddamned motherfscker" and the most disliked player in the world by yours truly. A lot of teams have appeared to be hacking him pretty hard this last month and a half, hoping that his famous temper will come out and he'll get in trouble (a la getting mocked into retaliation during the Gold Cup); but it hasn't happened. He's just played really well, goddammit. The Chivas team we'll be playing has undergone some roster changes since we saw them in March/April -- Bofo Bautista and Diego Martinez are both gone; but Omar Arellano is now there, on loan from Pachuca. While I would surely like to do well in the Sudamericana, I don't know how I feel about doing well at the expense of our lead. I don't have high hopes for the away Chicago match missing those three players; and I don't have high hopes for the away KC match three days after a hard match at 5200 feet. And if Moreno and Emilio both go 90 minutes at Chicago and at home against Chivas, they'll probably get no more than a half each against Toronto, especially given that they'll be needed three days later. Last night's play by Kpene, and this stretch coming up, really really really makes me wish we had that third forward. But I dunno how we could get one now without breaking something else that's working well.
I think Olsen would have been most effective against Blanco. Ben could get under the Dalai Lama's skin over the course of 90 minutes, never mind that piece of shit wearing a Chicago jersey.
Its going to be a hard run, but I think the key is going to be the game against Guadalajara at the RFK. With Gomez, Fred, and Olsen having so much time off, they should throw everything they have at Chivas and try to force in at least 2-3 goals. I got a feeling they win big at home, the Toronto game will be a cake walk and we'll have some payback at the away leg in Guadalajara.
I think for this last month, in terms of mls games at least, we need to win our three remaining home games. if we can do that and maybe pull out a tie in chi or kic i think we'd have a good shot to win the supporters shield. then our last month can be considered a success
I believe that it will take 56 points to win the Supporter's Shield. Two wins and a draw in our last five will get us there. With 3 big Saturday night home matches left, I like our chances. All three of those matches will have crowds of 20,000 plus if history is any indication.
The thing that scares me about the Chicago and Columbus games is that, by that time, those two teams may be fighting for their playoff lives. I don't think any of these remaining games will be easy. Exhibit A....last night
Agree with PJohnson. 56 or more likely 57 should take the SS. NE has an outside chance of getting to 56 if they only lose 4 possible points in the last 6 (3 home/away each) games. Out West - Chivas still has the opportunity to get to 64 points like us. So in their final 8 games (5 home, 3 away) they will need to lose 9 points. Houston has to lose at least 4 points in its last 5 games (4 away). Finally FCD will need to lose at least 5 points in its last 7 games (4 home, 3 away).
Food for thought: if we get 8 points in our remaining games (for 57 total), that will put us at a 1.9PPG average for the season. Twice in MLS's 11 years a team has done better than that and NOT won the shield: Chicago in '01 (1.96) and DC in '98 (1.91). The moral of the story being, if you really, really want to win the shield, you need to go all-out in every game and be certain of every point. Is it worth it to enter the playoffs fatigued, or crash out in the first round of Copa Sud., or both?
I agree. Our boys need the mindset that EVERY point is necessary. I place a very high value on the Supporter's Shield and the CONCACAF Champion's Cup spot that goes with it. So the answer to your question is YES! If we must enter the playoffs fatiqued it is worth it. However, crashing out of the Copa Sudamericana is not an option.
As long as the Road Ahead doesn't become "The Road Behind" "The Road Behind" Well I'm traveling down the road And I'm carrying that heavy load I walk around in a stupor Sleazy, I cant do the show Hanging out backstage I'm in a homocidal rage I signed a million dollar contract I puked on every page Slaughtered half the crew Caused they ate the deli-tray Oh Baby hey Said I'd do the show but I Canceled anyway
When I was in eighth grade, my English teacher told me about an easy way to detect bad writing. All I had to do was keep an eye out for overblown metaphors akin to 'the sewers of despair.' It remains an amazingly reliable tip. 'Biscuits of adversity' is far more compelling, and hints at a wonderfully convoluted thought process behind it. Here's a link to the winners of the Bulwer-Lytton contest. Yeah, it's a joke, but the contestants have taken bad writing to a high art form.
Yeah, I've always been a big fan. I used to have a list of runners-up from various years as well, but dunno where that went. This guide is also helpful for improving one's prose.
Well, the last time we went on a road trip without many of our starters, we beat the Revs by three. personally, I'd be real happy with a tie with Chicago, s i thin they will come at us hardcore looking to earn that last playoff spot I also like our chances against Chivas Gee, at home that is. And I think that with the rested starters returning, that we will play a good game, even days after the Chicago roadtrip. That momentum I think will either help us, or hurt us, as we (proven once again by RSL) tend to play down to the competition. A depleted TFC is juuuuust the kind of team to steal a few points from us at home. Let's hope United does not let them. That leaves the game in Mexico, which win or lose IMO will leave us sapped against KC enough that a point will be a Godsend. Question: If we beat the Goats, when would the next Copa Sud match be, and where would it fit into our schedule...?
CONMBEBOL wants the Semis to be Nov 7th and 14th - That means the Quarters (your question) have to be played from Oct 10th thru the 31st - Anywhere from just before our 2nd last game at home (vs Chicago) to just after the last home game (vs Columbus), and just before the first Playoff Leg game (which probably will be an Away game) Stating the obvious, it will be congested - However, with some fortunate results (Col/Houston/Dallas) denying the USA Goats wins, we could conceivably have the SS wrapped up by the end of the season - That means The A TEAM in Copa Suda, and any B Team vs Columbus - But thats an IF - Obviously IF we need the last two regular season wins, then the A TEAM plays those - Fortunately we have a 14-member A TEAM
it is a rough stretch yes. DC can do it, in south america they play twice a week. soehn, has rested players for this reason, i see no reason for a 5-0 record to finish the season. i see noreason we can't beat chivas and advance in the copa. hell i see no reason why we can't win mls cup and sudamericana. we are DC, we are the best team in the world.