I want to win the Shield just for its own sake. I think it's a better indicator of a good team than the MLS Cup. Winning the Supporters Shield means you had a great season; winning MLS Cup means you had a great handful of games. The Shield also gets you a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League. Personally, I don't care that much about the CCL. It will just add fixture congestion
I agree. Of course I value MLS Cup too. It's just a different animal. But I think Supporter's Shield is the best indicator of best team, even considering the east / west unbalanced schedule. I think that with the parity in MLS, that unbalanced stuff more or less evens out over the long haul. And I think the west is tougher than the east this year (as well as last). As for CCL, it's kind of a grind and can dilute your focus, but at the same time I think it's an opportunity to take the club to the next level. You can build your depth by giving your bench guys / 2nd team guys more meaningful competitions to play in.
The playoffs aren't our focus yet. They will be in a couple months, but our goal at hand is finishing the season strong. Right now the games we can win will help us towards the shield, not the MLS cup. As for the shield's value, besides getting recognized as the overall best team in MLS (as opposed to the hottest team during playoff season), I actually am excited for the opportunity to represent the MLS in the CCL, and maybe be the first MLS team to make a deep run in it.
Take that! We are from the Bay and we #$%& el-lay!! I am psyched that we have clinched a playoff spot. Now to crush a few more teams on our way to the Supporter's Shield. Next up after that, winning MLS CUP! GOOOOOO QUAAAAAAAKES!!!!!! - Mark
You can use the shield to protect you from the slings and arrows of fans who are angry that you lost.
Per http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...h-mls-cup-playoff-berth-following-seattle-win: There maybe earlier playoffs qualification "before" that though...
Not to be rude, but so what? Back in the day, there were only ten team and eight qualified for the playoffs, so it was pretty easy to sew up a spot well in advance of the playoffs. It was practically a different league back then. Even when we had twelve teams, eight still qualified, so the top teams qualified earlier than they do now. Now, we have Nineteen (19) teams! That's a huge change. Sure, ten teams make the playoff, which I still think is too many, but nearly half the teams don't make the playoffs. That's a big improvement. Also, the 4th and 5th place teams in each conference have to play each other for the right to go on. So you can view it as only eight teams making the playoffs. And we are IN! Oh Yeah!! GOOOOO QUAAAAAAKES!!!!!!! - Mark
Quite right, and S.J. also co-own (with L.A.) the record of earliest playoff qualifications (8 weeks!!) in MLS History: 2005: 8 weeks in advance by S.J. (with unassailable lead over then 5th-in-West RSL) --- Record!! 1998: 8 weeks in advance by L.A. (with unassailable lead over then 5th-in-West Dallas) --- Record!!
The Quakes will clinch at least a #4 seed with a win tonight, or a Vancouver loss tonight, or ties by both SJ and VAN tonight. The #4 seed guarantees a home playoff game.
Fourth place has been clinched! The next major milestone to shoot for will be 62 points (2 more wins), which would clinch at least second place in the west. Only Seattle would then have a chance to catch us.
Below are the magic numbers* for the supporter shield (and western conference champions for western conference teams) updated on 9-16 KC 13 Chi 12 NY 11 Sea 10 DCU 6 Crew 4 SLC 5 Hou 5 gals 5 Crew 4 *If the number is 0 at the end of the season it goes to the tiebreaker
Yeah, overall, it would be good if both could drop points in the course of the two games. I think the best for us is a New York loss in one and a tie in the other or two ties since NY has a really favorable schedule generally with so many home matches. I'll be a KC fan for a day on Wednesday. And we really do need 3 points in our match because this is one of our "expected to win it" matches being Portland and at home. I'm not that scared that anyone in the west will catch us provided we maintain our current energy and home form, but I am worried about the east teams a bit.
I am also exited about the opportunity to play in the CCL, but I don't think the quakes can be the first MLS team to make a deep run. I believe RSL played in the final a couple years ago.
Agree - KC has by far the toughest schedule left, while NY has the easiest with 5 home matches and only 2 road matches (@NE and @Philly). And NY is undefeated at home this year, and has on good form and scoring lots of goals in the past month. Meanwhile KC has had to work hard for every goal they score, and always seems close to drawing or losing even if they outplay their opponent. I think the Quakes have to worry more about NY and Chicago than they do KC as far as the Supporters Shield goes. So, I'd like to see KC beat NY on Wednesday (and then see Montreal beat KC on Saturday in Montreal )
You're correct on that. But who's to say we can't be the first MLS team to win? If we play on-form and get a lucky draw, you never know!
The quest to set new club records, through Sep-19: 1. Highest points total (64, set in 2005): Currently at 57, need 8 more points from the 5 remaining games.2. Highest PPG (2.000, set in 2005): To reach 69+ points over 34 games, need 12 more points.3. Most wins (18, set in 2005): Currently at 17, need 2 more wins.4. Least losses (4, set in 2005): Currently at 6, no new records will be set this season.5. Most goals scored (53, set in 2005): Currently at 60, record already broken!!6. Least goals conceded (31, set in 2005): Currently at 35, no new record will be set.7. Best goal difference (+22, set in 2005): Currently at +25, new record will be set barring major collapse.
Similar threads for the other clubs on the verge of something special in 2012 season: SKC: The quest to set new club records in 2012... NYRB: The quest to set new club records in 2012... Chicago: The quest to set new club records in 2012...
It just sucks that with the league's schedule being unbalanced, we end up focusing so much on our own conference and not paying attention to the other conference. At least thats how I see it. With a balanced schedule, I actually cared and worried about how ALL of the Eastern teams did. Now there's not much to care about on the other table unless you're going for home field in each round.
The Quakes have now clinched at least 3rd place in the West, so will not have to participate in the 4 vs 5 play-in game. They need 2 more points to clinch at least 2nd place, 4 points to clinch 1st place, and 9 points to clinch the Shield.
It's not going to be easy. What looked like a cupcake schedule just a couple of months ago, now looks a whole lot more difficult.