Well, didn't anticipate starting this thread this early but we have a new playoff format, so let's bitch about how this conveniently happens now and not in 2015-2016... https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2018/12/17/major-league-soccer-adopt-new-playoff-structure-2019 I personally love it. Makes the regular season much more important. 7 teams is a bit much right now but that's a manageable compromise.
I get that weather is an issue but man a 4 month layoff for 26 teams can't be good for development. November to March is a long time without competitive games.
Not sure I'm a fan. By stuffing the same number of regular season games in one fewer month means more midweek games. But I'm a long-distance fan who watches the games on TV and not someone who's trying to get to Toyota Stadium, so it affects me less. And I'm not a fan of increasing the number of playoff teams, but going from six to seven playoff teams out of 12 isn't really any big deal. But going to single-elimination is a good thing. Two-legged series gave very little advantage to the higher seed, especially once MLS put in the ridiculous away goals tiebreaker. (Seriously, playing extra time and penalties at home was the only advantage that the higher seed had, and they got rid of that in most series by putting in the away goals tiebreaker.)
I can't believe MLS did this! Decreasing the number of playoff games from 21 to 13 seems like a money loss MLS would want to avoid. Not happy about the increase in mid-week games during the regular season (more of my season tickets will go unused) or the increase in number of playoff teams, but I like the single game knockouts. As a fan, the two legged playoffs were trying. I can't imagine the players or staffs liked it either. The single game knockouts get rid of the away goals tiebreaker that was confusing to the casual fan and hated by many fans. Shortening the playoff season will make it more intense and entertaining.
The trade-off is they get longer to sell tickets so attendance may be the same (at least to the team with a game). BTW, doesn't seem every rule is after it no longer helps FCD?
Here we go... Saturday, March 2nd Philadelphia Union vs Toronto FC, 12:00 pm (ESPN+) Orlando City SC vs New York City FC, 1:30 pm (KUNV-23 Univision, Twitter) Columbus Crew SC vs New York Red Bulls, 3:30 pm (ESPN+) FC Dallas vs New England Revolution, 3:30 pm (KTXA-21) Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers, 5:00 pm (ESPN+) Houston Dynamo vs Real Salt Lake, 5:00 pm (ESPN+) Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs Minnesota United FC, 5:00 pm (ESPN+) Los Angeles Galaxy vs Chicago Fire, 7:00 pm (Fox Sports 1, Fox Deportes) San Jose Earthquakes vs Montreal Impact, 9:00 pm (ESPN+) Seattle Sounders FC vs FC Cincinnati, 9:00 pm (ESPN+) Sunday, March 3rd DC United vs Atlanta United FC, 5:00 pm (ESPN, ESPN Deportes) Los Angeles FC vs Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 pm (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Saturday, March 2nd Philadelphia Union vs Toronto FC 1-3 Orlando City SC vs New York City FC 2-2 Columbus Crew SC vs New York Red Bulls 1-1 FC Dallas vs New England Revolution 1-1 Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers 3-3 Houston Dynamo vs Real Salt Lake 1-1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs Minnesota United FC 2-3 Los Angeles Galaxy vs Chicago Fire 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes vs Montreal Impact 1-2 Seattle Sounders FC vs FC Cincinnati 4-1 Sunday, March 3rd DC United vs Atlanta United FC 2-0 Los Angeles FC vs Sporting Kansas City 2-1
Saturday, March 9th Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC, 12:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) New England Revolution vs Columbus Crew SC, 1:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) FC Dallas vs Los Angeles Galaxy, 2:30 pm (KUNV-23 Univision, Twitter) Houston Dynamo vs Montreal Impact, 4:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) Real Salt Lake vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 5:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United FC, 7:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) Seattle Sounders FC vs Colorado Rapids, 9:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) Sunday, March 10th New York City FC vs DC United, 2:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) Sporting Kansas City vs Philadelphia Union, 2:00 pm (ESPN+, DAZN) Atlanta United FC vs FC Cincinnati, 4:00 pm (ESPN, ESPN Deportes) Los Angles FC vs Portland Timbers, 6:30 pm (Fox Sports 1, Fox Deportes)
Saturday, March 9th Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC 1-1 New England Revolution vs Columbus Crew SC 0-2 FC Dallas vs Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0 Houston Dynamo vs Montreal Impact 2-1 Real Salt Lake vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1-0 San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United FC 0-3 Seattle Sounders FC vs Colorado Rapids 2-0 Sunday, March 10th New York City FC vs DC United 0-0 Sporting Kansas City vs Philadelphia Union 2-0 Atlanta United FC vs FC Cincinnati 1-1 Los Angles FC vs Portland Timbers 4-1
I go more by points per game this time of year but MLS always has anomalies like Portland this year who are on the road until their stadium is ready after some additions. So, I'd say I'm pretty happy with the 2 ppg's, fifth in the west and 6th overall early in the year while the players learn the system, the coach learns the league and the young players should be a lot better at the end then they are after a few pro games. Need more from left wing position but the youngsters are so far playing much better than any of us thought they could. If FCD ownership is actually serious about opening the pocketbook for Robben or Ribery this team could be a real contender. A veteran player that can be counted on to score and give all the other attackers a bit more room would fit like a glove.
Friday, May 31st Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs Toronto FC, 9:00 pm (ESPN+) Saturday, June 1st Montreal Impact vs Orlando City SC, 4:00 pm (ESPN+) Atlanta United FC vs Chicago Fire, 5:00 pm (KUNV-23 [Univision], Twitter) New York Red Bulls vs Real Salt Lake, 6:00 pm (ESPN+) Columbus Crew SC vs New York City FC, 6:30 pm (ESPN+) DC United vs San Jose Earthquakes, 7:00 pm (ESPN+) FC Dallas vs Seattle Sounders FC, 7:00 pm (KTXA-21) Houston Dynamo vs Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 pm (ESPN+) Colorado Rapids vs FC Cincinnati, 7:30 pm (ESPN+) Portland Timbers vs Los Angeles FC, 9:30 pm (ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes) Sunday, June 2nd Minnesota United FC vs Philadelphia Union, 3:00 pm (ESPN+) Los Angeles Galaxy vs New England Revolution, 9:30 pm (ESPN+)
Friday, July 26th New York City FC vs Sporting Kansas City, 6:30 pm (ESPN+) Los Angeles FC vs Atlanta United FC, 9:00 pm (ESPN, ESPN Deportes) Saturday, July 27th New England Revolution vs Orlando City SC, 6:00 pm (ESPN+) New York Red Bulls vs Columbus Crew SC, 6:30 pm (ESPN+) Chicago Fire vs DC United, 7:00 pm (ESPN+) FC Dallas vs Real Salt Lake, 7:00 pm (KTXA-21) Houston Dynamo vs Seattle Sounders FC, 7:00 pm (ESPN+) Minnesota United FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7:00 pm (ESPN+) Montreal Impact vs Philadelphia Union, 7:00 pm (ESPN+) Toronto FC vs FC Cincinnati, 7:00 pm (ESPN+) San Jose Earthquakes vs Colorado Rapids, 9:00 pm (ESPN+) Portland Timbers vs Los Angeles Galaxy, 9:30 pm (Fox Sports 1, Fox Deportes)
12 games left... vs RSL at Orlando vs Minnesota at LAG at Montreal vs Houston vs Cincy at Chicago at Seattle vs NYCFC at Colorado vs SKC
Well, the ugly part of midweek games reared its head as FCD lost to the LAG and dropped below the playoff line, another game this weekend 8/17 then it's back home. 8 games left at Montreal vs Houston vs Cincy at Chicago at Seattle vs NYCFC at Colorado vs SKC
Remaining schedules of those ahead of us... MIN: at SKC, at LAFC, at Houston, vs RSL, at Portland, vs SKC, vs LAFC, at Seattle. LAG: at LAFC, at Seattle, at Colorado, vs SKC, vs Montreal, at RSL, vs Vancouver, at Houston. RSL: vs Colorado, at Portland, vs SJ, at Minnesota, at NE, vs LAG, vs Houston, at Vancouver. SEA: at Portland, vs LAG, at Colorado, vs NYRB, vs FCD, at DC, at SJ, vs Minnesota. SJ: at LAFC, vs Vancouver, vs Orlando, at RSL, at NYCFC, at Atlanta, vs Philly, vs Seattle, at Portland. POR: vs Seattle, vs RSL, vs SKC, vs DC, vs NYRB, vs Minnesota, vs NE, at SKC, vs SJ.
I think our most realistic chance at catching anyone is with Minnesota or San Jose, who both have tough schedules. Seattle could also continue their downward spiral and our game there could be pivotal (which means we'll lose). Realistically (as realistic as you can get with this insane team), I could see us getting 10 points out of 12 at home and 4 points out of 9 on the road. That's 14 points which puts us at 51. We should overcome at least San Jose with that point total but who the hell knows?