Well, we all know it's going to be a tough ask for the Crew to climb back into the playoffs at this rate. So, we might as well break out the yearly, color-coded chart of doom. Green number: Points earned. Blue number: Games left. Red number: Maximum points possible. Black number: Goal differential. 1. NE 55 9 82 +18 2. NSH 41 11 74 +17 3. ORL 38 11 71 +4 4. NYC 34 12 70 +14 5. PHI 32 11 65 +4 6. DC 31 11 64 +3 7. MTL 31 11 64 +2 --------------------------------- 8. ATL 30 11 63 0 9. MIA 29 12 65 -8 10. CLB 27 10 57 -6 11. RBNY 23 13 62 -2 12. CHI 23 11 56 -11 13. CIN 20 12 56 -15 14. TOR 15 11 48 -23 My first thought is that I can't believe Toronto hasn't been eliminated yet. You think we've had it rough? Woofah. Everyone else, from Cincinnati all the way up to DC are just varying degrees of "not good." Five teams within three points of each other from 5th to 9th. The Red Bulls have games in hand on everyone, but I don't envy the worlkload they're going to have from now until Decision Day. I'm guessing the line is going to be 48 points. That's what NYRB needed to finish 6th out of 12 (top half of the table) in 2019, the last time MLS was playing a normal schedule. I don't know if the complete lack of East vs West games changes the dynamic all that much.
Yeah, we're done. If we were playing well and on a hot streak, it would be entirely possible to make the playoffs. But we're playing the role of slumpbusters for our opponents, a sure thing for points.
By the way, I want to make this clear: Me starting this thread should not in any way be confused with some kind of optimism.
Good. When a team plays 20+ games of a 34 game season, they've pretty much shown you what kind of team they are. They might go on a small streak of wins or get 10 points from 4 matches, but they really won't be able to do so for the 10+ games required to get in the thick of it. If they could, they would have done it in tbe first 20 games. This team is (nearly burnt) toast. Even if @Knave hasn't said so yet.
That's what's so weird, though. We had a ten-game MLS stretch where our only loss was at Philly (before they started swooning). Had some ties in there, sure, but we were fine at that point. I don't think this team ever recovered from that first week of August, when we got bitchslapped at home twice in four days by DC and Atlanta. Whatever belief they had in themselves at that point vaporized.
Oh, I forgot that wins are the first tiebreaker, and not GD, so wins listed in pink. 1. NE 55 9 82 17 +18 2. NSH 41 11 74 10 +17 3. ORL 38 11 71 10 +4 4. NYC 35 11 67 10 +14 5. MIA 32 11 65 9 -7 6. PHI 32 11 65 8 +4 7. DC 31 11 64 9 +3 --------------------------------- 8. MTL 31 11 64 8 +2 9. ATL 30 11 63 8 0 10. CLB 30 9 57 7 -5 11. RBNY 23 12 59 6 -3 12. CHI 23 11 56 6 -11 13. CIN 20 12 56 4 -15 14. TOR 15 10 45 3 -24 Update after Tuesday... Crew dramatically come from behind to beat NYRB, Toronto loses at the death to Miami, NYC ties Dallas. Miami jumps clear up to 5th (wins tiebreaker).
God. We're literally one win away from being in 5th place. I'm getting angry thinking about that Seattle game.
Don't just think about the Seattle game. Think about all of the subs that Caleb Porter has left on the table over the last 15 games.
Or even all the dumb******** giveaways from Keita, Wormgoor and the rest of our back line that cost us ties. I can think of at least three points gained from howler defending.
The night not starting great for Crew playoff hopes. Montreal, Atlanta, and DC all take the early lead with goals within the first 20 minutes. We've really dug ourselves into a hole.
Wednesday's action for the teams in the East concludes. Atlanta drops the hammer on Cincy (duh). Ola Kamara hat-tricks DC past Chicago. And Montreal goes on the road and beats Orlando. So, as @hardhead points out... nothing good for us. 1. NE 55 9 82 17 +18 2. NSH 41 11 74 10 +17 3. ORL 38 10 68 10 +2 4. NYC 35 11 67 10 +14 5. DC 34 10 64 10 +6 6. MTL 34 10 64 9 +4 7. ATL 33 10 63 9 4 --------------------------------- 8. MIA 32 11 65 9 -7 9. PHI 32 11 65 8 +4 10. CLB 30 9 57 7 -5 11. RBNY 23 12 59 6 -3 12. CHI 23 10 53 6 -14 13. CIN 20 11 53 4 -19 14. TOR 15 10 45 3 -24
I recall folks saying that, back in the day, about KiJana Carter and Eddie George. But they both wanted to be the feature back (and were) so they were never going to go to the same school.
I think this is a year where 1.4 ppg will get someone from the east the last seed. That means we need 18 points in 9 matches. Tall order.
As a Bungles fan, I feel triggered seeing that name. He could have been one of the greats if it weren't for that damn Silverdome? astroturf.
Don't think about the Austin game or the Cincy game either. Man, it feels like so long ago when Porter was over the moon and sushing the crowd because we eeked out a tie against a sh!t team.
I thought it was actually the Riverfront turf that got him.... But it appears you were right. I guess I was thinking about Bo Jackson.... He was a pretty nice guy from the couple of times I spoke with him (some alumni events). Just unlucky. He was on a pretty good college team. The entire starting offense plus some of the backups got at least a cup of coffee in the NFL and some got a lot more. That's more common these days (modern scouting with the internet and all just doesn't miss too many players that used to go to DII schools), but wasn't back then. They were fun to watch.
I met him once at a Westerville South football game during Katzenmoyer's junior or senior year. Seemed like a good guy, but I was also 10 at the time.