after last night's 1-1 tie: 8 Games left to play 24 points up for grabs SS Race: San Jose 50 pts Sporting KC 47 pts Red Bulls 45 pts as I see it these should be the goals going into the home stretch: 1) Seriously challenge San Jose for the Supporter's Shield 2) Finish #1 in the East 3) Don't screw up and wind up in a position where the team barely makes the playoffs Remaining Games: 8/29 @ DC United (top 5 teams in the East) -------- 16 DAYS REST -------- 9/15 vs Columbus (begins a stretch of 3 games with little rest in between) 9/19 vs Sporting KC (top 5 teams in the East) 9/22 @ New England 9/29 vs Toronto 10/6 vs Chicago (top 5 teams in the East) ------- 13 DAYS REST ------- 10/20 vs Sporting KC (* potentially could decide the East) 10/27 @ Philly Can Backe make this a consistently winning team in time to grab regular season silverware?
Well we have everything within our grasp and we can decide our own fate. All remaining games against Eastern teams. Big plus that the last two KC games are home games. We can't slip up against the likes of TFC and New England. They are at the bottom of the East for a reason and with our healthy lineup we need to take care of those games.
Yes I agree that we cant afford to give up points against the likes of NE and Toronto, however I am scared that we may do just that given how inconsistent we have been as a team this year. The last game (@Philly) especially looks like a dangerous trap game if we are still in the supporter's shield race by that time and need 3 points on the last day of the regular season to beat San Jose.
This. I really don't give a dump what the result is @ new england IF we take 6 points at home from Columbus and KC. That's a lot of games in a short span and I'd really like to keep Red Bull Arena a fortress. The only 2 games I could stomach losing in our home stretch would be away to NE and away to Philly (IF there is nothing on the line on the last day).
Man do I want to Supporter Shield. Even more so than MLS Cup. Its a much bigger accomplishment. I am not feeling as though we will do it, BUT with the home heavy schedule down the stretch we certainly have a chance.
I disagree with your assessment of what is more important. The Supporter's Shield may be harder to win but to me the MLS Cup is much more prestigious. As for the SS, SJ has a really easy schedule down the stretch. And they are in the drivers seat now. I think they will pull it out in the end.
We have not won up in New England in like 10 years. As bad as they are, it would be more of a suprise if we got points up there.
No doubt that most fan would agree with you here. Still, I'd rather be the best over the whole season over winning a small tourny where more than 50% of the teams qualify for. While it isn't perfect without a balanced schedule, it's a much truer mark of excellence. Winning the season demonstrates REAL quality.
after this wed night's 2-2 draw: 7 games left to play --21 points still up for grabs Points left on the bench since countdown started: 4 pts (1-1 draw vs KC, 2-2 draw vs DC) Supporter's Shield Race San Jose EarthQks 50 pts Sporting KC 47 pts NY Red Bulls 46 pts Remaining Games: 16 DAYS REST -------- 9/15 vs Columbus (begins a stretch of 3 games with little rest in between) 9/19 vs Sporting KC (top 5 teams in the East) 9/22 @ New England 9/29 vs Toronto 10/6 vs Chicago (top 5 teams in the East) ------- 13 DAYS REST ------- 10/20 vs Sporting KC (* potentially could decide the East) 10/27 @ Philly
Our next 3 games are gonna be a really tough stretch. 3 games in a week. Hopefully we use this rest wisely.
Who makes these schedules? Totally illogical to have 3 games in 1 week coming off a 2+week rest. We also know that Henry wont be playing at NE
Seeing he is injury prone is it a stupid excuse. I'd rather he miss that game so he can see the rest of the season out. If it was a playoff game that's a different story. You see that Saer Sene tore his ACL on a non-contact play. I'm not opposed to the use of turf but the one at Gillette is just not a good surface at all.
Gillette's turf is FIFA approved. Turf has come a long way since being Astro Turf laid over concrete. The excuse is BS. Injuries can happen anywhere on any playing surface.
Yeah I know and I agree that the excuse is overplayed but look at that week of games. KC and Columbus are the first two games of the week and are clearly the harder games. Three games in a week with the last one being on turf is not a good situation for an older player who missed a lot of time due to injury. It's called roster management.
I was thinking the same thing about Sene and i'm all for giving Henry a rest on the turf. We should have the forward depth to replace him and I can imagine a forward partnership of Cooper-Le Toux should be fine but we'll never know with the Wizard..
In the meantime---we start to see the dangers of leaving points on the bench, we simply cannot afford to tie or lose that many more games if the SS race is going to be as tight as it appears it will be. The 4 pts we left on the bench as a result of the past 2 ties would have been enough to catapult us into a 3 way tie in points with several games left to play. After yesterday's games the new SS race standings are as follows: San Jose ErthQks 50 pts +19 GD Sporting KC 50 pts +10 GD NY Red Bulls 46 pts +7 GD Real Salt Lake 46 pts +6 GD The people who were scared that an unbalanced schedule would lead to conferences that were unequal in strength and standings that were meaningless really have to think twice about that stand now. The East did not turn out to be the punching bag everyone thought it would be. Furthermore, The #1 teams in the East and West are tied in points for the SS Race and the #2 teams in each conference are hot on their heels to claim the prize.
^^^ We play SKC twice, it can be a positive or a negative on how you view it. We need to clear up our defensive issues and get the backline straightened. If we continue to have stupid errors, quick goals and play like an amateur backline we can kiss the chances for SS or a championship home. The goals we allow is unexcusable.
The good news is that if our defense does miraculously figure out how to organize itself and stay focused for 90 and we end up tied on points, Garber's asinine decision to make goals scored the first tiebreaker gives us the edge.
Thank you Iced for your reminder about the first tiebreaker being Goals Scored rather than Goal Difference-- For those who want this info at a glance, here it is: Goals Scored in Favor San Jose 52 Sporting KC 34 NY Red Bulls 46 Real Salt lake 38 Basically unless there is a scoring spree during these final few weeks, anyone who ends the season tied with San Jose in points will automatically lose the SS race. 52 goals scored is quite an impressive feat. Any contender to the SS will have to win by points outright.
Although 52 goals scored by San Jose is quite a feat, on the bright side at 46 goals scored Red Bulls isn't that far off from San Jose. Plus we get to play cellar dwellers New England and Toronto---definitely a prime opportunity to pad the goals scored column and to get 6 valuable points!!! Who knows? Maybe it can happen for Red Bull-- crazier things have happened in this league.
It happened (twice) before, could happen again? http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2011-07-06-new-york-red-bulls-vs-toronto-fc/recap http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2009-10-24-new-york-red-bulls-vs-toronto-fc/