Way to get into the spirit of posting irrelevant Pepe quips. You're right, he can't be president. Did he and his wife have any children while in the US? Because if he did... Pepe for Father of the President! (First Dad!) Someone pointed out we are only 3-4 points from being in the top third. I know MLS is all about Parity but is it possible to have too much parity? I think it is sad that out of 87 possible points the TOP teams all have less than 50.
That much parity significantly magnifies the impact of some of the bad calls made by Refs and injuries to key players on rosters constrained by the Cap and single entry (for all teams not just the Revs). I know the old fall back is---"it all equalizes out over the season". That statement is off repeated and while it may sound logical it's at best hypothetical and I don't think it's true. When the table is as flat as it is in MLS, even very small variations can have a huge impact.
Well, the chances of no one getting to 50 just went up with Chicago's win. The last game means nothing to us. With what happened to Gooch, I'd say we should play as many reserves as possible. Maybe give Marshall some minutes to knock the rust off. Still, a good result from your perspective.
Even though I don't have any real argument with this logic, after reading it, I feel compelled to repeat: Perhaps there is too much parity. It's just my opinion but TnT is the only long injury this year that made that huge of an impact. Castro and Badilla certainly didn't. I just don't see what others seem to see in Albright and I don't think we missed him.
When comparing Albright and Alston, I'd say "push" or lean towards Kev. Albright and Heaps... well that's different.
on the flip side, if you throw the game and lose and we get in to the playoffs, you probably get us in the 1st round...we should be an easy team to beat in the playoffs
I dont think you can underemphasize the impact of losing 15-20 goals a season, and how a league MVP/franchise player changes the dynamics of the game and season.
If 5 teams in the West get in, the 5th place team gets the 4th seed in the East, even if they have more points than the 3rd seed. So the only way CMB plays us in the first round is if TOR and NE get the last 2 playoff spots. At least we should know by game time Sunday if that is a possibility.
In case anyone wants to know who to root for in the other games, I was looking over the playoff percentages based on different results and here's what I came up with: We are going in with a 15.9% chance to make the playoffs. Red Bulls vs. Toronto This is kind of a no-brainer. As painful as it will be, we want Red Bulls to win this game. Aside from our game against the Crew, this is the result that most affects are chances. Next best result is a tie, but even a tie hurts us. If Toronto wins, it's going to be awfully tough for us to make the playoffs. Sounders vs FC Dallas We want a Sounders win here, but we can live with a draw - not much difference for us either way. A Dallas win hurts us even more then a Toronto win, though. Wizards vs DCU We want a draw here. It will help our chances, although not by much. A Wizards win means the game has pretty much no affect on our chances. A DC win hurts us, but not as badly as a Dallas or Toronto win. RSL vs Rapids An RSL win or draw helps us a little, but not much. A Rapids win hurts us, but even less then a DC win. If all the results go our way, even a draw will likely get us in. Otherwise, we're probably going to need to win. If we win, we're likely in, unless both Toronto & Dallas win.
Theoretically, Shitcago did us a small favor in beating Chivas on Thursday. Now the Crew have clinched the SS, and technically have nothing to play for. This should allow them to rest some of there top players in preparation for the playoffs. Come on Columbus, let us have this one, I'll buy you all a six-pack! RRRREV IT UP
If they do play their starters...and have us beat around the end of the game.... I'll be rooting for MASSIVE injuries to the Crew! Hell, they already hate Heapsie....Go get some Jay!
If I had my way, I'd go for XI this time. The Gooch thing has me spooked. It will be rainy and wet. Lenhart and Moreno are both in yellow card peril, Renteria is already suspended. In those conditions, injuries and yellows will be more likely. We played our starters 90' midweek. To add to the fun, we have Colorado's draft pick, and if they don't win @RSL (which I wouldn't bet on), the more teams on 39 points that win, our (their) pick keeps going up. Essentially, if we win, we guarantee ourselves a lower draft pick (barring a Colorado win @RSL). Lastly, we could take the opportunity to screw TFC over. Very tempting. I don't know what Warzycha will do. I know what I'd do, and that is start the bench:
I think most coaches want to go into the playoffs with a win and momentum. I'm betting he only rests players who are carrying a knock or are showing significant signs of fatigue although the fact that you traveled for a mid week game and the weather will be nasty could change that thinking.
COLUMBUS CREW vs NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION COLUMBUS CREW STADIUM, Columbus, Ohio Oct. 25, 2009 (WEEK 32) / MLS Game #225 6 p.m. ET (ESPN2/Deportes) By the time the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution kick off in the 2009 Major League Soccer season's final game, everything could be decided in the playoff race. Or there still could be everything to play for. The Crew come into the final week knowing that a victory will give them the Supporters' Shield for a second consecutive season - unless they've already clinched, if Chivas USA has lost either of their games. The Revolution come into the final week in a four-way tie on 39 points and will almost certainly need to win for a playoff spot - but exactly what the scenario is will not be known until after Saturday's league schedule is complete. REFEREE: Kevin Stott. SAR (bench): Bill Dittmar; JAR (opposite): Jeff Muschik; 4th: Terry Vaughn MLS Career: 183 games; FC/gm: 26.1; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 51; pens: 36 INJURY REPORT: COLUMBUS CREW - OUT: GK Andy Gruenebaum (R hip impingement); DF Chad Marshall (L knee MCL sprain) ... NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION - OUT: DF Chris Albright (L lateral meniscus tear); MF Steve Ralston (R ACL tear); FW Taylor Twellman (concussion); PROBABLE: GK Brad Knighton (lower lumbar disk irritation); MF Jeff Larentowicz (R knee bone bruise); GK Matt Reis (L ankle sprain) INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none SUSPENDED: CLB: Emilio Renteria (through Oct. 25) WARNINGS: FINED NEXT YELLOW CARD: CLB: Steven Lenhart, Alejandro Moreno ... NE: Kheli Dube, Kenny Mansally, Emmanuel Osei HEAD-TO-HEAD ALL-TIME (49 meetings): Crew 25 wins (4 shootout), 76 goals ... Revolution 15 wins (1 shootout), 60 goals ... Ties 9 AT COLUMBUS (24 meetings): Crew 13 wins (1 shootout), 47 goals ... Revolution 5 wins (1 shootout), 26 goals ... Ties 6 • Both meetings between the teams this season will come over the final three weeks of the regular season, with the Crew taking the first in Foxborough. • A year ago, the visiting team won twice, each time by 1-0 scorelines. In between, the Crew claimed a dominant 4-0 win at Crew Stadium. • The Crew have won on their last three visits to Gillette Stadium, a pair of 1-0 wins in their last two trips and a 3-2 win Oct. 13, 2007. That win ended a six-game winless run for Columbus in games in the Bay State, their last previous victory on Route One coming June 6, 2004 (2-1). • The Revolution win in Columbus last year was their first in the Ohio state capital since June 22, 2005, a span of four games in between. • Coaches record: Robert Warzycha vs. NE: P3 W1 L1 D1 ... Steve Nicol v CLB: P26 W9 L9 D8 LAST MEETING (MLS): 10/10: NE 0, CLB 1 (Padula 36) • The Crew guaranteed they will hold home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs with a 1-0 victory on Oct. 10 at Gillette Stadium. • The game's lone goal came in the 36th minute. Gino Padula launched a free kick into the box from far out on the right flank. The ball was allowed to come down in the Revolution penalty area and bounced past goalkeeper Matt Reis, the first MLS goal for the Argentinean left back. • The Crew were left a man down for the final 25 minutes when Emmanuel Ekpo was shown a straight red card for a foul on New England's Kevin Alston. • Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer made four saves in recording his seventh shutout of the season. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20091022&content_id=7527424&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
Chad Marshall (left knee sprain) has been ruled out of Sunday’s finale against New England. ... With the Supporters’ Shield locked up, Warzycha said the Crew will play to win on Sunday despite resting several of its top players. Warzycha would not identify who would be held out but said they were players who are dealing with bumps, bruises and sprains minor enough to keep them off the injury report. http://blog.dispatch.com/crew/2009/10/marshall_ruled_out_for_sunday.shtml
Dube - - - - Colaluca Jankauskas Mansally - - - - - - - - - - - - Nyassi Joseph Igwe - - - L'Wicz - - - Barnes - - - Alston Reis
I've seen this a few times (EJ in a withdrawn position) and it seems like a spectacularly bad idea. You're basically consigning yourself to a 3 man midfield and eliminating EJ's ability to play with his back to goal. It'd also mean sacrificing Joseph's ability to get into the final third.