Current Standings - 10/10 Code: [size=4] GP W D L Pts CH 28 14 8 6 50 NY 27 11 8 8 41[color=red] DC 27 10 8 9 38[/color] NE 27 9 9 9 36 CB 28 8 8 12 32 [/size] Remaining Matches Chicago: Colorado, @Columbus Columbus: DC United, Chicago MetroStars: Dallas, New England, @New England New England: DC United, MetroStars, MetroStars DC United: @New England, Columbus, Kansas City Lanky is right. We clinch a tie with the Crew but the tie breaker is head to head and currently we're drawn there. But that's all academic because the effective reality is that all we need now is one point in three games. Beyond that it's just about seeding.
Oh we totally do! A win or tie tomorrow and I'm booking my plane ticket to head back to DC for the first playoff game in three years!!!
Current Standings - 10/12 Code: [size=4] GP W D L Pts CH 28 14 8 6 50 NY 28 11 9 8 42 NE 28 10 9 9 39[color=red] DC 28 10 8 10 38[/color] CB 28 8 8 12 32 [/size] Remaining Matches Chicago: Colorado, @Columbus Columbus: DC United, Chicago MetroStars: New England, @New England New England: MetroStars, MetroStars DC United: Columbus, Kansas City The first two tie-breakers ... 1) The highest position shall be awarded to the team with the better win/loss record in current regular season games against all other teams equal in points. (head-to-head competition) 2) If the teams are still equal in the standings, the highest position shall be awarded to the team with the greater goal difference against all other teams during the regular season. (goal differential) Our current record against Columbus is drawn: June 14: DC 3 : 0 CB June 28: DC 0 : 3 CB Oct 4: DC 1 : 1 CB The second tie breaker is currently in our favor. DC United's current goal differential is 3 while the Crew's at -5.
The goal differential tiebreaker does not matter here. The only way for Columbus to tie us for the season is for them to beat us on Sunday. That gives them the season series so it won't matter. We need to get a point or have them drop a point or else we sit at home again.
wait wait wait arent we in the playoffs too? look at the standings and see what you think http://www.mlsnet.com/statistics/ with two games left and we are 6 points ahead of CLB for the final playoff spot why do the standings say were not in the playoffs
Re: wait wait wait Because if we lose our next two games and Columbus wins their next two games, then we're tied. We haven't clinched.
That's right. But it was too complicated for me to think about too much. What I find really pathetic is how we can lose both of our last two games and so long as Chicago beats Columbus on the last day we'll still be in. I just have this awful sense that we might back into the playoffs. Frankly, had Twellman been healthy yesterday the Revs would have won the game in regular time. The only thing we've got going for us next week is the fact that the Crew flat out suck. But then again, in their last 10 matches their record really isn't that much worse than ours ... 3-4-3 vs 4-4-2.
Actually, if we lose our next two games and Columbus wins their next two then Columbus wins the first tie-breaker (head-to-head) and we're out of the playoffs.
A cautionary tale I just found on my hard drive. Last year the Metros needed one point in their last three games to clinch. It was "a sure thing" and so the graphic above served as the splash for the MetroStars website. They lost their last three games and Kansas City slipped into the playoffs in their place.
Please let someone post this in the team's training locker room for a much needed reminder- especially for the coaches. Good source of inspiration considering the past two results, especially given it involved the Scum. Let's NOT duplicate NY's toxic meltdown.
Of course, the only reason Zambrano got sacked and Bob Bradley was brought in to replace him was because the Metros had that meltdown at the end. The Metros aren't that good a team this year, but Bob Bradley has made them a damn hard team to beat, and has them one win away from the cup. It's hard to imagine that as the Metros get a chance to give their roster depth, they won't be in the top tier of MLS sides, as Chicago became under Maximum Bob. So just maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing for DC to go belly up down this stretch. I guess that your view on that would depend on your confidence in Ray Hudson. Missing the playoffs isn't so bad as long as it gets your team to make the changes it has to make. I know that for all the idiocy that Nick Sakiewicz (whose job is depends upon a couple guys in Harrison staying on top of the heap there) brings to the Metrostars, I'm delighted with Bob, and if you think Ray Hudson won't get you anywhere, you should pray you lose the last two games.
With Petke in our locker room, we have him to give our guys first hand experiance on the meltdown the scum had last year when they had a "sure thing". We need to take NOTHING for granted. we have to have a kill em all attitude from here on out. Every match is a must win to get us back in gear and keep us there.
Agreed. And now.. (drumroll) the best case scenario and icing on the cake.... IF we win BOTH vs Columbus AND KC.... AND IF NE's pair with Metros results in a win and tie for NE....we jump both teams and end up with 2nd place!!!!
The Revs just beat the Metros so now both those teams are tied at 42 points. So it's now that much more likely that we'll be in fourth place and facing the Fire.
Less than four points from the last two matches = fourth place. If we get four points in the last two and the Metros beat NE next week, we face Metro in the first round, with us as the third seed. If we get four points and the Revs and Metros tie next week, we get New England, with us as the third seed. If we get four points and the Metro beat New England, we remain fourth. If we get six points (HA!) we finish no lower than third. I know we did well against Chicago this year, but after watching the gigantic bowl of suck that was the NE-Metro game on FSW tonight, I can't help but think I'd rather face either of those teams than one with Ralph and Razov. RS
We can still finish as high as 2nd place (or as low as 5th). If we beat Columbus today we would clinch a plyoff berth and move up to 41 pts, a point behind the Mutts and Revs. Next week the Mutts and Revs face off again. If they tied while we beat KC (this scenario only works if we beat Columbus today) we would finish in 2nd place with 44 points - a point ahead of both New York and New England. Edited to add: I just realized I've pretty much repeated Eismahn's post above. Oh well, everything had been said but not everyone had said it yet!
Current Standings - 10/19 Code: [size=4] GP W D L Pts CH 29 15 8 6 53 NE 29 11 9 9 42 NY 29 11 9 9 42[color=red] DC 29 10 8 11 38[/color] CB 29 9 8 12 35 [/size] Remaining Matches Chicago: @Columbus Columbus: Chicago MetroStars: @New England New England: MetroStars DC United: Kansas City The first tie-breaker ... 1) The highest position shall be awarded to the team with the better win/loss record in current regular season games against all other teams equal in points. (head-to-head competition) We lose to Columbus on the first tie-breaker: June 14: DC 3 : 0 CB June 28: DC 0 : 3 CB Oct 4: DC 1 : 1 CB Oct 19: DC 2 : 3 CB 1W-1D-2L Shooting the Sh!t: aka Analysis The second and third place match-up is set. It's just a matter of who gets "home field advantage" - whatever that really amounts to in the home and away series. First place is obviously set for the Fire. So it's just a matter of whether Chicago faces DC United or Columbus. Columbus plays Chicago at home. Their record against Chicago is 0W-2D-1L. DC United plays Kansas City at home. Our record against them is 0W-1L-1D. Notably, both of those games went to overtime ... <cue ominous music> So neither Columbus nor DC United is obviously favored to win. Chicago is simply that good and Kansas City, after a mid-season slump, has been very strong lately. Were I a betting man I might actually suggest that the safe money is on both DC United and the Crew losing. DC United would remain in fourth place in that case and back themselves into the playoffs - a somewhat revolting and humiliating prospect if you ask me. On the other hand, Chicago has little to play for. They have wrapped up first place and the Supporters Shield. So they don't really "need" to win. I'm sure we'll see a good number of bench players take the field. Why risk the starters? Why risk the injuries? Columbus is desperate and were I Sarachan my main goal would be to get past that game with minimal fatigue and no injuries. This, of course, works to the Crew's advantage and to our detriment. Kansas City does have something to play for because if they win they secure home field advantage. Granted, I don't think that amounts to much but maybe to them it does. I just can't judge the psychology on that one. If they come out strong then DC United is in for quite a fight. A loss or a draw won't do for Kansas City. The 41 point Wizards lost the head to head to the 40 point Rapids: 1W-1D-2L. If Kansas loses and Colorado draws or wins then they drop to third place and Colorado gets advantage. Colorado, by the way, plays Dallas and that game starts after ours. So unless Gansler and Company don't care about home field advantage Kansas City is going to play to win. Objectively speaking I have to conclude that things look genuinely bad for us. The planets seem to be lining up for Columbus to a far greater degree than they are for us. I advise heavy drinking.
Not awful, but certainly not as good as Razov and Ralph. Of course, after the main course of suck today, I don't think we'd stop Steve Rammel/Pete Marino. And I mean the two of them today. RS
All true according to quotes during the last week. Of note is that KC is 0-5-2 in dc going back to '97. The two ties were the power outage :45 game and the 2 pk stop performance of Meola. Both of those events being at least in the area code of "act of God". Not exactly a record inspiring fear. Then again KC hasn't had an offense like this since '97 and Warren is certainly new to KC. Into '03 Wolff, Quill, Preki, and Gomez were all above a point every :90 v dc. Wolff dogged it last week, Preki is Preki, Gomez has come off the bench of late, and Quill will get :90. Dallas had the 4-3 OT thriller in last years' finale where both teams needed points. I'd think a wide open game favors KC at least slightly. Only sieve Dallas and NE have had more goals involved in their games.
Thanks for the input. I thought your post on the KC board about the Wizards not wanting to risk having to play the 30 minute "mini-game" at altitude in Denver was a good point as well. As for that losing record, well, you guys are gonna win at RFK someday. The Crew once had a perfect losing record at RFK. Now look at them ...
Look, Columbus needs an outright win and DC needs a loss. If you take the worst odds you can gin up... Crew win: 45-50% United loss: 35-40% ...we're still something along the lines of 4:1 (80/20) favorites to advance.