just wondering does it really matter what place were in rite now in the east? it doesnt really matter till the play-off race starts. P.S. in baltimore there is a big billboard advertising United with some players on it, for tickets i think (next to the road thats closest to Ravens stadium)
Why hasn't the playoff race started? I was under the impression that a playoff race is all the MLS regular season really is.
sounds like a great place for a bill board ------------------ i like to think of the regular season like this (in this order) -supporter's shield -conference top spot -brimstone cup -make the postseason tournament
Keep repeating "It's a marathon, not a sprint." Still, despite the fact that we've looked better than expected, the last few years have shown us unable to pull ourselves out of the holes we've dug for ourselves unlike, say, New England did last year. I don't want another situation where it comes down to an impossible series of results for us to sneak in on the last weekend of the season.
Lanky's right. Every year there's an "early" team, a "midseason" team and a "late" team. Last season the late teams were LA and NE. The early team was SJ and the midseason teams were Chicago and Columbus. DC United isn't going to gell too early, but that doesn't prohibit finishing strong. Let's just hope we're going to be in form at the end. -Digital
Let me clarify my point. Last season we missed the playoffs by four points. This season we've played 3 games for a possible 9 points. We've got 2. So we're down 7 points from where we hypothetically could be. A point is a point no matter when in the season the match is played. At the end of the season I hope those 7 points we lost because we were slow off the mark don't come back to bite us in the ass. So, yes, it may be a marathon but it still matters who's out ahead early on.
Actually, Tron, you're misinterpreting what I'm saying, though I see now that I left something out. What I was trying to get at was that the cliche is what I should be telling myself over and over as a mantra so that I don't get frustrated with our current situation. Knave, you hit it right when you say: This is what I was getting at with my second paragraph about our inability to pull ourselves out of holes dug early in the season, and why I get so upset with road tactics. It's essentially giving up potentially 30 points, any small combination of which, as last season's Eastern Conference race proved, could be the difference between not making the playoffs and winning the Conference.
Hey, I'm not saying that I'm happy about not having gotten a win or three, nor am I saying that the points don't matter, nor am I even confidently stating that we will make the playoffs. I'm just saying that it is way too early to stick a fork in United. IMHO, we're better than Chicago and New England, and when Bradley assembles his team and it gells in New Jersey, I think both teams will challenge Columbus for tops in the East. We lack finishing, Metros lack depth, Columbus lacks defense (though that isn't looking like a strong prediction yet), New England lacks creativity in midfield, and Chicago lacks both creativity and most importantly possession ability in midfield. -Digital
I wouldn't say Columbus lacks defense. Three goals in four games isn't too leaky. They may have plenty of creativity and depth up top, but Clark is playing better than ever, Busch is solid (if unspectacular) and Hejduk and Denton are contributing heavily to the offense without shirking their responsibilities on defense.