The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition [R, lots of Rs, be careful]

boomersooner027 · Aug 27, 2007

Alrighty folks, we can use this thread to keep track of the rest of the teams with us in the fight for the Supporters Shield. Here's how we stand right now:

Points Games left Home games Away games
1. NE 42 7 3 4
2. DC 39 9 5 4
3. HOU 38 7 3 4
4. CHV 36 10 7 3
4. DAL 36 9 6 3
6. NY 33 8 4 4
7. KCW 32 8 3 5

Sorry the formatting kinda gets messed up. If a mod can make that look better please do.

wcharriscpa · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Sept 1: DC
Sept 30: H-town
Oct 11: Goats

All huge, huge games.

boomersooner027 · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Right now, NE has the top spot, but honestly I dont think they're the favorites to win it. They've only got three home games left and two of those are tough ones against FC Dallas and the tough to beat Columbus Crew. They've still got to play at New York, DC and Chicago and most teams chasing them have a couple of games in hand so I'd say they probably won't finish with the top spot.

DC is look like a very decent bet to win the SS with just 3 points behind the Revs and two games in hand. I'd say one of the main questions for them is whether their Copa Sudamericana games in late September and early October will take their focus off the league. Their next three games will tell us a lot about them as they've got away games at Dallas and Chivas before hosting the Revs.

Houston is not looking like they'll win the SS after failing to win 3 of their last 4 games. They're 4 games behind NE and just two points ahead of Chivas and Dallas in the West with having played 3 and 2 games more respectively.

Chivas is actually look like they could be one of the favorites to contend for the SS. I have a tough time rating their team as the best in the league, but looking at it from a purely standings and schedule view they've got the best road left. They may be 6 points behind the Revs but they've got 3 games in hand and 7 of their last 10 games are at home where they're unbeaten!

Our Hoops also have to be one of the front runners to with the SS. The main questions for us have to be whether our players returning from injury and joining the team(Toja, Cooper and Denilson) can gel quickly and not show any rust. Dallas has a very favorable schedule with just 3 away games left and home games against most of the teams they're chasing. Dallas has lost just 2 games at home this season and are unbeaten in 6 straight at home.

New York and Kansas City are lagging behind but still have some time to catch up. I wouldn't put their chances at very high, but they deserve to at least be mentioned.

Things are gonna be really fun down the stretch

boomersooner027 · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

wcharriscpa said: ↑

Sept 1: DC
Sept. 8: Toronto
Sept. 20: Chicago
Sept 30: H-town
Oct 11: Goats
Oct 20: Wizards

All huge, huge games.
Click to expand...

FYP

We win our home games and we've got a great chance at winning the shield.

Chamo · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

All they got to do is win the next one versus DC.

wcharriscpa · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Chamo said: ↑

All they got to do is win the next one versus DC.
Click to expand...

Fcuking huge game.

SeventhRowScreamer · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

If the season ended in a week or two then I would say that it would be unlikely that we make up 7 points unless all other contenders sucked it up and lost out. Our form of late is only serviceable after all of the injuries and does not indicate a powerhouse for at least a couple weeks. Perfect play will be needed for the Shield but the MLS CUP may be a different story if a certain visa is issued quickly, dead weight dropped and the beautiful game ensues. I for one would like to lock up another chance at the SuperLiga and qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

boomersooner027 · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

SeventhRowScreamer said: ↑

If the season ended in a week or two then I would say that it would be unlikely that we make up 7 points unless all other contenders sucked it up and lost out. Our form of late is only serviceable after all of the injuries and does not indicate a powerhouse for at least a couple weeks. Perfect play will be needed for the Shield but the MLS CUP may be a different story if a certain visa is issued quickly, dead weight dropped and the beautiful game ensues. I for one would like to lock up another chance at the SuperLiga and qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
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Where are you getting the 7 points from?

I would call 6 games undefeated at home and 1 loss in our last 7 league games even with all our injuries pretty good, but maybe that's just me.

If you give us wins for our games in hand over the teams we're 3 points behind DC and that's the only team we're behind. I agree on Superliga and CCC, though the only ways to qualify for that are SS or MLS Cup Champion.

fc koshigaya · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Because we lost to NE we have to get 7pts instead of 6......our GD is kinda dooky as well.

burning247 · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

something tells me Chivas is going to be the tough one out of all of these teams. We need to win all our games at home, and.....well get some kind of result @ Boston, LA, and Columbus, all of which have been tough on us in the past.

Pegasus · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Best indicator right now is points per game and + / -. Dc and Houston lead in + / -. FCD is only plus 1.

WarrenAbao · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Okay, let's see if this format is better:

POS TEAM Points__Games left__Home games__Away games
1.__NE___42_______7__________3___________4
2.__DC___39_______9__________5___________4
3.__HOU__38_______7__________3___________4
4.__CHV__36______10__________7___________3
4.__DAL__36_______9__________6___________3
6.__NY___33_______8__________4___________4
7.__KCW__32_______8__________3___________5

fcd_noob · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

WarrenAbao said: ↑

Okay, let's see if this format is better:

POS TEAM Points__Games left__Home games__Away games
1.__NE___42_______7__________3___________4
2.__DC___39_______9__________5___________4
3.__HOU__38_______7__________3___________4
4.__CHV__36______10__________7___________3
4.__DAL__36_______9__________6___________3
6.__NY___33_______8__________4___________4
7.__KCW__32_______8__________3___________5
Click to expand...

Uh, hey Warren... (sucking in breath).. what's happening. You left the cover off of your TPS report... Yeah.

texgator · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

It's a little Houston-centric, but this is a nice, little recap:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12597500&postcount=1

Kevin Lindstrom · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

If someone has the time to break out the actual schedules, that might be more illuminating. I say that because who you play is as important as how many and where.

108militia · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

FC Dallas
(League Games: 6 Home, 3 Away : 1 Non-League Game, Potential for 1 more)

09/01 DC
09/04 @Seattle Sounders (Open Cup)
09/08 TFC
09/15 @NE
09/20 CHI
09/23 @LA
09/30 HOU
10/06 @CREW
10/11 Chivas USA
10/20 KC

Houston
(League Games: 3 Home, 4 Away)

09/01 KC
09/08 RSL
09/16 @LA
09/30 @FCD
10/07 LA
10/15 @RSL
10/20 @Chivas USA

Chivas USA
(League Games: 7 Home, 3 Away)

09/06 DC
09/09 NY
09/13 LA
09/16 @COL
09/22 KC
09/29 CHI
10/06 @RSL
10/11 @FCD
10/14 COL
10/20 HOU

New England
(League Games: 3 Home, 4 Away : 1 Non-League Game, Potential for 1 more))

09/04 Carolina RailHawks (Open Cup)
09/09 @DC
09/15 FCD
09/22 @NY
09/29 COL
10/06 @CHI
10/13 CREW
10/20 @TFC

DC United
(League Games: 5 Home, 4 Away : 2 Non-League Games)

09/01 @FCD
09/06 @Chivas USA
09/09 NE
09/12 RSL
09/23 @CHI
09/26 CD Guadalajara (Copa Nissan Sudamericana)
09/29 TFC
10/02 @CD Guadalajara (Copa Nissan Sudamericana)
10/05 @KC
10/13 CHI
12/20 CREW

New York
(League Games: 3 Home, 5 Away)

09/01 CHI
09/09 @Chivas USA
09/15 @CHI
09/22 NE
09/23 @LA
10/04 @TFC
10/13 KC
10/18 @LA

Kansas City
(League Games: 3 Home, 4 Away)

09/01 @HOU
09/15 CREW
09/22 @Chivas USA
09/27 LA
10/05 DC
10/13 @NY
10/20 @FCD

The Gribbler · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Without going into detail, on the surface DC probably has the best chance at taking it once again.

patfan1 · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

BurnSoccer said: ↑

Without going into detail, on the surface DC probably has the best chance at taking it once again.
Click to expand...

I think DC's next three games might be the toughest three-game stretch anyone will play this year. Points per game wise, they're playing the #4, #3 and #2 teams in the league (in that order as well, FCD, Chivas and the Revs). If they go 1-1-1 (which I think is how it'll work out for them), then the Shield is open to anyone. If they sweep the three, it's theirs for the taking.

The Revs have a few tough games left, including your boys at home, and at Chicago, DC and NY (we wound up playing each of those three twice on the road this year, the team's we hate the most ... strange).

I hate to say it but Chivas might have the best chance of everyone. They're undefeated at home, and have given up just 2 goals in 8 games there.

The good thing from the Revs perspective is we just finished up our brutal stretch (in terms of number of games in a time frame) and get to rest up for a bit. We're only playing one game per week from now till the end of the year (after this week's bye), not counting the two potential USOC matches.

Houston's only got three tough games remaining, but two are on the road.

The Shield is really available to anyone who wants it this year, unlike last year where DC really just ran away with it.

Roma_Wolves · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

I know we had a week off, but I don't like where we're sitting now (at the edge of Superliga qualification), that's for sure. Houston has a pretty sweet schedule (RSL twice, LA twice), but I think we can take them, especially with our extra matches in hand.

texgator · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Just considering us vs Houston. We have two games in hand, from which we only need to win one to be ahead of the Creamsicles. So let's say our two toughest matches to come are those games in hand. 9/1 vs DCU and 9/15 in New England. So we'll assume we can win one of those and lose the other. Then we go ahead and say the game at home vs Houston is a draw (in order to nuetralize the net effect of that game on either's point total). Then we take out common matches home to KC, away to LA. Here is the remaining sched.

FC Dallas

09/08 TFC
09/20 CHI
10/06 @CREW
10/11 Chivas USA

Houston

09/08 RSL
10/07 LA
10/15 @RSL
10/20 @Chivas USA

3 of 4 home for FCD, 2 and 2 for Houston
I'd say TFC at home for us is equal to RSL at home for them.
We have Chivas at home, they have them away, slight advantage for FCD
So, as far as I'm concerned it all comes down to who takes the most out of these two games:

FCD - Chicago at home, Crew away
HOU - LA at home, RSL away

Advantage Houston.....in a big, big way. The only way we come out ahead is if Houston throws some absolute stink bomb performances and drops some points unexpectedly. Which, IMO, they've already down this season losing to Colorado and RSL. I think we are staring down the barrel at 2nd place finish in the West, 3rd overall.

texgator · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

patfan1 said: ↑

The Shield is really available to anyone who wants it this year, unlike last year where DC really just ran away with it.
Click to expand...

If either FCD or Houston could get their act together in Aug/Sept it would have been much, much closer. DCU ran away early, but sputtered after the AS break. It was just as much for the taking, but no one took. I think this year will be different. BTW, I think it's funny how things have changed in the league. A few years ago everyone was bemoaning the parity. Here we are, with the same 4 teams battling for the Shield as last season. Okay...Chivas is new to the party, but the other names are the same.

Dr. Foosball™ · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

Houston is 0-1-0 against RSL this year. Just sayin...

EdTheRed · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

AHF4FCD said: ↑

Houston is 0-1-0 against RSL this year. Just sayin...
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Actually, so is DC...

texgator · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

AHF4FCD said: ↑

Houston is 0-1-0 against RSL this year. Just sayin...
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I thought we played every conference opponent 4 times? That would mean Houston plays RSL only 3 times.

ElJefe · Aug 27, 2007

Re: The Race for the Supporters' Shield 2007 Edition

texgator said: ↑

I thought we played every conference opponent 4 times? That would mean Houston plays RSL only 3 times.
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Nope. Western Conference teams play four out of the five conference opponents three times and one conference opponent four times. We play Orange Cracker FC four times, RSL plays Colorado four times, and LA plays Chivas USA four times.