Defensive Posture Hurting MLS Playoffs

Must see TV has turned into a bore fest courtesy of Major League Soccer. The last several weeks of the regular season were high flying as many of the teams were going for broke thanks to MLS' playoff system which unlike European Football gives teams the opportunity to save their season even after months of subpar play.

However this excitement has turned into dull, lifeless football in the playoffs. Kansas City were the worst offenders essentially parking a bus in front of goal Saturday Night to preserve a 1-0 aggregate victory over Chivas USA. New England and New York played a series which was lifeless, boring and sadly indicative of the type of football both teams play. I'm a fan of Steve Nicol (but not of his Liverpool roots) but I find myself rooting against his New England side this year unlike past years because it just seems like the team has gone having lots of energy and excitement to being an annoying hanger on. Perhaps that's because Clint Dempsey is not around anymore, or perhaps because we are all tired of seeing the same core of players" Ralston, Twellman, Joseph, Heaps, Noonan, etc every season. Part of my thinking is I wanted Nicol to win a title and now that he has a US Open Cup, we don't need to see the Revolution in the MLS Cup final for the fourth time in six seasons.

Chicago has injected some life in these playoffs. ESPN seems to be riding the Fire all the way thanks to the Blanco effect and simply because Chicago seems to be entertaining. Losing DC United from these playoffs early is blow to MLS: matching up Chicago and DC United two of three teams that could realistically win the title in the first round was a terrible blow, but at least it produced two very entertaining games on national TV. But Juan Carlos Osorio's brand I am familiar with due to his time assisting Kevin Keagan and Stuart Pearce at Manchester City. Despite the thrills the matches against DC United provided, Osorio is simply a more tactically savvy version of Pearce, promoting the same negative, cynical football his boss at Eastlands did. (Hence the number of blown leads the Fire had late in the Regular Season when Osorio in Keagan/Pearce-esqe style decided to sit on a one goal lead, which of course in almost every case evaporated) Now that could very well be good enough to win an MLS title, but the football could once again suffer.

The English Premier League is the most popular non North American football league in terms of TV audience in the United States. (It is the third most popular in terms of TV viewers overall behind the Mexican League and MLS) What is unfortunate is that the product in the EPL has declined over the past several years as the tactics of coaches not named Arsene Wenger have gotten more negative and defensive. In the late 1990s's no football league nor any sport on the globe produced the sheer thrills the EPL did. But as the league became richer and the stakes higher, the football became less entertaining. I unfortunately see that as MLS is becoming a more recognized brand abroad that the football and tactics seem to be getting more negative, and the play dirtier. (The way FC Dallas has played in Superliga and MLS Cup Playoffs with all the diving, gamesmanship and whining was shocking to someone like me who has embraced that club for the exciting soccer they have played since Jason Kries and Ariel Graziani were two of the most exciting players in the league in its early days)

The playoffs are meant to produce winner take all football where goals should be abundant. Sadly, this season that is not the case in the MLS, and let us hope it is not part of a developing trend.

Wizards, Revs Advance

In two uninspiring displays of soccer the New England Revolution and Kansas City Wizards both advanced to the conference finals. New England will host the Chicago Fire Thursday Night on ESPN2, while Houston will host Kansas City Saturday on FSC. Both games will be winner take all with a 120 minutes plus PKs to decide the MLS Cup participants if necessary

MLS Playoffs, Live and Online

Check out Johnathan Starling's continued running commentary for all four playoff games this weekend at the Third Half.

FC Dallas, Kansas City Win First Legs in front of Sparse Crowds

Poor Crowds on a night where MLS competed and lost with the World Series and College Football saw FC Dallas and Kansas City won the first legs of their MLS home and home playoff series with Houston and Chivas USA respectively tonight.

Here is the FCD-Houston match recap from MLSNET.

Here is the 90 minute live blog by Johnathan Starling for the KC-Chivas match.

Fire Clinch Playoff Birth

John Thorrington was once one of the great hopes for American Soccer. As a youngster he was scouted by and signed by Manchester United. There he played on the reserves while David Beckham led United to its famous treble. After being released in 1999 by United, Thorrington bounced around Europe until returning stateside last season to play in MLS. This season he has been injured much of the year and made only his second appearance of the season, but he scored the goal that eliminated Beckham's Galaxy from the playoffs. The Fire dominated the match and should have had a goal in the first half when Cuahatomac Blanco perfectly set up Chad Barrett for a routine finish but Barrett flew the shot over the crossbar.

The Fire's 1-0 victory sets up a matchup with DC United in the playoffs.

Here are the playoff match ups:

E1 DC United vs. E4 Chicago
E2 New England vs E 3 Red Bull NY
W1 Chivas USA vs W4/E5 Kansas City
W2 Houston vs W 3 FC Dallas

Our special Playoff Preview edition of the Major League Soccer Talk podcast will be released early Tuesday AM Pacific time.

MLS Playoff Scenarios From Soccer 365.com

Chicago Fire:

Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Chicago defeats LA on Sunday OR IF
Chicago ties LA on Sunday AND any two of the following occur:
LA fails to win against NY on Thursday
Kansas City loses to FC Dallas on Saturday
Colorado fails to win against RSL on Saturday OR IF
Chicago loses to LA on Sunday AND any two of the following occur:
LA loses to NY on Thursday
Kansas City loses to FC Dallas on Saturday
Colorado fails to win against RSL on Saturday

Will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:
Chicago ties LA on Sunday AND both of the following occur:
Kansas City defeats FC Dallas Saturday
Colorado defeats RSL on Saturday OR IF:
Chicago loses to LA on Sunday AND any two of the following occur:
LA earns at least a point against NY on Thursday
Kansas City earns at least a point against FC Dallas on Saturday
Colorado defeats RSL on Saturday

Los Angeles Galaxy:

If LA defeats NY on Thursday, the Galaxy will clinch a playoff spot IF:
LA ties or defeats Chicago on Sunday AND either of the following occur:
Colorado fails to win against Real Salt Lake on Saturday
Kansas City loses to FC Dallas on Saturday

If LA ties NY on Thursday, the Galaxy will clinch a playoff spot IF:
LA defeats Chicago on Sunday AND either of the following occur:
Colorado fails to win against RSL on Saturday
Kansas City loses to FC Dallas on Saturday

Will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:
LA loses to New York on Thursday OR IF:
LA ties New York on Thursday AND
LA ties or loses to Chicago next Sunday

Kansas City Wizards:

Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Kansas City defeats FC Dallas on Saturday OR
Kansas City ties FC Dallas on Saturday AND any two of the following occur:
LA fails to win BOTH of its two games
Colorado fails to win against Real Salt Lake on Saturday
Colorado wins by less than three goals^
Chicago loses to LA on Sunday

Will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:
Kansas City loses to FC Dallas on Saturday AND either of the following occur:
Colorado defeats Real Salt Lake
LA earns six points from its two games OR IF
Kansas City ties FC Dallas on Saturday AND any two of the following occur:
Chicago earns at least a point against LA on Saturday
Colorado defeats Real Salt Lake by three goals on Saturday
LA earns six points from its two games

Note: Because Colorado and Kansas City tied both times they met this season, their placing will be determined by goal differential if they finish the season tied in points.

Colorado Rapids:

Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Colorado defeats Real Salt Lake on Saturday AND any two of the following occur:
Los Angeles does not win both its games this week
Chicago loses or ties Saturday
Kansas City loses Saturday
Kansas City ties Saturday and Colorado defeats RSL by three goals

Colorado will be eliminated from playoff contention IF:
Colorado fails to win against Real Salt Lake on Saturday OR IF any two of the following occur:
Chicago wins Saturday
Kansas City wins Saturday
Los Angeles wins both its games this week

Other important permutations of this week’s games include:

Chivas USA:

Will clinch first place in the Western Conference IF:

Chivas USA ties or defeats Houston on Saturday

Houston Dynamo:

Will clinch first place in the Western Conference IF:

Houston defeats Chivas USA on Saturday

MLS Playoff Update

Six teams have clinched playoff spots: DC United, Chivas USA, Houston, New England, FC Dallas, Red Bull NY

Three teams have been eliminated from all post season consideration: Toronto FC, Real Salt Lake and Columbus

That leaves two spots open between four teams: Colorado, LA Galaxy, Chicago and Kansas City.

Chicago hosts L.A. in the final game of the season with the winner likely making the playoffs and the loser likely out. Add to that drama the specter of two of the biggest signings in league history, David Beckham and Cuahatomac Blanco facing off against each other for the first time and this is sure to be a tension filled weekend.

I'm waiting to see all the playoff scenarios from the league but here is what I can definitely tell everybody:

• A Kansas City win on Saturday versus FC Dallas will clinch the Wizards the seventh spot.
  
• A Kansas City draw coupled with two Los Angeles wins and a Colorado loss to Real Salt Lake will give Los Angeles the 7th seed, Kansas City the 8th and eliminate Colorado and Chicago.
  
• Two Galaxy wins clinches a playoff spot, either the 7th or 8th seed
  
• A Chicago win clinches a playoff spot
• Colorado needs some help, but if they beat Real Salt Lake, and Los Angeles loses Thursday to New York and then defeats Chicago Sunday, the Rapids will clinch a playoff spot.
  
• Los Angeles can make the playoffs even with a draw versus New York if they beat Chicago, Kansas City wins or draws with FC Dallas and Colorado loses to Real Salt Lake. Chicago and Colorado would then be eliminated and Los Angeles would gain the 8th seed, while Kansas City gains the 7th.
  

On another note, if Houston defeats Real Salt Lake tonight and Chivas USA this weekend they will win the Western Conference. If Chivas USA can achieve a draw versus Houston they will win the West.

Only One MLS Cup Option?

Ante Razov's devastating knee injury Thursday Night leave DC United as the only fully healthy, hitting on all cylinders club entering the MLS post season. Chivas USA's depth has been questioned much of the season, but Preki's club had been able to continue to chase the Supporters Shield largely due to the consistency of the starting XI which faced little in the way of injuries. Expect Preki to place Franchman Laurent Merlin in a withdrawn striker role playing right behind Maykel Galindo in the Goats attack, as a replacement for Razov. The other option up top would be John Cuncliffe whose play has improved dramatically as the year has gone on. Cuncliffe ironically enough is the only English player to score a goal for an LA based MLS club this season.

Other teams chasing DC United and ultimately MLS Cup also have concerns. While New England is relatively healthy they have yet to show me that they can really step up their play to get over the hump this season. Houston is still smarting from the loss of Rico Clark to suspension and seems to have lost some momentum lately. FC Dallas has been completely rocked by the addition of Denilson who once again Thursday Night gave a stinker of a performance.

Who else benefits from Razov's injury beyond DC United? Whomever gets the 8th playoff spot will face Chivas whether it is the Cuauhtemoc Blanco led Fire or the David Beckham led Galaxy. Both teams lack the overall quality of Chivas USA but both sides obviously have rare superstar talents who ability to raise their game and understanding of football rivals that of anyone who has ever played in Major League Soccer.