Canales Daily: Primed for an Upset

By Andrea Canales

A lot of people's predictions for Major League Soccer's championship match are in and the consensus is overwhelming. If votes had any say in the final outcome, Columbus would be the first team in MLS history to win the title by double-digits.

Practically no one is picking New York.

So I have, mainly to go against the grain.

Still, despite the looks of horror this choice has provoked from others, I am serene in my decision. Because in a single game, anything can happen.

It's not as if Columbus dominated New York during the regular season, either. In fact, the Red Bulls took two out of three games from the Crew during their meetings. They only lost a single contest.

"I didn't play in that one," midfielder Dave van den Bergh pointed out. "I was having surgery."

The lanky midfielder might be the most underrated player for New York. His low-key nature extends to his playing style on the field, where he is the master of efficiency, moving only as fast as is needed to get to the ball first. He fires at the first sign of an opening, however, and has the power to propel a shot into goal from far outside.

Van den Bergh knows, though, that his team is going to have to come out very strong against the heavily-favored Crew.

"If we go up on the scoreboard against that team, it's a little easier," he allowed. "They're very effective on the counter attack. I think it's key to get the first goal, because otherwise, it's going to be an uphill battle from there."

New York has successfully jumped out to a lead in every playoff game, using that early momentum to propel them to the Cup final against the Crew.

It's an ambitious plan to attack the team that won more games in the regular season than any other, but sometimes a reckless and relentless assault is precisely the best plan of attack because it is unexpected. As Emerson once wrote,"In skating over thin ice, our safety is our speed."

Speed, of course, is Dane Richards' specialty. What he has added to the threat of his swift feet, though, is better ball control and passing touch. Richards credited Juan Pablo Angel as part of the reason for the development.

"He's a good player," said Richards. "He teaches me stuff every day."

If Richards can indeed meld his quickness with some the acquisition of some of the deadly finishing skills of Angel, he could become the biggest threat against a Crew team that defends well, but more through good positioning than chasing and closing down threats.

In some ways, though, New York actually winning would be the biggest upset in MLS history, beyond that of the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005. After all, New York lost two stars during the season in Jozy Altidore, who transferred to Spain and Claudio Reyna, who retired.

Just recently, the league suspensions of Jeff Parke and Jon Conway and the injury to Seth Stammler further depleted the squad.

"We've had some unlucky breaks," Van den Bergh noted. "We've stayed together and picked up the pieces."

Stammler was on crutches at team practice to lend moral support.

"It's hard to be on the sidelines," said the New York veteran. "But I'm very excited for everybody, the club and the fans."

The franchise in the famous city has struggled since its inception as the MetroStars. There is a certain mystique about New York, though, combined with a resentful perception that the club got numerous breaks from the league, that made many fans around the league cheer actively against the franchise.

New York probably won't be able to claim much support even in an ostensibly neutral stadium. Los Angeles is the home of Crew coach Sigi Schmid, and several Crew players are from California.

Supposedly objective soccer pundits across the country have picked the Crew to win in overwhelming fashion. 

But Van den Bergh, at least, wasn't bothered.

"I don't care," said the Dutch player. "As long as we believe, we're good. We don't really care about the outside world. They didn't pick us to make the playoffs. They didn't pick us to beat Houston or Salt Lake. We really couldn't care less. We know what we can do."

Andrea Canales is Chief Editor of Goal.com USA