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Friday MLS Forecast: Week 21
The Forecast wonders how Tom Soehn will find a way to navigate D.C. United through a hectic month before tackling the Week 21 fixture list.
Aug 7, 2009 2:42:22 AM
By Kyle McCarthy
Tom Soehn's men better starting eating their Wheaties. D.C. United will need all the help it can get over the next month.
From Aug, 9 (a glamor friendly against Real Madrid at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland) to Sept. 12 (a home match against Seattle), United will play ten games. Not ten games against New York (or even one), but ten serious games against nine serious opponents (unless Real Madrid decides to go hogwild at FedEx Field on Sunday).
Included in that stretch are trips to two foreign countries – Canada (Toronto FC on Aug. 15) and Honduras (C.D. Marathon to open CONCACAF Champions League play on Aug. 18) – and two states – Illinois (Chicago on Aug. 29) and Texas (FC Dallas on Sept. 5). While the road games are perilous, the home schedule doesn't provide much in the way of relief. There are two home games within ten days against Seattle (Sept. 2 for the Open Cup final and Sept. 12 in MLS play) and stopovers by Kansas City (Sept. 9), Los Angeles (Aug. 22) and Toluca (Aug. 26) in addition to Madrid's visit.
The Forecast got tired just looking at all of those games, so it can only imagine what Soehn's men will feel like once Seattle leaves town in mid-September. United will have to hope it can keep its head above water in MLS and Champions League play while also finding a way to retain the Open Cup. Not even the Forecast can figure out a way for United to get through that group of fixtures unscathed, so the ball's in your court, Mr. Soehn, to figure out the best way to navigate through that minefield.
After the tricky battlefield better known as Week 20 forced the Forecast off course after two stellar weeks, it hopes to return to its best with the smaller Week 21 slate.
Last week: 2/6 (33%)
For the season: 58/123 (47%)
Saturday
Los Angeles @ New England – 6:00p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
Don't expect a surplus of goals in this one. Los Angeles doesn't give up much on the road (11 GA in 10 road games) and the Revs have conceded just once in MLS play since these two teams last met in L.A.'s 1-0 Independence Day win at the HDC. The tightness of this one will place significant emphasis on not conceding free kicks and not getting caught in possession in bad spots. New England would be best served if Shalrie Joseph (knee) could play in midfield and Edgaras Jankauskas (adductor) could play at striker, but the combo probably isn't healthy enough to do so for 90 minutes at this point. For the Revs' attack to thrive, one member of the duo has to play up top at all times to provide some hold up play. Los Angeles has never won against New England at Gillette Stadium (0-5-2), but the Galaxy may grind out a point from the Steve Nicol-less (suspended after last week's ejection) Revolution much like Toronto FC did last weekend.
Prediction: Draw.
Columbus @ San Jose – 8:30p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
If you had asked me prior to San Jose's 4-0 win over Seattle at Buck Shaw last Sunday, I'd have put this down as a Crew banker. Columbus had just gritted out yet another result – 1-0 in Colorado, a notoriously difficult place to play – to extend its unbeaten run to six matches (4-0-2) and San Jose looked dead in the water. Then the Earthquakes came out and unveiled a central midfield pairing – Ramon Sanchez and Andre Luiz – that links the play and holds the ball far more proficiently than any duo Frank Yallop had put on the field this season. Now, I'm not quite so sure. Add in a dash of the Candlestick crowd (in the first ever MLS game there) and now it becomes even more difficult for Robert Warzycha's men. Not difficult enough to completely abandon them, however.
Prediction: Draw.
Seattle @ Real Salt Lake – 9:00p.m.
Seattle's 4-0 loss to Barcelona provided yet another nice distraction from league play, but Sounders FC will certainly peek at the ugly game tape from last Sunday's 4-0 loss to San Jose before taking the field at Rio Tinto. Not withstanding a shaky first game in rave green against Barcelona, new left back Leo Gonzalez should be handed the opportunity to make his MLS debut against RSL. First-choice right back James Riley (suspension) won't be available, but Freddie Ljungberg (migraine) should return after missing last weekend. It's a swap Sounders FC is willing to take; Ljungberg drives them in the middle of the park, while Sigi Schmid has plenty of options to replace Riley. There are no options left for RSL right now; Jason Kreis' club needs to start winning games. They'll need Yura Movsisyan (shoulder) around to carry the goalscoring load, but he is a doubt heading into this one. Kreis (suspension) will watch for the second consecutive game, but this one needs to have a happier ending than last weekend's 1-0 loss at Toyota Park. Somehow, his charges will find a way to provide it.
Prediction: Real Salt Lake win.
Chivas USA @ Colorado – 9:30p.m.
These aren't exactly the form teams taking the field in Commerce City. Chivas USA may have had two weeks off, but that won't be enough to wash off the stench of four consecutive losses in league play. Colorado hasn't exactly taken advantage of this recent stretch of home games (the Rapids are in the midst of a stretch with nine of 12 at home; Colorado is 3-2-1 at home during that period with a pair of road losses thrown in there) and needs a victory to keep pace in the playoff race. Colorado also desperately needs Conor Casey (groin/thigh) to shake off his injury to lead the line; his presence opens up avenues for everyone else. The Rapids will also have to make an adjustment at the back with Ugo Ihemelu suspended. As for the Goats, they'll have to cope without Paulo Nagamura (suspended), Carey Talley (suspended) and Zach Thornton (quad). Considering Chivas hasn't played well or scored at all (231 minutes without a goal) lately, it's tough to see them getting something this game without those three key players.
Prediction: Colorado win.
Sunday
Chicago @ Houston – 8:30p.m.
Houston looked tired and uninspired in last night's 1-0 loss in Frisco. It isn't a surprise to see the extra games wearing on the Dynamo's key players, but it does send out a warning shot with the CONCACAF Champions League fixture pileup still to come. Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear had an eye on this one when he withdrew Brian Ching at the half and Brad Davis with 25 minutes to spare against the Hoops, but the plan backfired in part when Davis somehow got ejected while sitting on the bench. That means Houston's two starting wingers – Davis (suspension) and Brian Mullan (ankle) – likely won't play. Chicago isn't at full strength heading into this match either after playing 90 (writer's note: back when N.E. was in the competition, I had learned it was 90 mins + extra time in the final and only straight to penalty kicks in the semis; I was apparently mistaken, so I have changed it in the text here.) minutes in midweek in the SuperLiga final loss to Tigres. Can Cuauhtemoc Blanco recover in time to play a meaningful role against Houston? Will Wilman Conde (hamstring) and John Thorrington (groin) overcome the odds and return to play a part? Even with a league-best 5-1-4 mark on the road, the Fire may struggle to cope in the withering Texas heat under these circumstances.
Prediction: Houston win.
Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSnet.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page.
Tom Soehn's men better starting eating their Wheaties. D.C. United will need all the help it can get over the next month.
From Aug, 9 (a glamor friendly against Real Madrid at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland) to Sept. 12 (a home match against Seattle), United will play ten games. Not ten games against New York (or even one), but ten serious games against nine serious opponents (unless Real Madrid decides to go hogwild at FedEx Field on Sunday).
Included in that stretch are trips to two foreign countries – Canada (Toronto FC on Aug. 15) and Honduras (C.D. Marathon to open CONCACAF Champions League play on Aug. 18) – and two states – Illinois (Chicago on Aug. 29) and Texas (FC Dallas on Sept. 5). While the road games are perilous, the home schedule doesn't provide much in the way of relief. There are two home games within ten days against Seattle (Sept. 2 for the Open Cup final and Sept. 12 in MLS play) and stopovers by Kansas City (Sept. 9), Los Angeles (Aug. 22) and Toluca (Aug. 26) in addition to Madrid's visit.
The Forecast got tired just looking at all of those games, so it can only imagine what Soehn's men will feel like once Seattle leaves town in mid-September. United will have to hope it can keep its head above water in MLS and Champions League play while also finding a way to retain the Open Cup. Not even the Forecast can figure out a way for United to get through that group of fixtures unscathed, so the ball's in your court, Mr. Soehn, to figure out the best way to navigate through that minefield.
After the tricky battlefield better known as Week 20 forced the Forecast off course after two stellar weeks, it hopes to return to its best with the smaller Week 21 slate.
Last week: 2/6 (33%)
For the season: 58/123 (47%)
Saturday
Los Angeles @ New England – 6:00p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
Don't expect a surplus of goals in this one. Los Angeles doesn't give up much on the road (11 GA in 10 road games) and the Revs have conceded just once in MLS play since these two teams last met in L.A.'s 1-0 Independence Day win at the HDC. The tightness of this one will place significant emphasis on not conceding free kicks and not getting caught in possession in bad spots. New England would be best served if Shalrie Joseph (knee) could play in midfield and Edgaras Jankauskas (adductor) could play at striker, but the combo probably isn't healthy enough to do so for 90 minutes at this point. For the Revs' attack to thrive, one member of the duo has to play up top at all times to provide some hold up play. Los Angeles has never won against New England at Gillette Stadium (0-5-2), but the Galaxy may grind out a point from the Steve Nicol-less (suspended after last week's ejection) Revolution much like Toronto FC did last weekend.
Prediction: Draw.
Columbus @ San Jose – 8:30p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
If you had asked me prior to San Jose's 4-0 win over Seattle at Buck Shaw last Sunday, I'd have put this down as a Crew banker. Columbus had just gritted out yet another result – 1-0 in Colorado, a notoriously difficult place to play – to extend its unbeaten run to six matches (4-0-2) and San Jose looked dead in the water. Then the Earthquakes came out and unveiled a central midfield pairing – Ramon Sanchez and Andre Luiz – that links the play and holds the ball far more proficiently than any duo Frank Yallop had put on the field this season. Now, I'm not quite so sure. Add in a dash of the Candlestick crowd (in the first ever MLS game there) and now it becomes even more difficult for Robert Warzycha's men. Not difficult enough to completely abandon them, however.
Prediction: Draw.
Seattle @ Real Salt Lake – 9:00p.m.
Seattle's 4-0 loss to Barcelona provided yet another nice distraction from league play, but Sounders FC will certainly peek at the ugly game tape from last Sunday's 4-0 loss to San Jose before taking the field at Rio Tinto. Not withstanding a shaky first game in rave green against Barcelona, new left back Leo Gonzalez should be handed the opportunity to make his MLS debut against RSL. First-choice right back James Riley (suspension) won't be available, but Freddie Ljungberg (migraine) should return after missing last weekend. It's a swap Sounders FC is willing to take; Ljungberg drives them in the middle of the park, while Sigi Schmid has plenty of options to replace Riley. There are no options left for RSL right now; Jason Kreis' club needs to start winning games. They'll need Yura Movsisyan (shoulder) around to carry the goalscoring load, but he is a doubt heading into this one. Kreis (suspension) will watch for the second consecutive game, but this one needs to have a happier ending than last weekend's 1-0 loss at Toyota Park. Somehow, his charges will find a way to provide it.
Prediction: Real Salt Lake win.
Chivas USA @ Colorado – 9:30p.m.
These aren't exactly the form teams taking the field in Commerce City. Chivas USA may have had two weeks off, but that won't be enough to wash off the stench of four consecutive losses in league play. Colorado hasn't exactly taken advantage of this recent stretch of home games (the Rapids are in the midst of a stretch with nine of 12 at home; Colorado is 3-2-1 at home during that period with a pair of road losses thrown in there) and needs a victory to keep pace in the playoff race. Colorado also desperately needs Conor Casey (groin/thigh) to shake off his injury to lead the line; his presence opens up avenues for everyone else. The Rapids will also have to make an adjustment at the back with Ugo Ihemelu suspended. As for the Goats, they'll have to cope without Paulo Nagamura (suspended), Carey Talley (suspended) and Zach Thornton (quad). Considering Chivas hasn't played well or scored at all (231 minutes without a goal) lately, it's tough to see them getting something this game without those three key players.
Prediction: Colorado win.
Sunday
Chicago @ Houston – 8:30p.m.
Houston looked tired and uninspired in last night's 1-0 loss in Frisco. It isn't a surprise to see the extra games wearing on the Dynamo's key players, but it does send out a warning shot with the CONCACAF Champions League fixture pileup still to come. Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear had an eye on this one when he withdrew Brian Ching at the half and Brad Davis with 25 minutes to spare against the Hoops, but the plan backfired in part when Davis somehow got ejected while sitting on the bench. That means Houston's two starting wingers – Davis (suspension) and Brian Mullan (ankle) – likely won't play. Chicago isn't at full strength heading into this match either after playing 90 (writer's note: back when N.E. was in the competition, I had learned it was 90 mins + extra time in the final and only straight to penalty kicks in the semis; I was apparently mistaken, so I have changed it in the text here.) minutes in midweek in the SuperLiga final loss to Tigres. Can Cuauhtemoc Blanco recover in time to play a meaningful role against Houston? Will Wilman Conde (hamstring) and John Thorrington (groin) overcome the odds and return to play a part? Even with a league-best 5-1-4 mark on the road, the Fire may struggle to cope in the withering Texas heat under these circumstances.
Prediction: Houston win.
Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSnet.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page.
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