MLS Playoffs: Editors' Roundtable: Which Teams Advance?

Freddie Ljungberg | Seattle Sounders

Canales: Freddie Ljungberg, Blanco and other veterans who know how to handle the pressure of big games will really shine in the playoffs.

Ramsey: You guys have no respect for the power of a rivalry.

Bueno: New England is a mess and I think Chicago will take care of them without too many problems. Same for RSL and Columbus. Take the chalk in both Eastern series.

Ramsey: Think about this; New England and Chicago meet every year in the playoffs and the Revs know how to play against those guys. I think they'll pull it off.

Rigg: The Supporters' Shield should be held in infinitely more regard than the MLS Cup.

Canales: Well, they get the CONCACAF Champions League spot, but don't take away my playoffs! I love the big matchups. I hate the idea of anyone winning mathematically. It's partly because of my aversion to math in general.

Evans: Pretty standard for us writers.

Ramsey: What do you West Coast people think of the all-LA game?
 I personally think the Galaxy have the best team in the league hands down.

Evans: I second that, Allen.

Rigg: Chivas USA couldn't beat LA in all those years they were the better team. Now that they're roughly even -- edge goes to LA-- there's no way Preki's men advance.

Bueno: Chivas have everything going against them - only three all-time wins against the Galaxy, they've never won a playoff series, and their form has been a mess of late. They haven't really shown me much of late that leads me to believe they can beat the Galaxy.

Rigg: Landon Donovan doesn't like losing big games, and usually he doesn't lose when he doesn't want to.

Canales: The Galaxy are still a bit fragile in the back - if Maykel Galindo can get to run at Gregg Berhalter with space, anything can happen.

Bueno: It is a rivalry series and things happen in rivalries that you can't really predict. This is Chivas' chance though to steer the rivalry in their direction, so if that means anything to them they'll show up.

Evans: Yeah, I remember Chivas USA started off so hot and now they have definitely cooled. The Galaxy have two of the league's best players and with Becks making his first playoff game, I think they'll be tough to be throughout.

Canales: All it takes is Dema Kovalenko getting a red card, though, and the Galaxy are in trouble. Guy is at risk for it every game. And Jesse Marsch is smart enough to goad him into it.

Bueno: If Marsch can recover in time, but I see Nagamura and maybe Saragosa as the men in the middle for Chivas.
A lot depends on who Preki sends out there. Eduardo Lillingston needs to start. If he doesn't, Chivas' offense is in trouble.

Preki | Chivas USA coach

Ramsey: I love Preki, but I'm not sure he's ready to match Bruce Arena tactically.

Canales: I'm not sure Lillingston is over his own-goal mistake. That's traumatic. Cost Chivas USA first place in the West.

Bueno: He had a PK on Sunday and could have had another, but he was just a hair offside. Lillingston needs to play instead of Justin Braun, plain and simple.

Rigg: I'm more a fan of Maicon Santos, but yeah. Lillingston is the top scorer, despite how angry he makes Preki.

Canales: What about the defending champs and their match up? Are we giving RSL a prayer versus the Crew?

Evans: I don't think so. The Crew have been dominant all season. They were begging for the Revs to score all match on Sunday, just because. If they want, it's lights out Eastern Conference

Ramsey: Columbus should cruise to their second final in a row.

Bueno: RSL is terrible on the road. I don't see them surviving the game in Columbus, even if they pull off an upset at home.

Ramsey: The Crew are still the class of that side of the bracket.

Bueno: Eleven road losses says a lot about RSL.

Canales: Ah, but it's the playoffs, so miracles can happen. New York proved that last year.

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