One more round left in MLS and the playoff picture is still far from
clear. Only two three teams mathematically eliminated (at least it
looks that way from the table - may be different if one takes the
pairings in the last match into consideration)

4 teams currently tied for the last playoff spot with 39 points. That
was enough to get in last year (Red Bull, who went all the way to the
final had only 39 points) but won't be this time.

Chivas USA, Houston, LA, Seattle, and Columbus are already in, with the
former 4 all still in contention for 1st in the west (plus Houston has
yet to play LA today). Houston, LA, Chivas all still with a shot at
first place overall , provided the Crew lose their last game.

For those still battling for a playoff spot we have

Chicago 42 points, plus 4 GD. last game Thurs, home to Chivas
Colorado 40 points, plus 7 GD. Sat. away to RSL
Dallas 39 pts , plus 4 GD. SAt. away to Seattle
DC United 39 pts, minus 1. SAt. Away to KC
Toronto FC 39 pts., minus 4. Sat. Away to NY
New England 39 pts. minus 5. Sun. Away to Columbus
Real Salt Lake 37 pts plus 5. Sat. Home to Colorado

As the second place team in each conference is in no matter what,
Chicago are pretty safe, though head to head comes as a tie breaker
before GD, so there are lots of permutations.


Very few direct matchups between teams still trying to get in, so expect
most of them to win. RSL really does have a mathemical chance, but would
need all 4 teams on 39 point to lose, or at least 3 of them to
lose,depending on tie breakers which are way to complex for me to list here.

I caught the TFC - RSL game yesterday, and it was pretty exciting, with
ample scoring chances at both ends. A real cup tie, with lots of
unforced mistakes.

So TFC fans have to hope that
1) they win - a draw is very unlikely to be enough

MH wrote:

One more round left in MLS and the playoff picture is still far from
clear. Only two three teams mathematically eliminated (at least it
looks that way from the table - may be different if one takes the
pairings in the last match into consideration)

4 teams currently tied for the last playoff spot with 39 points. That
was enough to get in last year (Red Bull, who went all the way to the
final had only 39 points) but won't be this time.

Chivas USA, Houston, LA, Seattle, and Columbus are already in, with
the former 4 all still in contention for 1st in the west (plus Houston
has yet to play LA today). Houston, LA, Chivas all still with a shot
at first place overall , provided the Crew lose their last game.

For those still battling for a playoff spot we have

Chicago 42 points, plus 4 GD. last game Thurs, home to Chivas
Colorado 40 points, plus 7 GD. Sat. away to RSL
Dallas 39 pts , plus 4 GD. SAt. away to Seattle
DC United 39 pts, minus 1. SAt. Away to KC
Toronto FC 39 pts., minus 4. Sat. Away to NY
New England 39 pts. minus 5. Sun. Away to Columbus
Real Salt Lake 37 pts plus 5. Sat. Home to Colorado

Update - Chicago beat Chivas in midweek and are now in.
Still 4 teams on 39 pts. The first tie breaker is head to head,
apparently.

Toronto beats both DCU and New England on head to head. They are even
with Colorado, and lose to Dallas.

In the group of 4 on 39 points they have 2 W 3 D 1 L

New England have a win and a loss vs. Dallas, 2 draws vs. COlorado,

and a win and a draw vs. DCU

In the group of 4 on 39 pts. they have 2 W 2 D 2 L

DCU have a loss and draw vs, each of Toronto and New ENgland, and a win
and draw vs. Dallas. Win and loss vs. Colorado.

In the table of teams on 39 pts., they have 1 W 3 D 2 L

Dallas have a win and loss vs. COlorado In the table with the 3 other
teams on 39 points, they have 2 W 2 D 2L

If I have got this right and have not missed any odd games (uneven
schedule), Toronto will be in the playoffs if they beat Red Bull tomorrow.

As the second place team in each conference is in no matter what,
Chicago are pretty safe, though head to head comes as a tie breaker
before GD, so there are lots of permutations.


Very few direct matchups between teams still trying to get in, so
expect most of them to win. RSL really does have a mathemical chance,
but would need all 4 teams on 39 point to lose, or at least 3 of them
to lose,depending on tie breakers which are way to complex for me to
list here.

I caught the TFC - RSL game yesterday, and it was pretty exciting,
with ample scoring chances at both ends. A real cup tie, with lots of
unforced mistakes.

One more round left in MLS and the playoff picture is still far from
clear. Only two three teams mathematically eliminated (at least it
looks that way from the table - may be different if one takes the
pairings in the last match into consideration)

4 teams currently tied for the last playoff spot with 39 points. That
was enough to get in last year (Red Bull, who went all the way to the
final had only 39 points) but won't be this time.

Chivas USA, Houston, LA, Seattle, and Columbus are already in, with the
former 4 all still in contention for 1st in the west (plus Houston has
yet to play LA today). Houston, LA, Chivas all still with a shot at
first place overall , provided the Crew lose their last game.

For those still battling for a playoff spot we have

Chicago 42 points, plus 4 GD. last game Thurs, home to Chivas
Colorado 40 points, plus 7 GD. Sat. away to RSL
Dallas 39 pts , plus 4 GD. SAt. away to Seattle
DC United 39 pts, minus 1. SAt. Away to KC
Toronto FC 39 pts., minus 4. Sat. Away to NY
New England 39 pts. minus 5. Sun. Away to Columbus
Real Salt Lake 37 pts plus 5. Sat. Home to Colorado

As the second place team in each conference is in no matter what,
Chicago are pretty safe, though head to head comes as a tie breaker
before GD, so there are lots of permutations.

snip

chris m <rilke2... at (no spam) yahoo.com> wrote:
In article <hc52un$95... at (no spam) aioe.org>, Dwight Beers <hdbe... at (no spam) gmail.com
wrote:

Sorry guys.  Exciting and MLS in the same header is an oxymoron of
sorts.  I have turned into a degenerate soccer junkie, watching 4 EPL
games a week, ESPN's Spanish League match, a Serie A game or two, even
an Argentinian fixture sometimes, and I still can't manage to get
through a whole MLS game.  Its boring, thuggish, hit and hope, no
creative midfield play.  Sort of like the USA national team (troll).

chris m

I don't think anybody is claiming that MLS is anywhere near the level of
the bigger leagues.

And I'd hardly call the better sides in MLS hit and hope.  Teams like
Columbus with Schelotto, Seattle with Ljunberg <snip>  I'd watch Seattle-Columbus anyday over
Hull-Bolton.

but they're also capable of some attractive
attacking when called upon.    

On Oct 24, 6:59 pm, MH <MHnos... at (no spam) ucalgary.ca> wrote:


So TFC fans have to hope that
1) they win - a draw is very unlikely to be enough


And it looks like another season of tfclol, as they trail 4-0 late in
the second half. According to the MLS matchtracker, NY has had four
shots on goal and scored on each one.

In article <hc52un$95d$1 at (no spam) aioe.org>, Dwight Beers <hdbeers at (no spam) gmail.com
wrote:

Sorry guys. Exciting and MLS in the same header is an oxymoron of
sorts.

games a week, ESPN's Spanish League match, a Serie A game or two, even
an Argentinian fixture sometimes, and I still can't manage to get
through a whole MLS game. Its boring, thuggish, hit and hope, no
creative midfield play. Sort of like the USA national team (troll).

chris m

Nick Garcia and Ali Gerba were stupid acquisitions, and I must confess
to being disppointed with De Guzman so far. O'Brien White showed some
potential when he finally got to play a bit.

When the injuries started to pile up (Wynne, Serioux, Robinson , Frei)
at the end of the season, it was clear that the team still does not have
enough depth to be a serious contender. PLus their away form still stinks.

There have been rumours of grass at the BMO stadium next year.

Jim Goloboy wrote:


You had then predicted to be dead last, if I recall correctly, so I guess they exceeded some
people's expectations.  

When the injuries started to pile up (Wynne, Serioux, Robinson , Frei)

MH <nospam at (no spam) ucalgary.ca> wrote:

Nick Garcia and Ali Gerba were stupid acquisitions, and I must confess
to being disppointed with De Guzman so far. O'Brien White showed some
potential when he finally got to play a bit.


Garcia was a solid MLS level defender, but is in decline.

De Guzman
looked entirely lost in every match I saw him.

We only get home games on TV/. He certainly did not look as convincing

When the injuries started to pile up (Wynne, Serioux, Robinson , Frei)
at the end of the season, it was clear that the team still does not have
enough depth to be a serious contender. PLus their away form still stinks.


But until they increase budgets, lack of depth will always be the case
with an MLS side. Thus, luck probably plays a larger role in how things
shake out than it should.

There have been rumours of grass at the BMO stadium next year.



I am pretty sure that the change to real grass has been confirmed and
that they are shooting for getting it in by the beginning of next season.

On Oct 28, 1:38 pm, MH <nos... at (no spam) ucalgary.ca> wrote:

Jim Goloboy wrote:



You had then predicted to be dead last, if I recall correctly, so I guess they exceeded some
people's expectations.


True. I was way off on NY and LA.


When the injuries started to pile up (Wynne, Serioux, Robinson , Frei)


Is it too early to call Wynne a disappointment?

doesn't seem to have improved much the last couple years.

TFC still has serious questions about their offense. None of their
forwards score until they've left the club, while the main creators
DeRosario and Guevara are old.