WASHINGTON, DC and SAN JOSE, CA (July 21, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- J Hutcherson and Tony Edwards talk about the missed chances that was the SuperLiga weekend and how Houston and DC are in an opportune position to use their Tuesday night make-up game to send a strong message.
J Hutcherson: Hey Tony. Picking up on last week's discussion, one of the things the SuperLiga should have given the rest of Major League Soccer was a chance to reset the table in the absence of the Liga clubs. Instead, every team split the points in the run-up to the All-Star Game. That really sets up the Tuesday makeup game between DC and Houston as a lot more important than anyone should've expected.
In the West, Houston would move from 5th to level on points with LA in second, though trailing on differential. Those three points would put DC level with Chicago in third on points, but trailing badly on goal differential. DC and Chicago would be level on games played, with the two teams ahead of them on 17 to their 16.
When the table catches up on games played, the weekend of draws and a winner on Tuesday could shift the balance in both Conferences.
Tony Edwards: Some of those ties were pretty entertaining. I wondered why ESPN was showing Columbus-KC, but that was probably a good advertisement for the league.
Is it possible that the Dynamo don't have another gear this season? That the SuperLiga, international call-ups, and the age of some of their core players is going to catch up with them. Houston is 1-3-5 on the road this season, not exactly what you expect out of an experienced team with an experienced coach. For the record, that's fewer road points than San Jose, up to this point.
You'd imagine they will find a way to qualify for the playoffs, but maybe its time for Kinnear to revamp in the off-season, especially with another expansion draft looming.
Of course, Colorado and Salt Lake are even worse on the road. Take Real away from their turf and they are lousy.
From the viewpoint of how the ties are affecting play, maybe teams will need to find a way to open up on the road for the first 75 minutes or so, as the difference between 1 and 3 points now is pretty significant. At that 75th minute or so, I'd imagine road teams would pack up shop if they are tied. But maybe teams will be forced to throw on another midfielder or a forward in an effort to help their standings.
JH: MLS changing the playoff structure so there are only two wild card slots rather than six is actually working to make the second half of the season more entertaining. You could already write off most of the Western Conference under the old system, basically putting them in a position to ask that rebuilding question way too early.
Ante Razov scoring consistently for Chivas USA should be making other clubs around the League at least slightly reconsider some of their squad choices. The marginalizing of established talent late in their careers seems to be an MLS specialty, but who wouldn't give up an MLS version of a prospect for actual production?
Toronto seems to be following the production model and San Jose isn't far behind. Those two clubs are making better moves than anybody else in the League.
TE: On the Razov/forwards issue for a minute. Frank Yallop said in an interview that finding a guy who can score 10 goals a season in MLS was difficult. And not too many of the players not named Dempsey-Johnson-Altidore who have left for Europe were guys you could count on to score goals in MLS. Looking at Chicago for instance, take a guy like Calen Carr, a guy I watched a lot when he was playing for Cal. Tore up the college game, scored some fantastic goals. Now he is going to be 26 and he isn't a regular starter. Yet, I imagine when asked about him, the Fire ask for a lot in return.
Kansas City might have made the best move by getting Josh Wolff back though. They've added that guy who can score in double figures and who makes other players better.
JH: It's definitely no longer the Lassiter/Diallo/John era where a forward just dominates, and I think you're right about Wolff. It's not seen as the big score, but it's probably more beneficial than even a designated player. After all, who else are you going to get that knows the League well enough to have immediate impact?
How about Brian McBride.
That's a good point on relative worth, and some of that is playing out with Toronto and what we're all assuming will end up being the McBride allocation. What we've learned is that Chicago overvalues their current roster and Toronto isn't going to roll over without League intervention.
TE: Good for Toronto for not rolling over for McBride. Yet, it's another ridiculous situation that makes the league look bush.
I suppose some of how productive and effective McBride might be will depend on how deep the US goes in the Olympics. Would McBride have big event fatigue? Will he be ready to contribute for even 70 minutes in September and October for the Fire?
In McBride's case, I tend to think the answers are yes, but along the Olympic lines and playoff qualifying, the Galaxy have to be happy keeping Landon Donovan rather than him joining the Olympic squad. Maybe a healthy and motivated Donovan is the biggest gain.
JH: It's setting up that August will end up mattering more than those in the corporate world that write it off as a vacation month would probably expect. New England and Houston have won themselves a compacted schedule that no MLS club has the depth to realistically absorb. One or both might catch a break, but they've got a stretch where ever game is meaningful in what will likely be the worst possible conditions.
Weather and fatigue and the ability to manage both could be as important as finding somebody during the transfer window. Considering the option that are out there right now, it's not like any MLS team is pushing back quality players determined to sign with the League.
New England gets over a week off. It's even longer for Chivas USA. That has to be considered an advantage.
TE: The other teams have to make Houston pay. And to look at both sides of the Houston and playoffs situation, who in the West is going to do that?
Chivas USA has to absorb not only the SuperLiga, but the loss of one of the few quality goalies in the league. The time off will help them greatly, but they need a quality keeper. I'm not saying Preston Burpo was the only answer, but it does look odd that they let him go earlier this year. And like last year, they lose a Razov, they're in trouble.
JH: Without Brad Guzan, they became very one-dimensional very quickly. Hoping for the Razov scoring run to continue is asking a lot.
TE: And again, if they were in the East, you might think it would be too much to ask. But 10 wins might take the West this year. I'd like to think it will take more than that, but 40 points might do it.
