With J Hutcherson -- Nothing should warm the hearts of US Open Cup fans more than hearing a Major League Soccer coach talking about testing the depth of his squad and getting people minutes as MLS enters the tournament in force in the Third Round. That's especially true if you like your soccer upsetting - at least in theory.
There's an advantage with going to the bench and the reserve list along with enough regulars to keep shape. It makes that version of the team hard to scout. Minus the reserve division, there are going to be even more MLS players that get one other game to go along with appearances in friendlies. That would be tonight and tomorrow in the Open Cup Third Round.
Maybe this makes it harder on both sides. The MLS squads have to figure out how to play an actual game with players normally only with them in training while the USL opposition isn't going to have much information on young players with limited experience. The normal result is closer games, but most fans pick up quickly that even 1-0 can be a tactical blowout.
Add to that the last remaining Premier Developmental League team playing at DC's alternative venue while all the USL-1 clubs get home field advantage, and it's not setting up well for the shock storyline.
It also doesn't setup Major League Soccer with much of an excuse for anything other than a sweep. Lax scouting and creative use of the roster will make sure that doesn't happen. Fair enough point to six of the eight MLS teams having to travel, but at the same time there's more of a talent gap in American soccer courtesy of yet another MLS expansion team. It's that club with the most to play for in round three.
Seattle gets to visit their old friends Portland tomorrow night in a game that nobody following soccer in that part of the country is considering anything other than must-win. It's yet another template Seattle gets to show the rest of Major League Soccer in season one.
That's down to two clubs with a history built on relative proximity and general dislike. It's somewhat unique to the competition and the highlight of this round. It's also on a countdown clock to becoming a regular part of the MLS schedule when Portland joins the League.
For the other seven, it's that familiar mix of caring enough to maybe start your regular goalkeeper, but not enough to risk your skill players for 90 minutes.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
