With J Hutcherson -- SuperLiga semifinal Wednesday. SuperLiga semifinal Wednesday? SUPERLIGA SEMINFAL WEDNESDAY! Or something like that. I'll leave it up to you to determine your own relative level of excitement. After all, it is the summer of soccer and there are ever so many options.
Tonight, it's the tournament that got New England a shiny trophy last season. They've got the experience, home field advantage,and are undefeated in '09 SuperLiga play. They've also got the same tendency as Chicago to cough it up in games they should win.
Yes, three of four MLS games they've won this season came at Gillette where they've lost only once. It's on the road where the Revs allow the goals. Their away differential is -10 to a +4 at home. So why would anybody suggest tonight will be any different? A close game that New England wins.
Because Chicago is the best road team in Major League Soccer, and they're not the ones trying to rework their offense in the absence of three of their core players. You can downplay the '09 contributions of Taylor Twellman all you want, but Jay Heaps and Shalrie Joseph means that the Revs are shifting offensive responsibilities while reworking their defensive cover.
That away goal differential is six points to the bad courtesy of the demolition job Real Salt Lake pulled on April 25th. That home differential is four points to the good when the Revs did the same thing to the worst team in the Eastern Conference last month.
Minus those two games, and New England's normal template is to get enough goals to keep it close. Last week with Columbus aside, Chicago has finally figured out how to turn their close games into something other than a tie. Sure, that ended up putting them on a three-game losing streak a couple of weeks ago, but they're far more likely to press for a result in regulation.
Right now, that isn't playing to whats left of the Revolution's strengths. There is talent in the squad, but it's hard to really impress that on the opposition when you're marshaling your back line with an attacking midfielder. It's going to be that attacking midfielder who ends up the most likely candidate to take it to Chicago later tonight.
“We want to defend our title and I want to be a part of it," Steve Ralston told the club's official site. "I want to play every game, whether it’s an MLS game, Open Cup game, or Superliga. It’s hard being on the sideline being injured and watching when I want to be out there and be a part of it.”
That the Revolution are setting themselves up as a cup team might run counter to the standard MLS practice of focusing on the League, it sets up a template others should follow. Not everybody can make the playoffs, much less factor. There are other ways to make your season. Setting up Chicago for their second Cup disappointment should matter. So should advancing in the SuperLiga.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
