Echoing My Previous Post On The CONCACAF Champions League

Chivas USA is down 1-0 to Tauro FC of Panama. The game, not surprisingly, is taking place in a mostly empty baseball stadium on a pitch that is, at best acceptable, and at worst, horrendous.

Incidents like this are all the more likely to hasten Sacha Klejstan’s exit from Chivas and MLS.

As Much As I…

Am enjoying watching New England get spanked by Joe Public in Trinidad — the Revs are losing 2-1 with about 5 minutes left — I’m still decidedly undecided about the value of the CONCACAF Champions League. As Jack Bell points out in today’s NY Times, it’s important for MLS to raise it’s international profile, but I don’t know that playing midweek games against sides like Joe Public before sparse crowds is the way to do it. And no offense to the squad from Trinidad and Tobago, I’ve actually asked my girlfriend’s family to get a Joe Public jersey for me, but MLS and the T&T League are very different.

Call me a snob or exclusionary or whatever, but Superliga was the template for forging a true CONCACAF champ. Rather than create another tourney, CONCACAF should’ve had some sort of play-in tourney amongst the Joe Publics, Real Estelis, Tauro FCs, Puerto Rico Islanders, and, for that matter, Montreals, Vancouvers, and Toronto FCs of the region. Those squads should’ve been playing for the right to get into a 16-team field that would consist of 2 sides each from MLS, La Liga de Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras. Throw a 3rd team from each of those aforementioned countries into the play-in and then CONCACAF — finally! — would have a club tourney that the rest of the soccer world wouldn’t look down on.

More importantly, from my perspective at least, they would have a tournament that actually made for compelling viewing. Instead, if what happened in tonight’s Joe Public 2-1 win over New England is at all indicative of the opening of the tourney, what we have is a couple weeks of matches that barely have the intensity of a coed pub league kickaround.

So, as much as I enjoyed watching the Revs go down tonight, I can’t help but wish that their defeat happened in a match they took seriously and actually seemed like it mattered.

Clevo Looking Like USL-2 Champs

The City Stars are up 2-0 on Charlotte with about 26 minutes left to play. Watching this championship match, I’ve been struck by both the pace and technical ability of the top players on both sides.

To be honest, I don’t get to see all that many USL-2 scraps — tonight’s championship is actually the first all-USL-2 game I’ve seen this season — but I’ve seen enough from the top two teams in USL-2, Cleveland and Charlotte, as well as middle of the table finishers Crystal Palace USA, to know that there are players in this league who can and should be playing MLS.

In tonight’s game, Clevo’s Sallieu Bundu, a Sierra Leone international, has carved up Charlotte’s defense with a rare combination of pace, skill, and fearlessness that can be lacking in certain MLS forwards. Prior to watching the USL-2 championship, I watched various Toronto FC players butcher golden scoring chance after golden scoring chance, causing TFC to draw New England 1-1 in a match they should’ve won. I can’t help but wonder if a player like Bundu would’ve bungled chances the same way Rohan Ricketts and Jim Brennand did.

Could be that one reason we don’t see many USL-2 players make the jump to MLS is the MLS GMs and owners are trying to impress the media and their fans with the players they bring in. 99% of MLS fans don’t really pay attention to USL, but they do pay attention to Europe. The American media don’t know shit about soccer, but they do know that European, Brazilean, and Argentinean players are supposed to be good. A guy from Sierra Leone that plays for the Cleveland City Stars is none of the above. So the MLS seems to kind of ignore the talent playing right underneath it’s nose in both USL-1 and USL-2.

Should my New York Red Bulls succeed in acquiring striker Macoumba Kandji of the USL-1 Atlanta Silverbacks, and Kandji succeed in MLS that could change. Even if the Red Bulls don’t get Kandji, it should change. There is plenty of talent playing soccer in USL right now. It would behoove MLS GMs and coaches to take note.

Just Wondering…

If Clint Dempsey is the only Yank still playing for Fulham, are they still Fulhamerica? Should those of us who picked the Cottagers as our EPL team because we thought Deuce, Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, and later on Eddie Johnson and Kasey Keller, were going to lead Fulham to glory be looking for another EPL side to support?

After last season’s thrilling escape from virtually sure relegation and today’s 1-0 upset of Arsenal, I’ve got to say that Yanks or no Yanks, the Cottagers have really grown on me. With no compelling reason to support any other EPL side, I’m going to stick with Fulham.

Who knows, maybe the Natural Born Finisher tears it up for Cardiff City, returns to the Cottagers, and helps Fulham avoid relegation again, or, better yet but much more unlikely, to a spot in the UEFA Cup tourney. Whether or not that happens, I’ll still consider Fulham to be the EPL side that I support.

Go Cleveland City Stars!

I’ll be cheering for Buffalo’s Rust Belt neighbors, the Cleveland City Stars, in tonight’s USL-2 championship scrap with the Charlotte Eagles. Fox Soccer Channel will be broadcasting the final at 10:00 PM EST tonight. Until then enjoy Clevo’s 2008 highlights:

Playing The Odds: Finally a Full Slate Saturday

It’s been a while since we’ve had an MLS Saturday with all 5 games (a full slate for the 14-team league that also has one Thursday and one Sunday game most weeks), being that we’re looking to improve on our 4-4 mark this season and win BIG while we’re at it, we couldn’t be happier! It’s about effing time is all we can say.

The Fox Soccer Channel MLS Game of the Week sees league leaders New England (+150 on the moneyline at BetUs.Com) visiting Fortress BMO to take on a Toronto FC (+155) squad that’s gone through a major makeover just in time for the stretch run. While the Revs are the second-best road team in MLS, going 6-3-1, they’ve also got a -1 goal differential so luck has certainly been on NE’s side. Not only is TFC tough at BMO, but they need this one much more than New England. TFC +155 is the pick.

Real Salt Lake takes the trip to Columbus to face the Crew in a battle of second-place teams in the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively. It’s tempting to take RSL because they’re +285 and should be brimming with confidence following last Saturday’s thrilling 4-3 loss at Houston, but Sigi’s squad has been too good at home to risk any scratch on RSL. Take Columbus -120.

The moneyline for Colorado at DC United reflects the complete chaos that has enveloped the Rapids, as Colorado is +325 on the moneyline. Tempting, but I refuse to bet on the Rapids until they show any semblance of consistency. However much it might kill me, the pick is the Scum -135.

Kansas City is an even money at bet at home, playing host to FC Dallas (+225). The Wizards, obviously, haven’t been tearing it up at The Cab this season, but they’ve been respectable and they need this game. The pick is even money on Kansas City.

The strangest moneyline of the week is resurgent San Jose +275 at struggling Chivas USA (-115). Unless the oddsmakers know something I don’t, taking the ‘Quakes in this one feels like stealing. I don’t normally condone theft, but in this case it’s too good to pass up. San Jose +275 is the pick.

We’re taking these five games together as a straight, five-game parlay. The odds of hitting it about 60-to-1. I’m already thinking of what I’m going to do with that scratch. Odds are that I’ll be using it to bet on my Red Bulls to beat the Houston Dynamo tomorrow.

What More Does Kenny Cooper Have To Do To Get A Call-Up For US National Team Duty?

I’m glad Ives brings this up in his preview of tomorrow night’s US-Guatemala World Cup qualifier, but, to be honest, there’s no reason Ives, or a neophyte soccer blogger like myself should even have to wonder why Cooper is not in Guatemala City getting ready to play tomorrow night.

US coach Bob Bradley has chosen four forwards for tomorrow night’s match: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 7/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 21/8), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 8/2), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC: 8/eight)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

I don’t have a problem with Landon or Deuce, and unlike many followers of the US national team, I’m happy to see Eddie Johnson get the call-up. When a guy’s got as much speed as the Natural Born Finisher does and is only 24-years old, he should get every chance to show that he can perform at the international level as is possible.

I do, however, have an enormous problem with Brian Ching being picked instead of Kenny Cooper. I like Brian Ching a lot, but he’s the same type of player as Cooper; only older and less-skilled and less-talented. Ching is 30 so he can’t — or shouldn’t — be part of Bob Bradley’s long-term plans. Picking Ching instead of Cooper makes even less sense since Cooper has found the back of the net 13 times in MLS play this season to 10 times for Ching.

Maybe it’s me, but it seems like a no-brainer to ask the younger, more skilled player, who’s scored more, to represent the national team instead of the guy who should be thinking about retiring from international player. For whatever reason, Bob Bradley, US national team coach by default, sees it differently.

Here’s to hoping we get a result in Guatemala and Bradley gets a fucking clue along the way.

MLS Week 21 Goals Of The Week

The heart goes with Mike Magee, but Ricardo Clarke had an absolutely world class strike for Houston that turned out to be the game-winner in the biggest match of the weekend so that gets my vote as MLS Goal of the Week.

Judge for yourself:

Metro Playoff Bound?

Following Metro’s crucial 2-0 win over Toronto FC this past Sunday, Team Energy Drink has 28 points with 10 games remaining.

With parity in MLS so prevalent that the table is bunched like a granny’s panties, knowledgeable observers — which does not include me — are predicting that it’s going to take 38 points to make the playoffs, albeit as one of the bottom seeds. Like any sport with playoffs, anything can pretty much happen once MLS’s postseason begins. The exception of course being that anything doesn’t seem to include teams other than Houston or New England meeting in the Cup Final.

The Revs stranglehold on the Eastern Conference berth in MLS Cup notwithstanding, the point is, that by winning two in a row against Eastern Conference foes, the Red Bulls are right in the thick of the playoff hunt. In fact, if the playoffs were to start today, New York would find itself the…

But the playoffs don’t start today, which means figuring out how many points Metro is likely to get during the final 10 games of the season. Let’s breakdown the remaining schedule, game-by-game.

1. 08/24 – Sunday Houston Dynamo 3:00 p.m. TeleFutura, MSG, WADO
Simply put, the Dynamo are playing the best football of any team in MLS right now. As good as Metro has looked the past two weeks, knocking off Houston could be a bridge too far. Let’s call it a 1-1 tie and the Red Bulls get one of the 10 points they’ll need.

2. 08/30 – Saturday @ D.C. United 7:30 p.m. FSC, FSE, WQBU
The Red Bulls haven’t won at DC since the Continental Congress when DC wasn’t even the nation’s capital. Not only have they not won at the Scum’s barn, but they haven’t even been competitive. With DC scrapping for a playoff bid too, there’s no reason to think that’s going to change now. Metro get zip from this game, losing 3-1 to the Scum.

September
3. 09/06 – Saturday @ Chicago Fire 8:30 p.m. FSC, FSE, WADO
Inexplicably, despite having great home support, the Fire suck at home. There’s no reason to think Metro can’t escape from the Windy City with at least a point. Call it a 2-2 draw and the Red Bulls suddenly need to get 8 points from their final 7 games.

4. 09/13 – Saturday Real Salt Lake 7:30 p.m. MSG, DK, MLSLIVE.tv, WADO
They’ll pick up three against RSL at The Swamp in this game, giving them 33 points with six games remaining.

5. 09/18 – Thursday @ Columbus Crew 7:00 p.m. ESPN2, Deportes,
It ain’t easy getting a result at Crew Stadium against Sigi’s side, and it will be even tougher this game since the Crew figure to be in the midst of a fight for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and in need of every point. Columbus wins 3-2, leaving Metro in need of five points with five games remaining.

6. 09/27 – Saturday Colorado Rapids 7:30 p.m. MSG Plus, DK, MLSLIVE.tv, WADO
Nothing should make an MLS team in need of a dubbya happier than seeing the mismanaged and dispirited Colorado Rapids on the schedule. Red Bulls get the win, beating an irrelevant Colorado side 3-0. Metro has 36 points with four games left.

October

7. 10/04 – Saturday Toronto FC 7:30 p.m. MSG, DK, MLSLIVE.tv, WADO, WQBU
TFC is an entirely different side away from Fortress BMO. Losing Maurice Edu to Rangers won’t help matters. Metro gets another win, surpassing the magic number of 38 points with 39, and looking bound for the playoffs.

8. 10/09 – Thursday @ Real Salt Lake 10:00 p.m. ESPN2, Deportes, WADO, WQBU
Few teams are going to win at RSL’s new stadium this season, next season, or any season for that matter. Red Bulls lose 2-1 on the road, but are still in position for making the playoffs.

9. 10/18 – Saturday Columbus Crew 7:30 p.m. MSG, DK, MLSLIVE.tv, WADO, WQBU
Call it payback’s a bitch Saturday, as Metro notches a 2-0 win that clinches a playoff bid and knocks the Crew out of the top spot in the East. Red Bulls have 42 points and seem destined to play Real Salt Lake in the playoffs.

10. 10/23 – Thursday @Chicago Fire 9:00 p.m
The Fire need a result and get it, tieing the Red Bulls 1-1.

Metro goes 4-3-3 down the stretch to finish with a record of 11-9-10, good enough for 43 points and 3rd place in the East, earning them a first round playoff rendezvouz with Columbus, the 2nd place finishers in the Eastern Conference.

Playing The Odds: Going With The Los Angeles Galaxy In Tonight’s Superclassico

After going 1-3 in our four-match Olympic parlay on Wednesday, our record for the season stands at an undistinguished 3-4. However, that’s not going to stop us from rolling the bones in MLS’s Superclassico tonight since the only way to win our money back is to keep on, keeping on.

Given the delicious storylines surrounding this latest skirmish in what could very well be the most-heated rivalry in MLS, how could we not play the odds tonight? With both sides desperately needing a win to stay within striking distance of the playoffs, and in the case of the Los Angeles Galaxy, to show that they can overcome this week’s turmoil and salvage the season, tonight’s Superclassico should be even more contentious than usual.

Since neither Chivas nor the Galaxy inspire much confidence these days, the moneyline at BetUs favors a draw, with the Goats at +130 and team turmoil, nee Beckham, at +170. Morrissey’s fave MLS side looked much better last time out — mounting a furious comeback in the final 20 minutes to nearly salvage a point at Kansas City before losing 3-2 — than did LA, I’m still not convinced that a short-handed Chivas squad can beat the Galaxy tonight. Even with Becks, Landon, Edson Buddle & Company being in complete disarray.

We’re taking Los Angeles +170 in what should be a shootout, which means we’re also going to take the Galaxy’s over of 1.5 goals.