It’s the business end of the MLS season!

My LA Galaxy won the Supporters Shield which is awarded to the team with the best record, which would be a league title equivalent in England. I’m also a Spurs fan and have been for decades and I wouldn’t change anything about how champions are decided in the Premiership but personally I like the format of the MLS, I think it works for us.

With that obligatory statement out of the way I’ll say there’s some tasty ties early, I’m looking at Dallas led by Brek Shea and Henry’s Red bulls to kick off the play-in-round. First round starts on the 26th and the winners will determine the next round, the lowest seeded winner will play the Galaxy and the highest will play Kansas City. The Galaxy and Seattle have been the two best teams this season and possibly the favorites to win it all, though LA’s form lately worries me. It’s hard to tell how we’ll perform because we’ve been messing with the lineup lately to rest players.

October 26, 2011
FC Dallas v New York Red Bulls

October 27, 2011
Colorado Rapids v Columbus Crew

2011 MLS Playoffs Bracket

Dallas 0-2 New York

Lindpere - 61’
Henry - 90’

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20492

Good article. Keep us posted on the results!!

Also - I don’t really know anything about MLS, could you explain the system? How teams qualify for the play-offs, which teams have/haven’t and how the play-offs work.

Top stuff. I know its pathetic, but when I heard TH14 may have cost NYRB a place in the playoffs by getting sent off and thus suspended for the final game of the actual season, I was genuinely upset.

Forgive my ignorance of the whole system but: the commentator said NYRB v LA Galaxy is next. If the winner of Colorado v Columbus play Kansas, when do Seattle come in?

Dikiyama - 27 October 2011 07:27 AM

Good article. Keep us posted on the results!!

Also - I don’t really know anything about MLS, could you explain the system? How teams qualify for the play-offs, which teams have/haven’t and how the play-offs work.

Basically it’s like most playoff systems the top clubs qualify. The difference with the MLS is that there are conferences, so the top 3 from each conference automatically qualify, west and east. This season that was Sporting Kansas City, Houston Dynamo, Philadelphia Union from the east and the Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake from the west. Clubs that don’t automatically qualify go into a general pool were the top 4 irrespective of conference qualify for a “wild card” round or “play in round”, and are seeded based on final league position. This is why Dallas who actually finished 4th overall is forced to play New York who finished 10th, barely sneaking in the wild-card. They weren’t in top 3 in there conference finishing behind the Galaxy, Sounders and Salt Lake. That round is halfway completed by the Red Bulls beating FC Dallas, next Columbus v Colorado. The winners of the round play the highest seeded team from each conference. Los Angeles being the best team this season will be seeded with the team with the lowest point total which is New York, unfortunately for us because the look decent right now, and Kansas will get the winner of the next match. After that it’s a basic-two legged knockout with the final being played at a predetermined neutral location.

That’s the best I got, it sounds hard but it’s actually easy to understand after a bit.

Here’s the Wiki page for more information….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_MLS_Cup_Playoffs

Robin Van Persie’s Chocolate Leg - 27 October 2011 09:48 AM

Top stuff. I know its pathetic, but when I heard TH14 may have cost NYRB a place in the playoffs by getting sent off and thus suspended for the final game of the actual season, I was genuinely upset.

Forgive my ignorance of the whole system but: the commentator said NYRB v LA Galaxy is next. If the winner of Colorado v Columbus play Kansas, when do Seattle come in?

Seattle’s opponent is already set. These matches are to decide the opponents for the top two seeds Galaxy and Sporting KC. Seattle’s first match will be in the next round along with the Galaxy and other automatic qualifiers.

This is the bracket as it stands right now. As you can see Galaxy v New York has already been added. It’s seeded to give preferrential spots to teams with the better records.

This draw didn’t do my Galaxy any favors. We definitely have to beat New York and probably Seattle to even make it to the final. Seattle are the second best team in the league and New York are hot right now. Henry has scored 3 in his last 4 matches.

It was one heck of a build up and cross to get the first goal. Great game all around, Dallas was very unlucky not to be one or two up at the end of the first half.

Observant Ramblers will note that the Official Ramble MLS Squad is not present in the playoffs. Next year!

Great stuff! Thanks for all the info

I’m almost there with regards to understanding it too. Just one question;

Why did NYRB get into the wildcard series if they finished 10th? Surely one of the teams placed 5th - 9th deserved the spot before they did??

Dikiyama - 28 October 2011 01:15 AM

Great stuff! Thanks for all the info

I’m almost there with regards to understanding it too. Just one question;

Why did NYRB get into the wildcard series if they finished 10th? Surely one of the teams placed 5th - 9th deserved the spot before they did??

New York finished 5th in their conference, 10th of all clubs in points in both conferences. If you don’t automatically qualify being top 3 in your conference you go into a general pool irrespective of conference and the four highest point totals qualify. From those four clubs the highest points total plays the lowest and the 2nd highest plays the 2nd lowest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:2011_Major_League_Soccer_Eastern_Conference_table

People against the playoff system use situations like this as proof of it being a flawed system. A 10th place team beating a 4th place team, ending their season. Then the Galaxy who are the top seed get that 10th place team because they have the lowest point total. So the team with the best season can get put out of the playoffs and not recognized as champions by a 10th place team. Then you have Dallas who finished 4th but finished behind the Galaxy, Seattle and Real Salt Lake, who were the Top 3 teams. Bad luck for them because the West was so strong this season.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:2011_Major_League_Soccer_season_table

Personally I view the two competitions separately and I wish the MLS would put more emphasis on the differences. The Supporters Shield should be held in higher regard and the MLS playoffs should be treated like basically a Cup Winners Cup. Either way I like it, makes for good matches and talking points.

Is Tommy Heineman for the Columbus Crew any good?  I don’t watch MLS but I actually share a mutual friend with him and we’ve met and hung out a couple times.  That was back when he was with the Charleston Battery. To be honest, I never realized he was even good enough for MLS but I hear he’s doing well in his first year?
He is a big lad, that’s for sure.

Billy Bob - 28 October 2011 04:18 AM

Is Tommy Heineman for the Columbus Crew any good?  I don’t watch MLS but I actually share a mutual friend with him and we’ve met and hung out a couple times.  That was back when he was with the Charleston Battery. To be honest, I never realized he was even good enough for MLS but I hear he’s doing well in his first year?
He is a big lad, that’s for sure.

Yeah I’ve seen him before didn’t pay extra attention so I can’t give you an assessment. He was pretty average against the Galaxy. He came on as a substitute very early if I remember due to injury.

Colorado 1-0 Columbus

Omar Cummings - 45’

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=114&id=20530

Didn’t update last night, I was pretty busy.

Real Salt Lake 3 - 0 Seattle Sounders (1st Leg)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20616

Today:

New York Red Bulls v Los Angeles
Colorado v Kansas City
Philadelphia Union v Houston

BlueCrew LA - 30 October 2011 06:09 PM

Didn’t update last night, I was pretty busy.

Real Salt Lake 3 - 0 Seattle Sounders (1st Leg)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20616

Today:

New York Red Bulls 0-1 Los Angeles
Colorado v Kansas City
Philadelphia Union v Houston

I haven’t seen a pitch that bad in sometime. I guess they had a bit of snow in New York and the machine used to clear the pitch just ruined it.

BlueCrew LA - 30 October 2011 10:15 PM

BlueCrew LA - 30 October 2011 06:09 PM

Didn’t update last night, I was pretty busy.

Real Salt Lake 3 - 0 Seattle Sounders (1st Leg)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20616

Today:

New York Red Bulls 0-1 Los Angeles
Colorado v Kansas City
Philadelphia Union v Houston

I haven’t seen a pitch that bad in sometime. I guess they had a bit of snow in New York and the machine used to clear the pitch just ruined it.

That RSL SSFC scoreline is absurd. What happened to Seattle on Saturday night?

Updates and highlights from the rest of the first leg matches.

Colorado 2-0 Kansas City

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20661

Philadelphia Union 1-2 Houston

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20648

New York Red Bulls 0-1 Los Angeles

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20635

DeathByFRIMPONG - 01 November 2011 12:24 AM

BlueCrew LA - 30 October 2011 10:15 PM

BlueCrew LA - 30 October 2011 06:09 PM

Didn’t update last night, I was pretty busy.

Real Salt Lake 3 - 0 Seattle Sounders (1st Leg)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20616

Today:

New York Red Bulls 0-1 Los Angeles
Colorado v Kansas City
Philadelphia Union v Houston

I haven’t seen a pitch that bad in sometime. I guess they had a bit of snow in New York and the machine used to clear the pitch just ruined it.

That RSL SSFC scoreline is absurd. What happened to Seattle on Saturday night?

That was the one match I didn’t watch live so I can comment. I was shocked by the scoreline too.

Here’s the highlights….

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20616

It’s hard to say what happened in Seattle - on a different evening they might have walked away losing 1-0, but RSL took their chances well.

Montero was a non-entity, and it seemed as though they couldn’t string passes together. Also, the return of Kyle Beckerman for Salt Lake was huge - he was connecting people up, anticipating and intercepting passes beautifully, and generally making the midfield a nightmare for Seattle. By the middle of the second half the Sounders were resorting almost exclusively to long balls in the hope of getting something started.

BlueCrew LA - 01 November 2011 01:56 AM

Updates and highlights from the rest of the first leg matches.

Colorado 0-2 Kansas City

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20661

Philadelphia Union 1-2 Houston

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20648

New York Red Bulls 0-1 Los Angeles

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20635

Fixed - and if you ask me, another surprising result.

I watched NYRB v LA Galaxy. Frank Rost is an absolute liability. I mean, that shot was eminently saveable, terrible. LA were far superior, NYRB had no real service to Henry, who got massively wound up in the second half. Rafael Marquez’ antics at the end were also pathetic.

LA should go through easily. I havent watched any other games, but even with their notorious home support you’d have to say Seattle wont be coming back in that one

Robin Van Persie’s Chocolate Leg - 01 November 2011 08:52 AM

I watched NYRB v LA Galaxy. Frank Rost is an absolute liability. I mean, that shot was eminently saveable, terrible. LA were far superior, NYRB had no real service to Henry, who got massively wound up in the second half. Rafael Marquez’ antics at the end were also pathetic.

LA should go through easily. I havent watched any other games, but even with their notorious home support you’d have to say Seattle wont be coming back in that one

Obligatory reference to the lack of passion from Seattle fans. Quality not quantity, bants bants bants.

I’m most excited for the second leg of the Red Bulls v. Galaxy, because despite the very weird season they’ve had, New York is the most capable of fireworks apart from the Galaxy. If everyone’s firing on all cylinders it should be a hell of a match.

To be fair to NYRB, they don’t really try to give Henry serivce.  If anything, he’s usually looking to create a chance for someone else.  He’s always drifting deep or towards to touchline, it’s like the ball has a magentic hold on him [handball reference here].

I support David Beckham in the play-offs, good to see him doing well so far.

Sporting KC beat the Rapids 2-0 on a wet windy night at Livestrong Park, and Real Salt Lake played 45 minutes and survived the other 45 in Seattle. RSL will face the winner of the Galaxy/Red Bulls (currently 1-0 on aggregate), and Kansas City awaits the winner of Houston/Philadelphia (2-1).

With the Sounders out of the mix, I’m inclined to like either L.A. or New York against Real Salt Lake, and then again for the Cup final.

Sorry about the lack of updates guys I’ve been busy….

Effin AEG! Apparently they’re limiting the tickets for tonight’s Galaxy match to 20k, initially they were trying to limit the allocation 15k. Ridiculous….

Houston v Philly just starting decent scenes, the field still has paint on it from American football. Houston need to get out of Robinson stadium. Their new stadium I think will be one of the best in the MLS when completed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MqxXlSEgpg

Houston 1-0 Philly

Houston advances on aggregate 3-1

LA Galaxy 2-1 New York Red Bulls - Galaxy 3-1 on aggregate.

Mike Magee (42’)
Landon Donovan (pen 75’)

Luke Rodgers (4’)

Beckham was great he had a hand in both goals. Delivered the cross from the corner and was fouled to get the penalty, pretty bad foul too.

Here it is…. I didn’t want to post any highlights until the full ones were released. Listen to Harkes after the Galaxy’s first goal.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20867

“... And there’s a shimmy, shimmy, coco pops”

Don’t forget Luke Rogers attempting to decapitate a Galaxy fan sitting behind the advertising boards…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6r9_7kCtV9o

lawduck - 04 November 2011 05:55 PM

Don’t forget Luke Rogers attempting to decapitate a Galaxy fan sitting behind the advertising boards…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6r9_7kCtV9o

He should have been sent off like 3 times. Unbelievable, I always kind of liked him as a player but he was a wild man in the previous tie.

seriously, what was Miller thinking, it the perfect hat-trick of penalties…

BlueCrew LA - 04 November 2011 08:55 AM

Here it is…. I didn’t want to post any highlights until the full ones were released. Listen to Harkes after the Galaxy’s first goal.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20867

“... And there’s a shimmy, shimmy, coco pops”

The good news is that John Harkes has stopped spray-tanning and no longer looks like a giant orange.

The bad news is that John Harkes is still on television. Get Maxxa over for the games with Ian Darke! C’mon!

lawduck - 04 November 2011 06:46 PM

BlueCrew LA - 04 November 2011 08:55 AM

Here it is…. I didn’t want to post any highlights until the full ones were released. Listen to Harkes after the Galaxy’s first goal.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20867

“... And there’s a shimmy, shimmy, coco pops”

The good news is that John Harkes has stopped spray-tanning and no longer looks like a giant orange.

The bad news is that John Harkes is still on television. Get Maxxa over for the games with Ian Darke! C’mon!

I wonder who they’re going to get when the MLS switches over to NBC/Versus?

BlueCrew LA - 04 November 2011 06:14 AM

LA Galaxy 2-1 New York Red Bulls - Galaxy 3-1 on aggregate.

Mike Magee (42’)
Landon Donovan (pen 75’)

Luke Rodgers (4’)

Beckham was great he had a hand in both goals. Delivered the cross from the corner and was fouled to get the penalty, pretty bad foul too.

How did Robbie Keane play?

José and his Amazing Technicolor Overcoat - 05 November 2011 04:26 PM

BlueCrew LA - 04 November 2011 06:14 AM

LA Galaxy 2-1 New York Red Bulls - Galaxy 3-1 on aggregate.

Mike Magee (42’)
Landon Donovan (pen 75’)

Luke Rodgers (4’)

Beckham was great he had a hand in both goals. Delivered the cross from the corner and was fouled to get the penalty, pretty bad foul too.

How did Robbie Keane play?

Good overall, he missed two good chances but there wasn’t much he could do. One was very difficult to turn on and the other keeper made an amazing save.

Just scored a freebie for the Galaxy the morra, scorebag!

If I sing There’s Only One Edson Buddle will I get telt to Get tae?

Kansas City 0-2 Houston

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20945

Galaxy 3-1 Real Salt Lake

http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1822&id=20965

Both entertaining matches, I’m bias but the Galaxy match was pretty good. Very open, more open then I thought it would be. Then for neutrals the hilarious inability of Keane to finish his chances must have been entertaining. He had a good game, scored, but seriously he could have had 4 goals.

So that’s your final….

November 20th, Galaxy v Houston at a pre-determined neutral location….. Los Angeles…

This will be a fantastic match, so long as Brad Davis is healthy. He was injured in the game against KC and he is the Dynamo’s best player. He might be USA’s best player, if it comes to that. He’s the Dynamo’s David Beckham as far as set pieces and sick crosses go, and without him I have a hard time imagining Houston breaking down L.A.

It’s been a great season and this is a worthy final.

EDIT: Aw crap, didn’t see this. Davis tore his quadriceps, and will be out. So that leaves a lot on the shoulders of Carr, Cruz and Ching for the Dynamo.

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2011/11/7/2543648/brad-davis-injury-update-dynamo-miss-mls-cup-quad

Beckham’s ball in for Magee’s goal was really superb.  I’ve never seen him play in the flesh and expected him to be walking through it, but he really was good and pacier than I could have imagined.  He could still do a decent job if he comes back to Europe (not saying he should).
Really liked Espindola for RSL, and Beckermann (sp) too.  The game could’ve been a lot different - Espindola was a whisker away from a second immediate equaliser and the last goal was really a product of RSL committing forward. The range in standard of player within both teams was odd to watch - like Boro in the mid-to-late 90s actually!