MLS Playoff Picture: Los Angeles Galaxy Ready To Dance

Oh, hi there. My name is Mike Beauvais. I’m the guy who covers Toronto FC around these parts, but leading up to the playoffs, I’m going to be doing something a little bit different. Starting with this column, every week I’m going to be looking at how football jersey
this thing is breaking down – who’s fighting for the Supporters’ Shield, who’s a virtual lock, who’s fighting for their lives, and who should be looking forward to 2011.

So, join me, won’t you?

Right now, these 2010 MLS playoffs stand to have more crossover than Tim Hardaway driving the lane. With only two spots guaranteed per conference and the remaining four wild cards open for the next best clubs, six of the eight playoff teams look to be from the Western Conference. What does that mean (other than that, save for Columbus and New York, the East has been woefully awful)? Well, the teams that finish in fifth and sixth in the West (right now, that’s Colorado and Seattle) will move over to the “Eastern” bracket. Even in the event that the crossover clubs have a better record than the Eastern playoff teams, they will still be seeded lower than the Eastern pair.
With that slightly confusing piece of business taken care of, it’s time to examine the race.

Supporters’ Shield Contenders

1. Los Angeles Galaxy (QUALIFIED), 50 Points, 5 Games Remaining – Up Next: New York (H) – By virtue of a late double from Landycakes on Saturday night versus D.C. United, the defending Western Conference champions became the first team to qualify for the 2010 playoffs with a 2-1 victory.

While first overall, the Galaxy by no means has the Supporters’ Shield wrapped up. Their lead on RSL sits at three points, but it’s the upcoming schedule that should be of concern: three of their final five matches are against playoff teams.

This is a team that knows it can win it all, so a shaky run-in to the post-season is not something LA will hope for. Even with the spot clinched, now is not the time for Bruce Arena’s men to take their foot off the gas and a signature win over the Red Bulls on Friday would go a long way for the Galaxy to signal its intent. The Galaxy remain the team to beat.
2. Real Salt Lake, 47 Points, 5 Games Remaining – Up Next: Colorado (H) – Kyle Beckerman and co. clearly have developed a taste for silverware. A year after winning the MLS Cup, the holders are looking to add another trophy to the case with the Supporters’ Shield. Much like the club they’re chasing, though, Real’s run-up to the playoffs could be a thorny one with 80% of their remaining schedule against playoff teams. Compounding matters is RSL’s continued participation in the CONCACAF Champions League, including a tilt on Wednesday night in Panama versus Arabe Unido. If their previous CCL away match was any indication of things to come, they might want to have a lifeguard on duty. With the playoffs a virtual certainty, it will be Jason Kreis’ job to make sure that his men aren’t worn too thin.
3. Columbus Crew, 44 Points, 5 Games Remaining – Up Next: New England (A) – The less said about Saturday’s embarrassing home performance against Blaise Nkufo and the Sounders the better. What’s worse than the club’s humbling defeat to former manager Sigi Schmid and Seattle is the fact that the sophomore Sounders could very well be the Crew’s opening round playoff opponents. With their hold on first in the East over NYRB at three points, the Crew’s remaining schedule features three matches against desperate clubs (the Earthquakes, Fire, and TFC) bookended by games with teams looking forward to next season (the Revs and Union), as well as Champions League participation. Much like Jason Kreis, Robert Warzycha faces the daunting challenge of keeping his men fit in yet another period of congested fixtures.
4. FC Dallas, 42 Points, 6 Games Remaining – Up Next: New England (H) – It took losing Brek Shea (what was he thinking on that tackle?) to a red for the Hoops to concede for the first time in four matches last Thursday versus New York Red Bulls. In a match that will be remembered for that bizarre Thierry Henry/Kevin Hartman incident, FCD show tremendous grittiness and resolve and proved why they should be a handful for whoever their playoff opponent might be. That’s the thing, though: it’s far too premature to figure out who that is. While a playoff appearance is almost a certainty barring an epic 2008 Mets-like late season collapse, the Hoops’ remaining dance card is a daunting one with five of their six remaining matches against teams in the playoffs or pushing for a spot. A good run-in and Dallas might finish as a top seed in the West. With dropped points, though, the Hoops could very well find themselves as a crossover team taking on those same New York Red Bulls.
Get Your Playoff Tickets
5. New York Red Bulls, 41 Points, 5 Games Remaining – Up Next: Los Angeles (A) – The Red Bulls who drew last week with FCD certainly weren’t the same ones that we’ve seen destroy teams like Colorado and Toronto in recent weeks. There just seemed to be a lack of Steelers jersey
a killer instinct and an inability to bury their 10-man opponents, as well as a significant amount of consternation in handling the speed of the Hoops. The frustration on the offensive end was exacerbated with a terribly poor goal conceded that allowed the Hoops to steal a point. Many will view this week’s match-up with the Galaxy as a potential MLS Cup final preview and let’s call a spade a spade: the league would love for that possibility. While NYRB certainly has the personnel required to complete the worst-to-first turnaround, a more concerted effort, starting in LA, will be required going forward.
Post-Season Looking Likely
6. Colorado Rapids, 37 Points, 6 Games Remaining – Up Next: Real Salt Lake (A) – Currently six points ahead of ninth-place Toronto, the Rapids are going to have to work to retain their standing with the difficult schedule that they have upcoming, including their next, as well as their final, match with holders RSL. What will be heartening for Rapids supporters, though, as four of their remaining six matches are with clubs directly ahead of them. It will certainly not be easy, yet new boy Brian Mullan and company will have the opportunity to not only maintain their hold on the final Western playoff spot, but perhaps move up in the division. With their first post-season appearance in four years a more than realistic possibility, Gary Smith will look to build on the team’s comprehensive victory over the Revs on the weekend and attempt to end RSL’s now 24-match home unbeaten run.
7. San Jose Earthquakes, 36 Points, 7 Games Remaining – Up Next: Toronto (A) – The surprise package of MLS this season, (soon to be Manager of the Year) Frank Yallop’s Earthquakes have the advantage of two games in hand over many of their nearest rivals. What that means, though, is two multi-match weeks in the final five of the season, starting next week with a tough midweek tilt at home with the desperate Fire and then away to Columbus on the weekend. The ‘Quakes have managed respectable road form this season and will need that to continue, as four road matches remain. Unbeaten in three, San Jose will look to make it four in, for all intents and purposes, ending Toronto FC’s season with a win on Saturday.
8. Seattle Sounders, 36 points, 5 Matches Remaining - Up Next: Chicago (A) – Coming off a dominating road victory in Columbus, the next three matches will define the Sounders’ 2010 campaign. In succession, Sigi Schmid’s side faces the three clubs who remain in contention for the final playoff spot currently held by the Sounders: Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City. Seattle doesn’t need to win all of those matches; they just need to ensure their opposition doesn’t. If the Sounders can minimize the number of points dropped over the next three weeks, then the second-year team can breathe a sigh of relief and not worry about having to wait until the bitter end to clinch their second-consecutive post-season appearance. Get beaten by one or more and a lifeline is handed directly to the still kicking Fire, Reds, and Wizards. Seattle’s playoff fate is entirely up to them.
Barely Breathing
9. Toronto FC, 31 points, 5 Matches Remaining – Up Next: San Jose (H) – If it weren’t for a Herculean effort in the second-half from Dwayne De Rosario on Saturday night in Houston, it would have been curtains for the Reds’ playoff hopes and, after watching their dismal first-half performance, that’s probably the fate they deserved. Merited or not, TFC is still around and a win over the visiting ‘Quakes in one of their final two home matches will go a long way in making next week’s encounter in Seattle still matter. Realistically, though, with a tricky Champions League match in Mexico midweek and the climb well uphill, it seems that another midseason swoon from the Reds will mean another season without playoff soccer in Ontario’s capital.
10. Kansas City Wizards, 30 Points, 7 Matches Remaining – Up Next: Houston (H) – If one of the clubs on the outside looking in has a legitimate shot to still grab a playoff spot, it’s the Wizards. Not only are the sheer number of remaining games on Peter Vermes’ side, but five of the final seven are at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, a place where the Wizards have not lost since late July. Similar to the other clubs with more games left than weeks of the season, KC will have a pair of multi-match weeks and are going to have to toil to overtake TFC and then shift their focus to Seattle, San Jose, and the Rapids. Unbeaten in four, the Wizards seem to be peaking at an opportune time, but is it too late?
11. Chicago Fire, 26 Points, 7 Matches Remaining – Up Next: Seattle (H)- If the Wizards are in ideal form, then the Fire are its polar opposite, winless in six and without influential defender William Conde in their key match-up against the Sounders. Much like TFC, the Fire dropped far too many points in winnable matches and now find themselves up against it. Going into the RSL match, all of the talk from the likes of Carlos De los Cobos and Logan Pause was about Chicago’s need to find “consistency” and it seems like they have found it. Unfortunately, it’s a consistent inability to find victory in must-win matches. Brian McBride’s final season as a pro looks to be an unremarkable one.
There’s Always Next Year
12. Chivas USA, 25 Points, 6 Matches Remaining – Up Next: Philadelphia (A) – It can’t be too much of a shock for Goats supporters to find their club where they are right now. In MLS, you simply cannot lose six matches in succession like CDC did from mid-May to early June and expect to still be relevant as October approaches. The question now surrounding Chivas isn’t about when they’ll be relevant next, but where they might be relevant. Playing at the Padres’ Petco Park a week ago, Chivas drew an impressive 25,000+ for a friendly versus Chivas de Guadalajara. President Shawn Hunter denies any interest in moving south, but even playing a friendly in soccer-mad San Diego certainly has raised eyebrows.
13. New England Revolution, 24 Points, 6 Matches Remaining – Up Next: Dallas (A) – Answer? April 2 in DC. The question: When was the last time the Revs won on the road? It’s not like MLS is a league in which teams generally have good away form, so when you’re classified as a “bad” road team in Major League Soccer, well, that’s pretty awful. The Revs are an awful road team. Every team faces injuries and you hate to use that as a crutch, but with the absolute laundry list of guys on IR this season for New England, you have to think that the Revs’ fortunes would be considerably different if they could stay healthy.
14. Philadelphia Union, 24 Points, 6 Matches Remaining – Up Next: Chivas USA (H) –Maybe the Sounders changed people’s opinions of what an expansion team looks like, but there is no shame whatsoever in the Union’s inaugural season form. They currently sit seven points adrift of the (new) Earthquakes’ 2008 bow and only need a single point from their final matches to match TFC’s 2007 debut. More often than not, mental errors and indiscipline have let Philly down, but there has been a lot of good (namely Sebastien Le Toux’s game-breaking play) to come from this first season.
15. Houston Dynamo, 23 Points, 6 Matches Remaining – Up Next: Kansas City (A) – After Saturday night’s loss to TFC, Dynamo gaffer Dominic Kinnear indicated that his side’s playoff chances were over. He then stated that the Pope was Catholic and that Glenn Beck is a little high-strung. It’s still jarring to see a traditional powerhouse look Houston languishing at the bottom of the table, but in reality, the Dynamo simply hasn’t been very good for a majority of the year. With Brian Ching aging, somebody in that offense is going to need to step up. Brad Davis can’t do it all.
Redskins Update
16. DC United, 17 Points, 5 Games Remaining – Up Next: Houston (H) –Vikings jersey
Despite blowing a 17-point lead against the Texans, Donovan McNabb has already proven to be a steal, throwing for 426 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Also good news for Mike Shanahan’s 1-1 club is that the MRI on rookie OT Trent Williams was negative and he hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s trip to St. Louis.