Tomorrow the MLS Cup playoffs kick off when New York takes on FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. The following night Colorado takes on Columbus in Denver. So the question is, which of the 3 teams (Dallas, Colorado, Columbus) do you want to see Kansas City play on Saturday and next Wednesday in the Eastern Conference Semifinals?
Do you want to see KC play Dallas? A chance for revenge on one of only 2 teams to beat KC at LIVESTRONG in league play? The two teams split the season series 1-1 with each team winning away from home. KC's win was the 4-1 demolishing only 3 days after the home opener against Chicago. Also could be seen as Graham Zusi's coming out party this year as the Maryland product scored two goals and helped set up the other two by Aurelien Collin and Luke Sassano. Dallas came back and beat KC in the return leg 3-2 thanks in large part to Brek Shea as he set up both of Dallas' late goals to get the win in KC. I think Chance Myers may still occasionally have nightmares about that game.
Do you want to see KC play Colorado? The two teams split their season series with two draws between them. KC drew in Colorado 1-1 during KC's extended road trip during KC's worst run of form on the season. Ryan Smith, before he jetted back to England scored KC's equalizer in that game. In the return game in KC, the two teams once again drew 1-1 and once again KC had to come from behind after giving up an early Conor Casey goal. Zusi got the equalizer, but the goal really goes to CJ Sapong who minutes after coming on as a sub made the goal by beating his defender and forcing Matt Pickens to only knock the save into Zusi's path.
Do you want to see KC play Columbus? Like the other two teams, KC split their season series with the Crew, 1-1. KC lost 1-0 in Columbus in arguably their worst performance of the season as the team looked uninterested for long periods of that game. The Crew at the time were playing stout defense and got the goal they wanted and shut the game down entirely on KC. In the return leg, KC got a PK goal from Kei Kamara after a foul on Sapong in the box and an own goal from Julius James to give KC all 3 points in that game.
So who would you rather face? Poll on the right, feel free to leave comments on who and why here.
This is a hard one because none of the three scare me more than the other. I went with Dallas for one reason only, PHP will be the least have the least home field advantage for the other team of the choices. My second choice would be Colorado so LA has to play New York, which will give them a tougher match up than Columbus or Colorado and may keep them out of the finals at home.
ReplyDeleteNo strong preference, but it occurred to me yesterday that Columbus is the only potential opponent that has to travel this week. The Crew will presumably be flying back home late Thursday night or first thing Friday morning. Meanwhile, with the game being on Sunday rather than Saturday, SKC gets an extra day of training/rest.
ReplyDeleteI picked Columbus because I think they are our best match up. Colorado seems to always and I am still having nightmares of Shea and his service from the left side. That said, I think we can beat all three in a home and home.
ReplyDeleteColumbus and here's why. According to the schedule on mlssoccer.com we play our away leg Saturday night meaning if we play Columbus or Colorado they only get one day of rest, Friday. With Columbus playing in Colorado on Thursday that means their day off on friday is spent traveling back to Columbus. Which means we would play them with them having almost no rest between games.
ReplyDeleteAssuming I read everything correctly.
Jared, if we play Columbus or Colorado the game is Sunday. Only if we play Dallas is the game Saturday.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I get for just looking at the schedule and not reading the playoff rules. I guess mls is assuming the higher seed will win and that's why the schedule has us as Saturday night. I think I would rather play Columbus still.
ReplyDeleteA lot of travel talk here.
ReplyDeleteDallas is just too dangerous, even if they ultimately go out with a whimper.
It comes down to Columbus and Colorado.
Columbus with Gaven is a better team than Colorado. In the last 12 games, Columbus was only 4-7-1. However, in games that Gaven played Columbus was 3-2-0.
Colorado earned a solid record of 5-3-4 after Casey was hurt.
Colorado is more steady and less dangerous than the other two.