WEEK 6 RESULTS:
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 2-2 COLUMBUS CREW SC
FC DALLAS 0-4 COLORADO RAPIDS
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 0-0 COLUMBUS CREW SC
PHILADELPHIA UNION 2-1 NEW YORK CITY FC
DC UNITED 2-2 NEW YORK RED BULLS
HOUSTON DYNAMO 3-0 MONTREAL IMPACT
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 0-0 REAL SALT LAKE
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 1-0 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
PORTLAND TIMBERS FC 0-2 ORLANDO CITY SC
LA GALAXY 1-0 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
WEEK 6 REVIEW:
The story of the week may have been Colorado finally scoring a goal. Four of them in fact, on the road, against a Dallas side that started well. It was a result no one could have expected, and another reason why we love MLS.
With the start of double game weeks, Vancouver and Columbus both saw double duty, with the two drawing in Vancouver, the Whitecaps losing on the road to San Jose, and the Crew getting 2 road points in the week after drawing the Revs.
In a battle of the potential kings of the East, DC and the Red Bulls battled hard to a stalemate in the nations capital. A case can be made the the new Red Bulls, version Jesse Marsch, could be the best team in the East, if not all of MLS.
Sundays television matches gave us two interesting clashes as Orlando City stunned Portland at home getting a clean sheet as well as two goals themselves. A side everyone predicted to be Kaka-or-bust might finally be starting to gel. In the other matchup, LA Galaxy showed why they are always near the top of the league when they put one goal past the Sounders, then hung on to seal the three points.
TACTICAL CORNER: Over the history of MLS, one thing has proven true. The home side is much more likely to win or draw than they are to lose. Even more so than in many of the top leagues, MLS is a league where you play a high line at home, pressing the game, and attacking to appease the fans. On the road, you play a much deeper line, concede much of the possession, and hope to nick a point on the counter attack.
While there are times common sense says to park the bus, or attack attack attack, why more teams don't play the high line pressing game on the road is beyond me. A good example of this would be Vancouver, a team that often plays the same at home as they do on the road. They often concede possession while using pace on the counter and tactical fouling to control matches the numbers say they didn't control.
Against LA in week 5, Vancouver threw the tactics book out the window, played a high line, pressed the game from minute one, and completely dominated the LA Galaxy in a way Bruce Arena had never experienced during his time with the club. It was a work of art, and my hope was that a talented Vancouver side would now take up the mantle and play this way more often than not, at home or on the road. Then week 6 came, they had a double match week with matches at home and on the road. In both games, they reverted to old form, and walked away with only one point. The team that dominated the kings of MLS, the team with all of the talent needed to play a more aggressive style of football while laying a marker down as to what it takes to be the best in MLS, while a quality side, took their foot back off the gas and played like a quality road side both home and away.
Over the coming weeks we will check back in on the tactical decisions made by managers when their teams play home and away, with particular interest on who shows as much aggression on the road as they do at home, and what the results from this style of play are. Vancouver, facing a tactically changed Real Salt Lake in week 7, has the perfect opportunity to play the high line and force RSL onto the back foot on their own home pitch. Sadly, I predict Vancouver sitting back, fouling, and using the counter in an attempt to steal a point.
WEEK 7 PREDICTIONS AND PREVIEW:
NEW YORK CITY FC 2-1 PHILADELPHIA UNION: Another double game week kicks off Thursday as NYCFC and the Union face off for the second time in history, and the second time in five days. Last Saturday the Union won at home 2-1, and I look for NY to return the favor this week. With Mix Diskerud away on international duty, the hill will be tougher for NY to climb, but my trick elbow says that this is the week David Villa will double his MLS goal tally with a brace.
NEW YORK RED BULLS 2-1 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: The UNIMAS Friday night match of the week, Jesse Marsch's men come into the game unbeaten, coming off a dramatic equalizer, with Lloyd Sam in the form of his career, bagging his third goal in 4 matches. San Jose for their part haven't lost in New York since 2011, but also haven't won in NY since 2005. NY could be the best team in MLS early doors, and a win over a tough Dom Kinnear managed side would do much to hush Marsch's summer doubters.
DC UNITED 1-0 HOUTSON DYNAMO: DC are 3-1-1 on the season, without a loss in the last 4. Perry Kitchen had a brace last week, but a strong Red Bulls side came back for a draw, ending DC's win streak. In their first 5 matches, Houston scored 2 goals. Last week, they put 5 past Montreal. The road team has won 3 of the last 5 matches between these two, and what should be a fierce battle could be a draw, but my money is on the home team stealing all three points off a single goal.
COLUMBUS CREW SC 1-0 ORLANDO CITY SC: Columbus sits three points behind Orlando having played a match less. They come home after a coast to coast road swing last week. Up front, Columbus features Kei Kamara, coming off a brace last week, while Orlando features rookie Cyle Larin, fresh off his first career goal. The key matchup this week may be Orlando's Kaka, the man who has scored half of Orlando's goals this season, and the Crew's defensive minded mids. If Trapp is healthy, back Columbus. If not, all bets are off.
FC DALLAS 1-0 TORONTO FC: Bradley is potentially out for international duty. Joey Altidore won't play for the US due to suspension, and is in Texas with the US, so expect him to start. Dallas has won 3 of the last 5 meetings between these teams, with two draws coming in the other results. After starting the season with a win, TFC followed it up with three losses and a bye week. In what should be an interesting match of two teams reeling from recent results, bet the home team.
COLORADO RAPIDS 0-1 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC: Seattle has won the last four meetings between these two sides, three of those at home, but the most recent coming in Colorado. Of the past 5 matches, Seattle has won twice 4-1, while Colorado won 5-1. While it would be easy to predict that Colorado snapping their 18 match winless streak would give them a boost this week at home, in the end I feel Seattle has enough in the tank to sneak a victory. Clint Dempsey's injury hampers their chances, with Martins being a shadow of himself since Dempsey went down, but this could be a week for Lamar Neagle.
REAL SALT LAKE 1-1 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC: Last season gave us two score draws in Salt Lake City and a win for the Whitecaps at home. Like the Red Bulls, RSL are the other unbeaten team early this MLS season. While RSL hasn't conceded a goal on the road this season, they have let 4 past themselves at home, where they play more openly. Vancouver has never won at the Rio Tinto. While I am predicting a draw, if Laba and Teibert team in the midfield and Vancouver presses the game throughout, expect a minor upset.
LA GALAXY 2-1 SPORTING KANSAS CITY: The home side has won 4 of the last 5 matches between these two, with one draw KC along the way. With Ike Opara out indefinitely with his knee injury, and Dom Dwyer yet to hit his stride, while Roger Espinoza has yet to have the impact upon his return many expected, the odds may be in LA's favor. KC has to rely on other players returning from injury to give them a spark. Look for LA to continue the home cooking this series has become known for.
PHILADELPHIA UNION 1-1 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION: ESPN2's Sunday night clash gives us Philly's second match of the week, after they finally came to life last week. After three home wins, the road team has won the last two meetings between these two. After 2 losses to kick the season off, the Revs haven't lost in their last 4, and are finally starting to click. Jermaine Jones is back in training, and the run many of us expect from them could be getting ready to roll. In what should be a fiesty battle of Eastern Conference foes, look for a draw.
NEW YORK CITY FC 1-2 PORTLAND TIMBERS FC: FS1's Sunday night match features the second of NY's home matches of the week, their first ever clash against Portland. After a stunning loss at home against the other expansion side, Portland look to travel from coast to coast and turn the results around. In MLS, the home team often gets the result, and teams that travel from one coast to another for a match are also at a massive disadvantage, and Portland is still without some very key pieces, I have a feeling they will get it done in Prime Time.
Week 7 injury report:
CHICAGO- OUT: Magee and Nyarko. QUESTIONABLE: Johnson.
COLORADO- QUESTIONABLE: Alvarez, Cronin, Sjoberg.
COLUMBUS- QUESTIONABLE: Trapp, Francis.
DC UNITED- OUT: Johnson, Birnbaum. QUESTIONABLE: DeLeon.
FC DALLAS- QUESTIONABLE: Keel, Kennedy, Diaz.
HOUSTON- QUESTIONABLE: Rodriguez, Garcia.
GALAXY- OUT: Perk. QUESTIONABLE: Walker, Leonardo, Keane.
MONTREAL- OUT: Mapp, Porter.
NEW ENGLAND- QUESTIONABLE: Kobayashi.
NYCFC- OUT: John. QUESTIONABLE: Facey.
NYRB- QUESTIONABLE: Miller, Zubar, Perrinelle.
ORLANDO- OUT: Hall. QUESTIONABLE: Ribeiro, Neal.
PHILLY- OUT: Bird, Fabinho. QUESTIONABLE: Maidana, Edu, Aristeguieta.
PORTLAND- OUT: Johnson, Valeri, Zemanski.
RSL- OUT: Plata. QUESTIONABLE: Pecka, Glad.
SAN JOSE- QUESTIONABLE: Sherrod, Stewart, Lenhart, Francis.
SEATTLE- QUESTIONABLE: Dempsey.
SKC- OUT: Opara, Myers. QUESTIONABLE: Zusi, Sinovic.
TFC- OUT: Caldwell. QUESTIONABLE: Perquis, Bloom, Zavaleta.
VANCOUVER- OUT: Lewis, Bustos. QUESTIONABLE: Rosales, Koffie, Rodriguez.
Hope you enjoyed this weeks review/preview. Any questions or comments, feel free to post them below. Hope to see you back next week, and as always, remember, MLS Matters.
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