Avoiding the Drop

Houston Dynamo  v.  Chicago Fire S.C.  (Friday)

This is one of those matches, like a few I previewed last week, that didn’t look all that interesting early in the season.  But, here we are looking at a match between the best team in the east (Chicago) and the second best team in the west (Houston).  As well as Houston has played of late, I was still surprised when I looked at the numbers to see just how much of a run they’ve been on for the last two months.  So, while my initial inclination was to pick Chicago in this match, I’m going with Houston.  The fact that a Chicago loss would benefit the Revolution is mere coincidence.

Western Mass Pioneers  v.  Crystal Palace Baltimore (Friday)

This match is a bit hard to get a handle on.  Baltimore’s are eight points ahead of the Pioneers, but they’ve also played three more matches.  A better way to look at it is that Baltimore has taken an average of 1.2 points/match to the Pioneer’s 1.75 points/match.  Add to that the fact that Federico Molinari has made the USL II “Team of the Week” in consecutive weeks and maybe they’ve got something going after a slow start to the season.  For those of you who are interested, Molinari is the team’s “soul,” whereas Jeff Deren is the team’s “heart.”  Remember, when asked, that you heard that here first.

Galway United  v.  Drogheda United (Friday)

With most of the European leagues over or on a mid-season break, we’re basically left with MLS and the Irish, and Norwegian leagues.  While I know little about either team in this match other than their league positions (5th and 10th respectively), I do know quite a bit about Galway and the surrounding area.  So, if you’re planning a visit in the near future, check out The King’s Head or The Quays for all your drinking needs, or, if you’re in the mood for something a little healthier and more scenic, make the hour long drive out to Lough Nafooey near Cong.

St. Patrick’s Athletic  v.  Bohemians F.C. (Friday)

I’ve chosen this match because of American Ryan Guy who plays for St. Patrick’s Athletic.  Sure, last year Ryan scored a goal in the UEFA Cup, and he’s got a pretty good goal scoring rate as a midfielder, but that’s not the most remarkable thing about him.  You may wonder why somebody would choose to play in what is, by any account, a minor European league, especially after being chosen in the MLS SuperDraft in 2007?  Well, I ask you this:  what would you do if you were drafted by FC Dallas?  Clearly, Ryan is some sort of “seer” who knew what going to happen to F.C. Dallas and that’s pretty remarkable.

Los Angeles Galaxy  v.  Toronto F.C. (Saturday)

The Galaxy’s ten match unbeaten streak will end here- I hope.  As with most teams, Toronto is a better team with the home field advantage and there are few places in MLS which provide a bigger home field advantage than Toronto’s BMO Field.  Plus, a nice losing streak might guarantee that Beckham never comes back to MLS, and that would be just fine with me.  A Los Angeles loss would also be some karmic justice for the abomination of a performance that Landon Donovan gave against Costa Rica this week.  Er, then again, Toronto’s Marvell Wynn didn’t exactly distinguish himself either.

Columbus Crew  v.  Kansas City Wizards (Saturday)

A Columbus win in this match would not only bring them up to the middle of the Eastern Conference table- something that was unthinkable only a few weeks ago- but would also put some pressure on both Toronto F.C. and D.C. United.  This will not be an easy task, however.  Despite all of the stick I’ve been giving the Wizards for their general “underwhelmingness” (and their stadium, and logo, and name), they are a solid team with good goalkeeping and a resurgent Josh Wolff leading the attack.  It will be up to Guillermo Barros Schelotto and the rest of the side to prove that their form as of late, rather than their woeful start, is the real thing.

Colorado Rapids  v.  Real Salt Lake (Saturday)

This preview is supposed to begin with a recap of past incarnations of the “Rocky Mountain Cup” and all of the passion and pageantry it entails- but you’re not going to get any of that.  As I’ve said numerous times in numerous places, I think these “things” are weak attempts to “create traditions,” an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one.  Plus, this is soccer, not college football, you’re not playing for the Little Brown Jug, the Apple Cup, or even the Old Oaken Bucket.  So, pull on your boots, turn on your oxygen tanks, and get stuck in!  Oh, and it will be Colorado that wins whatever it is they give out to the winner- an elk?

Seattle Sounders F.C.  v.  Chivas U.S.A. (Saturday)

This could be one of the matches of the season so far.  Chivas, while still in first place, has found the competition a little stiffer in the last month or so.  They’ve still only lost once since the beginning of May, but they’ve never managed to win by more than one goal during that time.  Seattle has also been fattening up on one goal wins, but they’re unbeaten streak is even longer than Chivas’.  As much as a Seattle win would shake up the Western Conference- and open the door for Houston- I think we’re in for a tie.  I’ll say it’s going to be 2-2.

Western Mass Pioneers  v.  Real Maryland Monarchs (Saturday)

I don’t know what quirk of USL scheduling has the Pioneers playing games on consecutive days (never mind that they have another match- in the U.S. Open Cup- on Tuesday!), but at least they are both at home.  I’d like to think that, because they are at home, the Pioneers will put together back-to-back wins and vault themselves straight to the middle of the USL II table.  I am not, however, brain damaged to the extent that I think that is the likely outcome of this weekend’s matches.  Instead, I think four points out of the two matches would be quite respectable.  I won’t be at either match however- I’m going to Tuesday’s instead.

New England Revolution  v.  New York Red Bulls (Sunday)

If New England’s play in this match is anything like it was in the post-Twellman portion of their last match against D.C. United, they should do well against the Red Bulls.  New England is simply a different team when it can get something resembling it’s eleven best players on the pitch at one time.  The Red Bulls, well, the Red Bulls have made a pretty good case lately that no matter which eleven players the put together, they are not good enough to win in MLS.  If New York loses this match and some other matches go against them this week, they could find themselves with the lowest point total in all of MLS.

San Jose Earthquakes  v.  F.C. Dallas (Sunday)

Ugh.  You couldn’t pay me to watch this match featuring two of the three worst teams in the league.  Dallas has one win since mid-April, and San Jose has only won once since late March!  So, what’s going to happen?  Actually, I think Dallas is going to win and to win handily.  Not only does San Jose have a porous defense, but Dallas has a proven scorer in Kenny Cooper.  Still, it’s matches like this that make me glad that my cable company does not carry TeleFutura.

Kongsvinger IL  v.  Notodden FK (Sunday)

In Norwegian Adeccoligaen action, second place Kongsvinger will look to rebound from two straight losses as they face eighth place Notodden fresh off a victory against Alta IF.  Notodden, for some reason have no less than three Jamaican players on their roster, including Fabian Taylor who once played for the MetroStars.  Research on the interwebs has revealed that Kongsvinger’s Gjemselund Stadion has artificial turf.  That makes me like them a little less- but they’re still going to win.