It’s MLS Week 20, and realistically, it’s time for this league to start delivering the goods. It has not been a magical week for MLS clubs, to be sure. When the New York Red Bulls can lay claim to having the best of the week with 2 away goals against a team from Trinidad and Tobago in CONCACAF Champions League play, it’s been a poor week. Toronto FC LOST at home to last years CCL darlings, Puerto Rico Islanders, and DC United looked listless in a 1-1 home draw to LA Firpo of El Salvador.
You can make the case that only three teams, New York, San Jose, and FC Dallas, are out of the playoff hunt at this point. That being said, Columbus was the league juggernaut (such as it was) in 2008-09, but there most certainly is not a super team this season. Most clubs are still in the hunt and need to play well and get some breaks. I find too much complacency in this league, too many teams willing to settle for draws instead of truly going for it.
Ah well, let’s get to the matches, shall we? As always, make your picks in comments, and a special thought for this week. If you pick the Los Angeles Galaxy to defeat FC Barcelona AND they do, you get credit for TWO wins, so get to pickin’:
Saturday, August 1
- New England Revolution v. Toronto FC
- Houston Dynamo v. DC United (Fox Soccer Channel – 8:30 PM)
- FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards
- Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake
- Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew
- Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona (Fox Soccer Channel – 11:00 PM)*
Sunday, August 2
- San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders
Staff Picks
Adam
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC-New England
Houston Dynamo v. DC United-Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards-Draw
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake-Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew-Colorado
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona-Barcelona
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders-Seattle
Fuse
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC.-New England
Houston Dynamo v. DC United-Draw
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards-Kansas City
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake-Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew-Columbus
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona-Barcelona
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders-Seattle
Mags
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC-New England
Houston Dynamo v. DC United-Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards-Draw
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake-Draw
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew-Columbus
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona-Barcelona
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders-Seattle
TwoYellows
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC – Draw
Houston Dynamo v. DC United – Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards – Kansas City
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake – Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew – Colorado
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona – Barcelona
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders – Seattle
N.E. Revolution v Toronto FC – Toronto
Houston v D.C. United – Houston
FC Dallas v Kansas City – Draw
Chicago v Real Salt Lake – Chicago
Colorado v Columbus – Columbus
L.A. Galaxy v Barcelona – Barcelona
San Jose v Seattle – Seattle
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC- Draw
Houston Dynamo v. DC United- Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards- Draw
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake- Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew- Colorado
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona- Barca
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders- Seattle
1 request before I put in my WAG’s: settle on a site policy of presenting matches – either use the “US” version of A (road) @ B (home) format, or go with the “most of the rest of the world” format with the A (home) vs B (road). I personally prefer the latter, but I just ask for consistency, nothing more…
Looks like you’ve gone with my preference this week…
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC- NE
Houston Dynamo v. DC United- Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards- Draw
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake- Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew- Draw
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona- Barca by at least 2
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders- Draw
HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THINGS!
But I think the biggest thing is that it kind of varies who posts these, so it varies where we get them. But I’m not sure any of us realized this till now.
I have a tendency to post these matches like the rest of the world views them, home team first. It’s how I was raised to think of looking at them. I realize that Americans don’t think that way as it’s always visiting team at home team in the listings. Mags will probably be back doing this post next week, so I’ll wager that’s how it will show up, but we can discuss it at our weekly super-secret ATD staff meeting.
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC – Draw
Houston Dynamo v. DC United – Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards – Kansas City
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake – Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew – Columbus
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona – LA
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders – Draw
New England v Toronto = New England
Houston v DC United = Houston
Dallas v Kansas City = Kansas City
Chicago v Real Salt Lake = Draw
Colorado v Columbus = Columbus
Los Angeles v Barcelona = Barcelona
San Jose v Seattle = Seattle
New England v Toronto = New England
Houston v DC United = draw
Dallas v Kansas City = Dallas
Chicago v Real Salt Lake = Chicago
Colorado v Columbus = Columbus
Los Angeles v Barcelona = Barcelona
San Jose v Seattle = Seattle
New England Revolution v. Toronto FC-Toronto
Houston Dynamo v. DC United-Houston
FC Dallas v. Kansas City Wizards-Dallas
Chicago Fire v. Real Salt Lake-Chicago
Colorado Rapids v. Columbus Crew-Colorado
Los Angeles Galaxy v. FC Barcelona-LA (for the balls pick)
San Jose Earthquakes v. Seattle Sounders-Seattle
Two people had Dallas winning that game? Wow.
I should’ve figured that Jeff Cunningham would have his one game per season where he loses his mind and scores four goals for no reason.