MLS: Week 25 Holding Steady, Still Messy

Despite the absence of any “big picture” change in the wake of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Week 25, it was a weekend full of statements sent around the league. Oddly, that stasis poses part of the problem for a fair number of MLS teams. Before getting into the question of who is up, who is down and who’s holding steady, here’s a full list of Week 25’s games:

Wednesday, 9/13
New England Revolution 1 - 1 DC United
FC Dallas 0 - 1 Chivas USA
Colorado Rapids 1 - 0 Chicago Fire

Saturday, 9/16
Red Bull New York 1 - 0 Columbus Crew
Real Salt Lake 3 - 2 FC Dallas
Los Angeles Galaxy 0 - 0 Colorado Rapids

Sunday, 9/17
Chicago Fire 1 - 0 DC United Houston Dynamo 0 - 0 Chivas USA

Highlights of some, though not all these games, may be found on either MLS’s Quick Kicks site or through the old Sights & Sounds feature. And, of course, the current league standings are vital for overall context. Now, let’s look at what it all means for each team, listing them in no particular order (well, alphabetical order, beginning with the Eastern Conference).

1) Chicago Fire - UP: Sure they lost to the Colorado freakshow last Wednesday, but that loss - which came courtesy of an own-goal - was freaky in itself. The win over DC United got out the relevant message. And rookie Brian Plotkin’s pass to Andy Herron, the one that set up the goal? That’s well worth the viewing, whether for the angle on the pass or its near-perfect weight. Again, Chicago bears watching. (P.S. With my favorite team, New England, stinking up the joint, I’ve adopted Chicago as the team I’d most like to see win it all; it’s a merit call.)

2) Columbus Crew - DOWN, and probably out: Though not mathematically eliminated, Columbus’ Saturday loss confirmed the one thing most observers thought they knew about the post-season - that is, that Columbus won’t be part of it. The sad thing, though, was that Columbus looked the better team as viewed through the Quick Kicks reel. The ejection of Joseph Ngwenya was a weird one, but was also followed by ones no less weird. Whatever happened in this game, Columbus just hasn’t been good enough this year.

3) DC United - DOWN: One point from six hardly speaks of championship status, though, in DC’s defense, both games were on the road. Because we’ve reached a point in the season when it makes sense to think of this in the context of the playoffs, neither result should freak out DC fans on their own. It’s only by referring back to the previous week’s home draw to Real Salt Lake that one sees the thin margins in play. At present, put DC on the wrong side of that margin, especially in the playoff’s first round - and, if you’re a DC fan, thank God for the fact that, likely as not, DC will play any one-off conference final at home.

4) Kansas City Wizards - HOLD, but that’s only by virtue of them being idle in Week 25. Even though Red Bull New York gained ground on them - and, depending on this Wednesday’s result against New England, could actually overtake them come Thursday - the job ahead hasn’t changed much for Kansas City. Moreover, a comparison between KC’s (LINK) and Red Bull’s (LINK) schedules going into the final four games gives an advantage, albeit a slender one, to KC.

5) New England Revolution - HOLD, in Douchebagistan: Sorry ‘bout that, but I’m a little bitter. If this were June or July and if DC was still in the midst of that big unbeaten streak, a home draw against them would have elicited a different reaction. Instead, I’m left wondering whether New England won’t be one of the four “anti-elect” - i.e. one of the four teams damned to perdition while everyone else heads to the post-season. Hell, never mind KC: Red Bull New York could tie New England with a win this Wednesday. And given where things stand today, I’d like Kansas City’s chances of making the grade better.

6) Red Bull New York - UP: It took only one win against a, frankly, crappy team from Columbus for Red Bull to find themselves waist-deep in the playoff chase. One more win against another, frankly, crappy team, New England by name, contains the shocking potential to put Red Bull in the driver's seat for the same. That game - which plays this Wednesday - happens to be a home game for Red Bull, which, given their comparative home and away records, counts as a blessing...of sorts anyway. For all that, momentum is momentum. If Red Bull suddenly finds themselves on the inside of the playoff race - and, contrary-wise, if either New England or Kansas City suddenly find themselves outside of it - who knows what will happen. All in all, hope is getting cheaper in New York.

7) Chivas USA - UP: What else can one call four points from six, especially with both coming against conference rivals? The away win against FC Dallas, in particular, counts as a statement to the rest of the conference. Toothless as Houston has been, holding them goalless at home in these desperate days sends another message as well. Few MLS teams play as pretty as Chivas USA, which, along with their overall confidence, makes them fine candidates for the post-season. It’s almost to the point where it’s worth calling them a “lock” for the post-season...almost.

8) Colorado Rapids - UP: Colorado provides an intriguing contrast with Chivas USA, in that it seems possible they will do just enough to make it into the playoffs. It is to be hoped, in all honesty, that their several away games will drown this possibility before they go on and force the viewing public to endure their presence in the post-season. But there’s no point denying that Los Angeles woes are Colorado’s blessings - and, between the home win over Chicago and the away draw to the Galaxy, they did do their bit this weekend.

9) FC Dallas - DOWN, oh, holy crap, down: It’s official: FC Dallas is on schedule for their - let’s see, this is MLS’s eleventh season? - eleventh complete collapse going into the playoffs. Apart from noting that this weekend’s game against Real Salt Lake offered more spectacular, hard-fought goals than any other, there’s almost nothing else to say. Well, apart from arguing that Carlos Ruiz and Ronnie O’Brien deserve by far better, there’s nothing more to say.

10) Houston Dynamo - DOWN: That call may seem harsh, but signs of life are desperately needed in Houston. Call them the Kansas City of the Western Conference, a team that, on paper, should be doing quite well (thank you), but for whatever reason is not. Last night’s game against Chivas, which wasn’t a bad one in spite of the score line, was damned tight and both teams defended very well. Nearly all the offensive success this team enjoys comes when Dwayne DeRosario drags the team to a win, and that’s simply not a sufficiently reliable formula. A pair of suspensions might have made the difference last night, but there’s just something ailing this team and time’s a-wastin’ for figuring what it is.

11) Los Angeles Galaxy - DOWN, we’re talking “Columbus down”: Who’d a thunk a draw could hurt so bad? But Los Angeles’ inability to pick up a win at home over Colorado might count as the costliest mistake of their season. Without having seen the highlights, it’s hard to say whether they came close, but points forfeited are precisely that - and they’re becoming very expensive for LA.

12) Real Salt Lake - UP, as in three feet high and rising: As bad, and as true-to-type, as Dallas’ slump may be, it’s hard to find any team in the league with the apparent unity of purpose with which Real Salt Lake is now possessed. Find a highlight reel where you can and watch this team celebrate their three goals on Saturday (especially, Chris Klein’s - though check out Jason Kreis’ while you're there because that one was a peach); what you see in those players expression is straight-up passion and hunger. It’s a bit raw at this point and can go off the rails under the wrong circumstances, but it’s also looking pretty powerful right now. Don’t count these guys out for the post-season.

Well, that’s how I’m seeing all this. Complain about parity as I do, but the end-game for Year 11 is shaping up for one hell of a finale - even if it’s a sloppy one. For what it’s worth, the West looks a lot better right now; there’s not a lot of hunger back East.