2007 MLS Week 15 Predictions
Did week 15 ever get off to an exciting start last night with Houston showing new Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osorio just what he is up against. The Dynamo are, for now, the class of the West and might just be the best in the league. The great news for soccer lovers is that the fun continues this weekend as each of the five match ups offers an interesting subplot. Anyway, here is what MLS has to offer:
FC Dallas (9-6-2) vs. DC United (7-5-2)
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv
Can Dallas keep getting road results? Will United get some Texas revenge? Both these teams have slip out of first in their conference in the last week due to the work of Houston. A win by either side will put them right back in the running for top spot. Dallas is one of the best road teams in MLS making United's job a difficult one. Also, FCD has done something amazing as they have got three matches without giving up a goal. For a side that didn't keep a clean sheet through their first 12 games, that is something special. United have looked strong for a couple months now and played Houston toe-to-toe for a full 90-minutes. If Dallas wants to drop DC, they are going to need to exploit the reminding holes in their midfield and then find some offense of their own.
Predictions: Me FCD 1-3 DC, Wife FCD 1-2 DC
New England Revolution (6-3-5) vs. New York Red Bulls (7-5-3)
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (30-minute pre & post), FSE
Can the Revs offense start finding net again? Will the Red Bulls defense not flop? These two teams sit in the top spots in the East, but are both in slump territory. The subplot for this one is can either of them get a big win to return them to the strong look they had earlier in the year. New England can't seem to open up much of an attack while the Bulls can't stop goals from happening (plus Angel seems to have lost a bit of his scoring punch). The Revs will get a boast from Twellman's likely first start since the international break, but they will need Steve Ralston to help push things forward. The good news is Reis is still strong in front of net. The Bulls are in a trickier spot as they have looked old and sluggish of late (including the 1-0 win last week against Colorado). Without a quick attack, the pressure falls on their backline and Waterreus in goal. Sadly, Waterreus has not looked the same since his injury.
Predictions: Me NE 2-1 NY, Wife NE 1-1 NY
Real Salt Lake (1-7-6) vs. Kansas City Wizards (6-5-4)
Saturday - 8pm ET/5pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv
Can Real do something to keep their season from ending? Will the Wizards attack return? This game very well could decide the road for the rest of these two teams seasons. Real are 12-points out of the last playoff spot and if they don't start making up some points soon, it is not going to happen. Meanwhile KC has not had anyone step up on offense while Eddie Johnson has been away, so it will be up to EJ to right the Wizards ship. KC fans should be happy that if there is one team you want to face when trying to correct course, it is Real. Unless their defense falls apart like it did last weak against LA, there is no reason the Wizards should get anything less then a full three points.
Predictions: Me RSL 1-1 KC, Wife RSL 0-2 KC
Columbus Crew (5-4-7) vs. Chivas USA (6-5-3)
Saturday - 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT
TV: HDNet
Can the Crew really go 7 games without a defeat? Will Chivas continue to be the toughest time at home? The subplot for this one is simple, the Crew are looking good but still are not getting respect while Chivas needs great home form to makeup for their horrible road experience. If the Crew can get out with a result, they will catch some eyes. For this to happen, they will need to find a way to shock the goats on attack. A big key is to win in the midfield. Chivas needs many, many chances to get a goal, if the Crew limit those chances, they will get something big.
Predictions: Me CC 0-1 CV, Wife CC 1-3
Toronto FC (5-7-3) vs. Houston Dynamo (10-5-2)
Sunday - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv
Is Toronto a team that can actually compete on the road or have they just picked off some easy targets? Can Houston really go 10 games in a row without a loss? If Toronto can win in Houston, the East will become a lot more interesting (not that it is really lacking in interest at the moment). The Dynamo just delivered a 4-0 beat down for the second straight Thursday night (and third of the season), giving them a 14-0 run spanning six games. Their offense is finally starting to come together while their defense has 605 consecutive minutes of scoreless play. However, this game will be the team's fifth in 11 days, so it might be up to the bench to make something happen (maybe Chris Wondolowski will get a few more minutes in this one). Since they have the best bench in the league, that is not that bad of an option. By the way, if Houston wins, they will have equalized the total number of wins they got for the who season last year.
Predictions: Me TFC 0-2 HD, Wife TFC 1-3 HD
FC Dallas (9-6-2) vs. DC United (7-5-2)
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv
Can Dallas keep getting road results? Will United get some Texas revenge? Both these teams have slip out of first in their conference in the last week due to the work of Houston. A win by either side will put them right back in the running for top spot. Dallas is one of the best road teams in MLS making United's job a difficult one. Also, FCD has done something amazing as they have got three matches without giving up a goal. For a side that didn't keep a clean sheet through their first 12 games, that is something special. United have looked strong for a couple months now and played Houston toe-to-toe for a full 90-minutes. If Dallas wants to drop DC, they are going to need to exploit the reminding holes in their midfield and then find some offense of their own.
Predictions: Me FCD 1-3 DC, Wife FCD 1-2 DC
New England Revolution (6-3-5) vs. New York Red Bulls (7-5-3)
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (30-minute pre & post), FSE
Can the Revs offense start finding net again? Will the Red Bulls defense not flop? These two teams sit in the top spots in the East, but are both in slump territory. The subplot for this one is can either of them get a big win to return them to the strong look they had earlier in the year. New England can't seem to open up much of an attack while the Bulls can't stop goals from happening (plus Angel seems to have lost a bit of his scoring punch). The Revs will get a boast from Twellman's likely first start since the international break, but they will need Steve Ralston to help push things forward. The good news is Reis is still strong in front of net. The Bulls are in a trickier spot as they have looked old and sluggish of late (including the 1-0 win last week against Colorado). Without a quick attack, the pressure falls on their backline and Waterreus in goal. Sadly, Waterreus has not looked the same since his injury.
Predictions: Me NE 2-1 NY, Wife NE 1-1 NY
Real Salt Lake (1-7-6) vs. Kansas City Wizards (6-5-4)
Saturday - 8pm ET/5pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv
Can Real do something to keep their season from ending? Will the Wizards attack return? This game very well could decide the road for the rest of these two teams seasons. Real are 12-points out of the last playoff spot and if they don't start making up some points soon, it is not going to happen. Meanwhile KC has not had anyone step up on offense while Eddie Johnson has been away, so it will be up to EJ to right the Wizards ship. KC fans should be happy that if there is one team you want to face when trying to correct course, it is Real. Unless their defense falls apart like it did last weak against LA, there is no reason the Wizards should get anything less then a full three points.
Predictions: Me RSL 1-1 KC, Wife RSL 0-2 KC
Columbus Crew (5-4-7) vs. Chivas USA (6-5-3)
Saturday - 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT
TV: HDNet
Can the Crew really go 7 games without a defeat? Will Chivas continue to be the toughest time at home? The subplot for this one is simple, the Crew are looking good but still are not getting respect while Chivas needs great home form to makeup for their horrible road experience. If the Crew can get out with a result, they will catch some eyes. For this to happen, they will need to find a way to shock the goats on attack. A big key is to win in the midfield. Chivas needs many, many chances to get a goal, if the Crew limit those chances, they will get something big.
Predictions: Me CC 0-1 CV, Wife CC 1-3
Toronto FC (5-7-3) vs. Houston Dynamo (10-5-2)
Sunday - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv
Is Toronto a team that can actually compete on the road or have they just picked off some easy targets? Can Houston really go 10 games in a row without a loss? If Toronto can win in Houston, the East will become a lot more interesting (not that it is really lacking in interest at the moment). The Dynamo just delivered a 4-0 beat down for the second straight Thursday night (and third of the season), giving them a 14-0 run spanning six games. Their offense is finally starting to come together while their defense has 605 consecutive minutes of scoreless play. However, this game will be the team's fifth in 11 days, so it might be up to the bench to make something happen (maybe Chris Wondolowski will get a few more minutes in this one). Since they have the best bench in the league, that is not that bad of an option. By the way, if Houston wins, they will have equalized the total number of wins they got for the who season last year.
Predictions: Me TFC 0-2 HD, Wife TFC 1-3 HD
Labels: 2007 MLS Predictions, MLS
posted by Mike H at 4:13 PM
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