Columbus wants to improve team but MLS's hurt feelings might get in the way

The Columbus Crew want to improve their team by bringing in a quality player from Norway's first division. So what's the problem? The player is Pat Noonan.

Noonan left the New England Revolution after the team decided not to offer him a respectable contract extension at the end of last season (they offered him less money then he made in 2007). Because he was out of contract, Noonan was able to move to Norway without a transfer fee, which means the Revs retained his MLS rights.

For their part, the Crew are willing to pay Noonan a salary similar to what he was earning previously in the US, plus pay a transfer fee to his current club and give the Revs something for his rights, however MLS is not happy. Why? Coach Sigi Schmid has the answer:

"A player that can turn down an offer from the league, go overseas on their own volition and then we as a league have to buy them back," Schmid said. "That's bad business and MLS doesn't want to be in the habit of doing bad business. That's completely understandable."

Schmid is playing the good sport here because really the only thing bad about this whole situation is that New England tried to hardball him in the first place (they would not trade him, thus he had to take their deal or get out of the country).

Noonan is a quality American striker who wants to be treated with respect. The fact that the league and the Revolution failed to do so should not be held against him or the Crew.

Instead the league should get past the hurt feelings caused by someone calling their bluff and do what is best for the sport.

The idea that a team can hold back a player that they no longer have under contract is one that must change or we can expect to see more young American players skip over their domestic league in favor of third tier competition overseas.

2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage Schedule

Yesterday saw the draw for the first ever Concacaf Champions League group stage. The two seeded MLS sides, DC United and Houston Dynamo, were drawn into groups A & B respectively.

As far as the other MLS clubs, if New England beat Joe Public FC in their preliminary playoff, they will move into group C along with Atlante FC. Chivas USA faces a possible date with Club Santos Laguna in the Group D.

MLS will likely have a fifth team in the group due to Canada getting one spot. If TFC does make it, they will join the Revolution in Group C.

The top two teams in each group advance to the knockout phase.

Since over half of the teams in the group phase are not known at this time, it is difficult to point to who has the toughest group, but it does look like Group A could turn into a very difficult one if Cruz Azul and Olimpia both advance (although Marathon is not much better).

After the playoff runs take place (26 Aug - 4 Sept), we'll be able to see who has, on paper, the hardest road to the knockout phase.

Group A
DC United (USA)
Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)
Winner: Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes
Winner: Isidro Metapan or Marathon

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
16 Sept D.C. United – Deportivo Saprissa (8p)
17 Sept Isidro Metapan or Marathon – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (10p)

23 Sept Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – Deportivo Saprissa (TBD)
24 Sept Isidro Metapan or Marathon – D.C. United (10p)

30 Sept Deportivo Saprissa – Isidro Metapan or Marathon (10p)
01 Oct D.C. United – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (8p)

07 Oct Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – Isidro Metapan or Marathon (8p)
09 Oct Deportivo Saprissa – D.C. United (10p)

21 Oct Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes – D.C. United (10p)
23 Oct Isidro Metapan or Marathon – Deportivo Saprissa (8p)

29 Oct D.C. United – Isidro Metapan or Marathon (8p)
29 Oct Deportivo Saprissa – Cruz Azul or Hankook Verdes (8p)


Group B
Houston Dynamo(USA)
CD Luis Angel Firpo (SLV)
Winner: Jalapa or San Francisco FC
Winner: Harbour View FC or Pumas UNAM

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
16 Sept Jalapa or San Francisco – Harbour View or Pumas (TBD)
17 Sept Houston Dynamo – CD Luis Angel Firpo (10p)

23 Sept Jalapa or San Francisco – Houston Dynamo (TBD)
24 Sept Harbour View or Pumas – CD Luis Angel Firpo (TBD)

30 Sept Harbour View or Pumas – Houston Dynamo (TBD)
02 Oct CD Luis Angel Firpo – Jalapa or San Francisco (8p)

08 Oct Houston Dynamo – Jalapa or San Francisco (10p)
09 Oct CD Luis Angel Firpo – Harbour View or Pumas (10p)

22 Oct Houston Dynamo – Harbour View or Pumas (10p)
22 Oct Jalapa or San Francisco – CD Luis Angel Firpo (TBD)

28 Oct CD Luis Angel Firpo – Houston Dynamo (10p)
29 Oct Harbour View or Pumas – Jalapa or San Francisco (TBD)


Group C
Atlante FC (MEX)
CD Olímpia or CD Marathon (HON)
Winner: Joe Public FC or New England Revolution
Winner: Montreal Impact or Real Esteli

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
17 Sept Montreal or Esteli – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (TBD)
18 Sept Atlante – HON1 (10p)

24 Sept Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – HON1 (8p)
24 Sept Montreal or Esteli – Atlante (TBD)

30 Sept Atlante – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (8p)
02 Oct HON1 – Montreal or Esteli (10p)

08 Oct Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – Montreal or Esteli (8p)
08 Oct HON1 – Atlante (10p)

21 Oct Montreal or Esteli – HON1 (TBD)
21 Oct Joe Public FC or New England Revolution – Atlante (8p)

28 Oct HON1 – Joe Public FC or New England Revolution (8p)
28 Oct Atlante – Montreal or Esteli (10p)


Group D
Club Santos Laguna
CSD Municipal or Deportivo Jalapa
Winner: LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders
Winner: Chivas USA or Tauro FC

Home Team Listed First (All times Eastern)
16 Sept LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – Chivas USA or Tauro (TBD)
17 Sept Club Santos Laguna – GUA1 (8p)

23 Sept Chivas USA or Tauro – GUA1 (TBD)
25 Sept LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – Club Santos Laguna (TBD)

01 Oct GUA1 – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (8p)
01 Oct Chivas USA or Tauro – Club Santos Laguna (TBD)

07 Oct GUA1 – Chivas USA or Tauro (10p)
08 Oct Club Santos Laguna – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (8p)

22 Oct Club Santos Laguna – Chivas USA or Tauro (8p)
23 Oct LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders – GUA1 (TBD)

29 Oct Chivas USA or Tauro – LD Alajuelense or Puerto Rico Islanders (TBD)
30 Oct GUA1 – Club Santos Laguna (10p)

2008-09 Concacaf Champions League preliminary round schedule

Sixteen teams now know their opponents for the preliminary two-leg round of the first ever CONCACAF Champions League. Come August, these teams will fight it out to win a spot in the group phase, which starts play in September.

As far as the preliminary round, first leg matches will take place sometime between 26-28 August with the second leg to follow the following week (2-4 Sept). Exact fixture dates will be announced soon.

As far as the MLS sides are concerned, New England will take on Joe Public, the best team name in the tournament. Public is a difficult Trinidad and Tobago side that I believe has caused problems for MLS teams before.

Chivas USA drew Panama's Tauro FC. Although they are the best Panama has to offer, they have not been a big international team.

There is also a very good chance Toronto FC will enter the tournament as the “Canadian Champion". If so, MLS will have the most teams in the competition.

Anyway, here is the full draw:

Home team first leg	Home team second leg
Deportivo Jalapa (GUA)	San Francisco FC (PAN)
Joe Public FC (TNT)	New England Revolution (USA)
LD Alajuelense (CRC)	Puerto Rico Islanders (PRC)
Cruz Azul (MEX)	Hankook Verdes (BLZ)
Harbour View FC (JAM)	Pumas UNAM (MEX)
Tauro FC (PAN)	Chivas USA (USA)
Montreal Impact (CAN)	Real Esteli (NIC)
CD Isidro Metapan (SLV)	CD Marathon (HON)

Concacaf Champions League field reveald

Little, old Concacaf is soon to have a Champions League of our own and now we know just who is going to take part within it. In all, 24 teams will take part in this year's Champions League, with four of them coming from the US.

Eight teams will advance directly to the group stage (two clubs each from the United States and Mexico and one club each from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), with the others taking part in a two leg playoff.

Here is the full list of teams:

USA (4 teams): Houston Dynamo (2007 Major League Soccer champion); D.C. United (2007 Major League Soccer regular-season winner); New England Revolution (2007 MLS Cup runner-up); Chivas USA (2007 MLS regular season runner-up)

MEXICO (4 teams): Atlante FC (2007 Torneo Apertura champion); Pumas UNAM (2007 Torneo Apertura Runner-up); 2 teams to be determined (2008 Torneo Clausura champion and runner-up)

COSTA RICA (2 teams): Deportivo Saprissa (Torneo Invierno winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Verano winner, or second place team in Torneo Verano if same champion for both Invierno and Verano)

EL SALVADOR (2 teams): CD Luis Angel Firpo (Liga Mayor Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

GUATEMALA (2 teams): Deportivo Jalapa (Torneo Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

HONDURAS (2 teams): CD Marathon (Torneo Apertura 2007 winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

PANAMA (2 teams): San Francisco FC (ANAPROF Apertura winner); 1 team to be determined (Torneo Clausura winner, or second place team in Torneo Clausura if same champion for both Apertura and Clausura)

BELIZE (1 team): Hankook Verdes (2007-08 BPFL/RFG Insurance Cup Champions)

NICARAGUA (1 team): to be determined; Winner of playoff between Apertura winner (Real Estelí FC) and winner of Clausura.

CANADA (1 team): to be determined; Winner of three-way qualifying series between Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps.

CARIBBEAN (3 teams): Harbour View FC (Jamaica); Joe Public FC (Trinidad & Tobago); winner of playoff between Puerto Rico Islanders and San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad & Tobago)

The schedule has the group qualifying or preliminary round going from 26 August to 4 September. The six match group stage starts 16 September and ends by 30 October. The knockout phase does not take place till late February of next year with the final take place the last two weeks of April.

The winner will advance to the Fifa Club World Cup in December 2009.

US World Cup Qualifying tickets go on sale Sunday; Brazil-Venezuela tickets tomorrow

Tickets for the US Men's first 2010 World Cup Qualifier go on sale this Sunday (happy Mother's day) at 3pm ET/12pm PT. The red, white and blue start their race to South Africa on 15 June at the The Home Depot Center in Carson, Ca. against Barbados.

Tickets prices range from $18 to $65 and can be purchased at ussoccer.com, by phone (213-480-3232 in L.A.; 714-740-2000 in Orange County; 619-220-8497 in San Diego), and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout Southern California (including Macy’s, Wherehouse Music, FYE and Ritmo Latino).

This match represents the first ever World Cup Qualifier at the Home Depot Center, so hopefully a full house will come out.

On the other side of the country, tickets for the Brazil-Venezuela friendly on 6 June go on sale tomorrow (9 May). The game is a doubleheader with the New England Revolution and FC Dallas facing off in the second match.

Tickets for the two games rage from $30 to $110 and can be purchased by calling 1-877-GET-REVS or Ticketmaster at (617) 931-2222.

Two great nights of soccer on the coasts.

SuperLiga 2008 Schedule released

The second edition of the cross-border showdown is booked and if 2007's tournament is any example, we can expect some of the best games of the season.

The four teams representing MLS have been known for some time as they were based on last season's performance, so the main part of today's announcement was the Mexican teams. Houston, DC, New England and Chivas USA will take on Chivas Guadalajara, Atlante, Pachuca and Santos.

Group A
Houston Dynamo
D.C. United
Guadalajara
Atlante

Group B
Chivas USA
New England
Pachuca
Santos

Date	Match	Venue	Kickoff (ET)
July 12	DC - Guadalajara	RFK Stadium, DC	8pm
July 12	Houston - Atlante	Robertson Stadium, Houston	10pm
July 13	NE - Santos	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough	8pm
July 13	Chivas USA - Pachuca	Home Depot Center, Carson	10pm
July 15	DC - Atlante	RFK Stadium, DC	8pm
July 15	Houston - Guadalajara	Robertson Stadium, Houston	10pm
July 16	NE - Pachuca	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough	8pm
July 16	Chivas USA - Santos	Home Depot Center, Carson	10pm
July 19	DC - Houston	RFK Stadium, DC	8pm
July 19	Atlante - Guadalajara	TBD	10pm
July 20	Chivas USA - NE	TBD, LA	8pm
July 20	Santos - Pachuca	TBD	10pm
July 29	Seminfinal 1	TBD	TBD
July 30	Seminfinal 2	TBD	TBD
Aug 5	Final	TBD	TBD

Andy Herron back to Chicago

Last year the Chicago Fire were lacking in anything up top. This year, their cup seems to be running over as they have added Andy Herron to their lineup. This is his second round with the team.

The move means Chicago now has Calen Carr, Tomasz Frankowski, Chris Rolfe, Patrick Nyarko, Chad Barrett and Herron ready to play in the forward position. This is an embarrassment of riches.

So what is the team missing? One could argue that the answer is everywhere else on the pitch. Their midfield was a little short last season while they have thinned out a bit in defense. Also, with Pickens heading overseas, they now need a backup keeper.

With a number of MLS sides needing help up top, don't be surprised if the Fire get a more then a few calls over the next month.

One last thing about this move, it should make the Fire's second game of the season that much more entertaining as Herron might again be on the pitch with Jay Heaps of New England. Here's what happened the last time the two got together. Herron was fined $3000 and suspended four games after this incident.

Taylor Twellman not off to Europe

New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman will not be dashing off to Europe this transfer window as the club has turned down a $3 million offer from Preston North End. This offer was just the latest one from Preston after a $2.5m offer was rejected two-weeks ago. The transfer deal also included incentives that could have added an additional $500,000 to the fee.

This comes as no surprise as the club and the league have been sending not so masked hints that Twellman was not available. With the Revolution going through their biggest roster shift in years this off-season, giving away their all-time goal scorer is not high on their priority list, especially since they don't have another proven striker in their squad.

Twellman is probably very disappointed about this as he wanted to return to Europe, but a large part of the problem is his own. A year ago he signed a four-year contract with the Revs that saw him earn a substantial pay increase, but did not include any sort of transfer trigger or buy-out clause. Had there been such language in the contract, he probably would have earned a little less per year, but he also would likely be heading to England right now.

Concerning the failed transfer, Preston North End chairman Derek Shaw had this to say about MLS:

Unlike the situation over here, it would appear that the MLS do not want to negotiate, they just say yes or no, and I believe that the setup is that the selling club only get 40 percent*, with the balance going to the MLS. It's disappointing because the lad is very keen to join us, but it would appear that the opportunity is not going to be there for him during this transfer window, [which closes tonight].

He makes a couple good points, but again, I don't think the Revs were ever going to let Twellman go, so why spend time negotiating. The simple truth is that even though Twellman wanted to head east, his club cannot afford to lose him.

So what can Twellman do about this now? Perhaps putting in another excellent season while working hard with the younger forwards on the team is the way to go, i.e. show he still has it while training his replacement. Add that to the additional chances he will have with the national team and next year the offer might be a bit too much for the Revs to ignore.

Then again, he could play like crap and demand that he will only improve if he gets to renegotiate his contract, but nothing like that would ever happen in sports.

* I believe that under the current MLS structure, the team actually gets two-thirds of the money or 66.6%.

Pat Noonan off to Norway, Franchino back with Revs

The New England Revolution continued their unusually hectic off-season today as they said so long to forward Pat Noonan who will now play his games with Norwegian club Aalesund. Noonan has been a large part of the Revolutions great run over the last few years, scoring 42 goals in 136 matches, but the team decided not to exercise their option on him.

This moves opens up $225,000 in salary money and all but guarantees Adam Cristman a starting position (and hopefully a little more then the $17,700 he got paid last year). Also, any hope that Twellman had of some how sneaking overseas probably dies with this deal.

But for every goodbye, there is a hello as the team welcomed defender Joe Franchino back to the club. Franchino has been an important player for the team in years past (including being their captain for a few seasons), but due to personal issues, did not play much in 2007.

The combination of Franchino, Chris Albright, Hay Heaps and Avery John in the backfield should make the Revs a difficult team to get past.

Fox Soccer to start off the season with a MLS doubleheader

Fox Soccer Channel will host their first-ever MLS doubleheader when the new season kicks off on March 29. FSC will air both the Houston Dynamo-New England Revolution MLS Cup rematch at 7:30pm (ET) followed by the LA Galaxy-Colorado Rapids 'we both missed the playoffs' match at 9:30pm (ET).

The network will begin their broadcast at 7pm with a 30-minute pre-game show and will conclude with a 30-minute post game after the LA-Rapids game.

What an excellent way to start off a season. Hopefully at some point this will become the norm instead of a one-time thing.

Twellman and Cooper ticked off at MLS

What would a transfer window be without some players getting upset about their current situation? With that it mind, we look at New England's Taylor Twellman and FC Dallas's Kenny Cooper.

Twellman is upset because his club would not accept a $2.5 million transfer deal from England's Preston North End, forcing him to stay in MLS. He feels that since the Revolution turned down the deal without much thought on the matter, he must be worth more to them then the current $350,000 they are paying him and should become their designated player.

For Cooper, he is upset at the league for apparently backing down from a promise they made to him when he transferred from Europe to the states in 2006. At the time that he moved back home, the league promised him that if his numbers were good for his first season, they would renegotiate his contract. He ended up getting 11 goals and 4 assists in his first year, which most people who agree is a good total (FCD scored 52 goals his first year meaning he was involved in almost a third of all their goals), but it seems the league didn't see it that way saying 'that the option on the contract had been exercised and nothing would change.' They went to the Hunt group who owns FCD, but were told that there was no money available under the salary cap, meaning he will continue to earn $83,000 a year.

Crappy situations for both of them. As far as Twellman is concerned, I can understand his anger as this is probably his best (and maybe last) good chance of sailing on off to Europe again. Add to it that he would go to a club that has a good record of developing American talent and I'd be pretty upset as well. However, one has to wonder why he signed a contract without any sort of buy out clause in it, especailly since he was negotiating with the Revs, an organization that is known for letting go of their players at any price.

As a US national team fan, I wish Twellman would go as I think his only chance at become an international goal scorer is playing in Europe, however when I look at it from a Revs and MLS business stand point, it is hard to give up a player that is consistently in the running for the golden boot, even at $2.5 million (which would cover the entire team's paycheck for the year).

And then there is Cooper and his contract. If what he is saying is true, then the league is a disgrace. If you promise someone something and they deliver, you need to pay up.

It will be interesting to see how these two players respond to all this. Will they pull a Clint Mathis after his bid to move to Bayern Munich in 2002 was blocked by the league and downgrade their play or will they go the Clint Dempsey route and play at the top of their game but keep bringing up the subject every chance they get? My guess is they will go more Dempsey then Mathis.

MLS DVDs on sale soon

MLS and A&E Home Video have signed a multi-year, multi-title agreement wherein A&E will distribute MLS titles to the retail marketplace. The first release is slated for 18 December and will feature the 2007 MLS Cup match between Houston and New England. The DVD will retail for $19.95.

This will be followed up with DVDs of other championship games, specific players and team histories.

Although there will be a limited audience for this sort of thing, it is yet another example of MLS coming of age. The more companies tied into soccer, the better. So which team, DC, will have the first, DC, history of, DC, DVD released?

Houston Dynamo 2007 MLS Cup Champions - The Dynasty has begun

Houston Dynamo 2-1 New England Revolution
The first half saw the team from Houston looking out of place as their backline was confused and their passing game was pathetic, however, Coach Kinnear provided some halftime magic to regroup his side.

Half number two saw the team start pushing forward, but the big change was the marking in the midfield. New England was started having trouble pushing through, which gave Joseph Ngwenya and Dwayne De Rosario the room they needed to move into the attack. Ngwenya looked especially much improved in the second 45 as his first half was a mix of poor passing, selfish play and sloppy attacks.

But Ngwenya more then erased all that bad with his game-tying goal in the 61'. Actually, his sloppy attack came in handy as his whiff kick caused Matt Reis to dive, opening up the hole for the actual goal. Then came the winner. Brad Davis sent in the cross and De Rosario did the rest. How much force was on that header?

New England was playing their game through out the first half, but in the end, the same problem that they were some how able to overcome in the first two rounds of the playoffs was too much today. Their goal scoring ability, or lack there of, cost them. Okay, Pat Onstad had a lot to do with that, but with so few big options up top, Houston was able to keep control even when being out played. Off topic, but Onstad deserved the MVP a bit more then DeRo in my opinion.

Also, the Revs were very lucky to not get a pk against them in the first 15 minutes when Avery John took down Nate Jaqua from behind in the box (I think it was Jaqua, but my memory might be a bit fuzzy) and the Khano Smith as Zidane act should have been a red card (although hands off to ref Alex Prus for doing everything he could to keep calls from deciding this one).

So Houston repeats as MLS Champions and New England is officially the saddest team in the league (but way to not cry Matt Reis). The Dynamo have earned the MLS title and deserve all the dynasty talk and it is only fitting that it took place at RFK, the home of the only other team that has ever reached MLS dynasty status.

Congratulations to the Houston Dynamo and their outstanding fans.

Goals:
NE: Taylor Twellman (3) 20'
HD: Joseph Ngwenya (1) 61', Dwayne De Rosario (2) 74'
Attendance: 39,859

2007 MLS Cup - Houston vs. New England - Preview and prediction time

Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution
RFK Stadium, Washington, DC
Sunday - Noon ET/9am PT
TV: ABC, TeleFutura
Tickets

For the third straight year the New England Revolution come into the MLS Cup after winning their conference championship 1-0 while Houston, for the second year in a row, will be without Ricardo Clark in the final due to suspension.

So how many times will we hear little facts like that during Sunday's broadcast? I'm guessing the ABC crew will have a number of them. But anyway, what about the game?

New England must feel good about this one. So far they have not allowed a single post-season goal, they've had three extra days of rest, one of Houston's biggest stars is injured and the team's owners are bussing in fans. All this seems to point to a good day for the Revs. However, there is a big area of concern, their offense.

The Revs have yet to find any sort of scoring touch as both their playoff goals have come under odd circumstances. The goal against New York happened when the Red Bulls were playing down a man (Arena had yet to sub out Angel) and Twellman's bicycle kick goal against Chicago was beautiful but should not have been allowed (dangerous play). Add to it Houston's defense and you have the makings of a drought.

Meanwhile, the team from Texas has been sure footed in front of goal. Six goals in their last two playoff games is something, but the numbers that really stand out to me are the eight players who have multiple goals this season and the five guys who have found net in the playoffs. Houston will be without a big part of their offense if Ching is out, but they still have a number of options available, while Taylor Twellman has been the only scare factor in NE's bag.

Where Houston will take the biggest hit with Ching out is in the air. Last year, teams where terrified of giving up corners or free kicks in the final third because Ching and, to a lesser degree, Dalglish were able to get on the end of those things. However, this season, Houston has done little with their chances, due in large part to Ching's various injuries.

Ching also forces the defense to pull over to cover him, thus opening up space for others, however, this might not be as big of a lose as it seems. Since Nate Jaqua has some good speed, the Revs backline might hold a few yards closer to goal then they would with Ching, thus opening up more space for De Rosario, Ngwenya and others in the middle and the midfield is where Houston has been getting it done.

But I have a feeling Shalrie Joseph, Jeff Larentowicz, Steve Ralston and Khano Smith (not to mention Michael Parkhurst) will have a few things to say about the Dynamo's plans for the center of the park. Ralston has been cranking up his game and providing for Noonan and Twellman while Larentowicz has become a bit of an enforcer. However, they have seemed more giveaway prone the last few weeks as balls either skate by or get picked off along their way plus Ralston's placement on corner kicks has not been the best.

So could this really come down to the defensive line and goalkeeper. If so, two different stories could come of it. Houston's backline has been near perfect, allowing 17 shots with only 6 on target while the Revs have allowed 44 with 20 on frame. Obviously Houston is the tighter team in the back. Wade Barrett knows how to control his line but a lot of these numbers are due to the whole team fighting the defensive battle. Players track back to give the team numbers (unlike Chicago who just sat back), thus keeping the pressure off of Onstad.

New England, on the other hand, leaves most of the defending to the defenders, which explains why more balls get through, however Matt Reis seems to like it this way. Reis made 120 saves this year while Onstad had 2/3rds as many. And Reis's season goals against average might not be as pretty as Onstad's, but during this playoff run, he has made 19 saves while Onstad has just 4. I'm sure both will come up with a couple big saves on Sunday, but from the looks of it, Reis is the proven option.

So how will this thing play out? Expect a lot of defense at the start with Houston trying to get their passing game organized while the Revs look for some quick through balls to Twellman. If Jaqua gets the start, he will try to run at the defense to keep them in their final third. My guess is the opening 20-minutes will see some flurry, but no goals.

Then it comes the pound out time. If the Revs can turn this into a slower paced game, they should be able to put the Dynamo to sleep. With the Revs only needed a couple quality chances to win this thing, Houston will need to stop the lapses, however if these game has pace, I've got to go Dynamo.

So much seems to point towards the Revs finally getting a MLS title, but I just don't think it is going to happen. Since the start of October, New England has not dominated any games and has lucked in the final thanks to the above-mentioned goals. Meanwhile, Houston has turned it up a number of notches and is producing just about everywhere. Ching out will hurt them, but they should still have enough to cover. It is going to be a difficult task beating Reis, but if Houston can exploit NE's defensive holes, they should get enough shots in to get past Matt.

Predictions: Me HD 2-0 NE, Wife HD 1-0 NE (in OT)

Your team not in the MLS Cup? Here's your guide to picking a side.

Let's face it, for most MLS fans, your team isn't going for glory on Sunday afternoon, but being the proud soccer fan that you are, you will still watch the game. Now you can do it impartially, judging the game not on an alliance but on the actual play on the field, but what fun is that.

Go ahead and pick a side so there can be an 'us vs. them' motif. It will give you more of a reason to cheer every shot, jeer every hard tackle and curse at every bad call the ref is bound to make. But have no worries about anything long term, this is just a one afternoon stand that will be gone faster then a New York Red Bull coach. With that in mind, here is a guide to help you pick your short-term personal cup team based on your own true MLS love.

Chicago - Can you really cheer for the team the beat you especially on a 'tainted' Taylor Twellman bicycle kick? Plus, do you want the MLS Cup to go to a team that plays on turf? One last thing, Dallas is your enemy and Houston is Dallas's enemy thus Houston is your friend. Where there is a Dynamo, there is bound to be a Fire.

Chivas - You've got much better over the last couple years but you still can't make anything happen against Houston. Plus, that 0-0 tie against the Dynamo on the last match of the regular season exposed the weaknesses that Kansas City used to beat you in the playoffs. The Goats are kicking for the Revolution.

Colorado - Much like the play on the pitch, this club has little excitement either way. Still, the Revs play a style of soccer that lends itself to a bit more of a snore nature then Houston, so maybe if the Revs pull one off, it proves that Colorado has a chance. New England for a new Rapids.

Columbus - Let's use some logic here, this season the Crew did not lose to the Revs once (1 win, 2 ties), therefore, if the Revs beat Houston, the Crew are actually MLS champions. Then again, if Joseph Ngwenya plays a big roll for Houston, it's like the Crew made it happen. So really, either way you go, Columbus comes out on top. Go halftime show!

DC - Okay, watching a team break one of your most cherished records (back-to-back titles) on your own pitch is bound to hurt, however can you really cheer for New England? I mean do you really want to see Matt Reis holding the cup high over his head at RFK? It has got to be Houston.

Dallas - Texas pride runs strong and it runs deep but hatred between Dallas and Houston runs deeper. Not only have they achieved more in two years then you have in twelve, but they have even done it on your own soil. Then again, New England did take the US Open Cup from you this year on your own soil, but I'm guessing that hurts less then the repetitive beatings Houston hands you. New England all the way.

Kansas City - Houston kicked you out of the playoffs, but it was such a one sided night that the only way to not look foolish is to have the same thing happen to another team. Hope for a Dyno-tastic Sunday.

Los Angeles - Until next season, Houston is still the Earthquakes and LA doesn't like Earthquakes. As an added bonus, a New England win in DC makes United look less like the Superclub the Galaxy aim to be. Also, with AEG Houston and LA's corporate parent, aren't you tired of your brother getting the better grades? La-La wants a Revolution.

New York - New England is the team New York was suppose to be and sure this might not be baseball, but a New Yorker going for a team from Boston just doesn't seem right. Besides, if the Revs win, that's one less team that you could point at as and example of a team without a MLS title. Houston to smack the Revs.

Salt Lake - Real is looking for a revolution in their play next season so they need to look at this game with strategy in mind. The winner will get a berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup and if tradition holds, those who play in it will have a bad start to the MLS season. Since Salt Lake has a better chance of playing Houston early, the Dynamo are the way to go.

Toronto - Like there is even an option here. Between Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad, Houston is the proxy team Canada. A win for them is like a win for the maple leafs. Go, go Dynamo!

New England Revolution wins the East, look for the double

Chicago Fire 0-1 New England Revolution

Chicago's lack of finishing finally did them in as the Revs return to MLS Cup for the fourth time in six years. Overall, the match was lacking in excitement as both sides suffered from poor passing in the final third, but the real story is the lack of quality shots on goal the Fire had. Of their 10 on target shots, only two forced Matt Reis to make any sort of effort to stop them.

Blanco was mostly invisible on the evening thanks in large part to referee Kevin Stott. Since a large part of Blanco's game is based on getting calls from the ref, if the ref ain't calling', it just ain't happening. But Blanco was not the only player lacking. Other then some quality saves by Matt Pickens the team was a wash.

The Twellman goal was excellent, but overall, the Revs were a bit caged, but that is sort of their style.

As far as the ESPN call, it did not add anything to the excitement level. Even though they talked a large amount about the game, overall, it was just filler and enough about Boston being the city of champions. We got it the first time.

Goal: Taylor Twellman (2) 38'
Attendance: 10,317 (not very good at all)

2007 Eastern Conference Championship - Chicago vs. New England

Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution
7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: ESPN2

Tonight decides who will represent the Eastern Conference in MLS Cup 2007. Will it be the hard charging, Blanco fueled, giant killers Chicago Fire or the always dependable, Matt Reis backed New England Revolution?

Without a doubt, Chicago has had a good run of form over the last couple months, but it really has not been as impressive as it sounds. Yes, they have not lost in their last 10 league matches, however, six of those games ended in ties and they scored one goal or less in seven of them. It makes for a good record but when you are in a must win situation, it doesn't hold up as well.

The Revolution have had a bit of a bumpier ride in terms of results and they looked a little soft against New York in the first round, but overall, they hold a number of key advantages. First, they are playing on turf in their own house. Second, they have a goalkeeper who is getting close to top form. Third, they have multiple scoring options. Fourth, unlike DC, injuries are not hurting a number of key players.

All of these will make Chicago's job extremely difficult, but there biggest issue is the same one they have had all year, failure to score. The Fire have the fewest goals of any playoff team (31) and are second worse when compared to the league as a whole (TFC holds the bottom spot at 25). This lack of attack, especially up against a keeper like Matt Reis, is what will doom them.

On the other side of things, the Revs have one of the most productive offensives in the league and with seven of their regular starters having two or more goals, this productivity is not limited to one area. This will force Chicago to pull players back behind the ball, meaning they will again be counting on break aways and counter attacks to see them through this match.

A very telling thing to look at concerning the Fire is the way they played in the first leg of the DC series. When they went up a goal, they said that they were going to push it in order to get a second. But what happened? The team didn't know how to push forward and instead they wasted the clock and helm off a limping United. So even when they decided to push forward, they could not.

Without a doubt Blanco will play a major role in Chicago's night, but which Blanco will it be? Will it be the Blanco from the first leg who gave away the ball over 40 times or the Blanco of the second leg who was placing the balls were needed and catching the United defense cheating? But the center of attention might not be the most important person to watch as the Fire will need Chad Barrett and Chris Rolfe roaming into the final third regularly if they hope to beat Reis.

The Revs will call on one of the best midfields in the league to dictate this game. Steve Ralston and Andy Dorman have made trouble for their opposition all season with Jeff Larentowicz and Khano Smith adding a great fight to the center. On defense, Michael Parkhurst has been making a case for international duty with his 'defend hard, defend everywhere' style while Jay Heaps likes to get involved when numbers are needed. Combine all this will Pat Noonan and Taylor Twellman and you have all the makings of a whooping.

Chciago might be able to hold off that whooping due to their strong defensive work, however that normally is the result of keeping 10-players behind the ball, meaning that if they go down to the Revs, their style will open up as they push forward, resulting in more possible chances for New England.

Predictions:
Me: CF 0-2 NE
Wife : CF 2-1 NE
But the wife did not stop there, she predicts that NE will go up a goal in the first half hour, Chicago will tie it just a few minutes after halftime and get the winner sometime between the 82-86'. Specific enough for you?

2007 MLS Playoffs - Week 2 recap - First always loses to worst

Without a doubt, leg 2 of round 1 was a lot more fun then leg 1. However, after both number one seeds were knocked out by the bottom seeds, one has to wonder if the league needs to take some sort of action to give the teams that proved themselves during the whole season an advantage in the playoffs. But that is a discussion for another day.

Here is the playoff table after the first round:

	Playoffs	Week 2
Attendance	136,331	79,353
Att per game	17,041	19,838
Goals	13	10
Goals per game	1.625	2.5
Visitors	0-5-3	0-2-2
Ties	3 (37.5%)	2 (50%)

FC Dallas 1-4 Houston Dynamo
Houston wins series 4-2 on aggregate
It is a real shame this match was not on national television because it is exactly the sort of game that could convert casual fans. The atmosphere was amazing, the game was physical yet had great flow and the goals were all fantastic.

FCD just needed a tie to win the series and early on it looked like they were going to do that, but then one stupid reaction turned this game. Two minutes into the second half, Arturo Alvarez allowed the intensity of the match to get the better of him and got sent off for giving Brad Davis a knee to the groin. Alvarez, a Houston native, sank his team and should be deeply ashamed of his actions.

Up a man with 30,000 fans roaring them on, the Dynamo attack, which has been mighty cool for most of the reason, flared to live as Houston cut through Dallas's lines again and again. Passes that had early been a little off where now finding their marks as Dallas was overwhelmed by the push.

Sure enough, 20-minutes almost to the second after Alvarez was sent off, Houston go their first to tie the game and bring them within one on aggregate. Five minutes later, the series was tied after come great passing in the box setup a reborn Brain Ching who slotted the ball home.

Houston kept pushing to get the third and kill the game in regular time, but FCD had just enough in them to stop it from happening.

But then came overtime and Dallas fell to pieces. They were dragging all over the pitch and when Joseph Ngwenya again setup Brian Ching for the goal ahead goal, there was not a shocked fan in the house. The Dynamo were rolling and the fans were going crazy.

The death nail would come in the 100th minute when Brad Davis stepped up to take a free kick just outside of the box. He delivered a perfect shot into the upper corner of the goal and the series was over.

The teams played on for another 20-minutes but it was mainly time filled with the Dynamo killing off the game as FCD tried desperately to make anything happen (usually resulting in fouls).

This was exactly the sort of game we have come to expect from Houston as they controlled it without any doubt. Still, they were having a lot of trouble with a full 11, which should give Kansas City at least a little hope heading into the 'conference' final.

On a different note, how big of a bouquet of flowers do you think the Dynamo sent Alvarez to think him for going all Ricardo Clark on Davis?

Goals: FCD: Carlos Ruiz (1) 14',
HD: Stuart Holden (1) 67', Brain Ching (1) 72', (2) 97', Brad Davis (1) 100'
Attendance: 30,088 (way to go Houston!)


New York Red Bulls 0-1 New England Revolution
New England wins series 1-0 on aggregate
Much like the Houston match, it took a side going down a man to turn this one. However, unlike the showdown in Texas, the man advantage was due to an injury. The Revs found ways of breaking New York's line, but they never really applied constant pressure. But when Juan Pablo Angel went out after taking a hard knock to the chin that resulted in a concussion, the Revs saw their opening.

NY coach Bruce Arena took a gamble in allowing his doctors to check on Angel before replacing him and it did not pay off. With the extra man to push forward, the Revs finally had that little extra opening they needed to get the final pass perfectly in place for Taylor Twellman.

With NE up a goal and NY without Angel or Reyna (who was injured in the first 20-minutes), the Bulls needed something amazing to have a chance, and they almost got it as John Wolyniec had a perfect chance in front of goal, but he headed the ball just over the bar, thus ending the Red's run for MLS Cup.

The Revolution should be happy returning to the Eastern Conference championship match for the sixth straight time, but they have a lot of work ahead of them. New York was able to crack their defense and should have got at least one goal and their offense still is not full strength. To beat Chicago on Thursday night, they are going to need to find a way to open up a tougher backline.

And who is getting the big of a bouquet of flowers from the Revs, probably Bruce Arena. I can't really fault the Bruce for giving his staff as much time as possible to figure out the extent of Angel's injury, but it was still the thing that turned the match.

Goal: Taylor Twellman (1) 64'
Attendance: 10,116 (there were be no tropical storm on Thursday)


Kansas City Wizards 0-0 Chivas USA
Kansas City wins series 1-0 on aggregate
Chivas didn't have much attack, but they threw everything possible against KC on Saturday night and if it weren’t for the goal frame, Chivas would have won this series.

Chivas put pressure on the Wizards for a majority of the match, but they could not get the lucky bounce. KC give the goats a number of chances, thanks to some weak passes that resulted in breakaways by Chivas, but none could be converted. In the final 10-minutes of play, Chivas had three shots that either knocked off the frame or hit the side netting.

The Wizards applied some pressure of their own thanks in large part to Eddie Johnson who actually turned in a decent night. However, Eddie's shots are still more likely to go over the bar then between the posts, but he did apply enough of a push to force Chivas to hold their line back.

In the end, injury, much like every other series, was the key factor in this one. With Ante Razov, Chivas did not have enough options to exploit the holes KC presented. The bad news for the Wizards, Houston has Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario, Stuart Holden, Nate Jaqua and Joseph Ngwenya ready to make them pay. If they hope to escape Texas still breathing, they are going to need to sharpen their whole game.

Without question, the bouquet of flowers from Kansas City goes to the goalposts that made more meaningful saves then Kevin Hartman did on the night.

Attendance: 19,711 (much improved over the regular season)


Conference Finals
Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution
Thursday (8 Nov) - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: ESPN2
Tickets

Kansas City Wizards vs. Houston Dynamo
Saturday (10 Nov) - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel, HDNet, FSE
Tickets

2007 MLS Playoffs - Round 1 Leg 2 Preview - Are you ready for some Friday night action?

Will last night be an omen for what is to come this weekend or will Chicago be the irregular that makes it on? Every match has something worth watching, but sadly the best two will be the hardest to find. I really think the FCD-Houston match is going to be something classic, while the KC-Chivas game will be shocking in the end.

FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo
FCD up 1-0 on aggregate
Friday - 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT
TV: Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv

Friday nights in Texas are all about football, so it is only fitting that the second match of this series is tonight. Dallas comes into the game up a lucky goal while Houston is fumbling on offense. The good news for the Dynamo, overall, they looked better last Saturday in Frisco then FCD did. However, the good news for Dallas, the score is what matters.

FCD will probably go with Ruiz and Cooper up top, which really didn't produce anything last week. Ruiz, as always, will play for the foul, but he is ridding a yellow and if his team does get out of Houston alive, they are going to need him next week. Will this mean that the little fish will alter his ways at all? I doubt it. Cooper needs to push himself into the box. The Dynamo kept forcing him out wide last week, which isn't horrible as he can center some good balls, but it means his size becomes a minor factor. Also, Dallas really wasn't getting anyone into position to do anything with the centering passes.

But the big question for me is can Dallas get something out of their midfield? With the exception of a couple plays by Adrian Serioux, their middle suffered. If Juan Toja can return to early season form and start placing good passes that open up the attack, they have a great chance of finally getting a win in Houston, but short of that, it is going to be a tough night.

With FCD's problems, Houston should be able to spring attacks. With Dwayne De Rosario, Brian Mullan and Richard Mulrooney clicking, the middle of the park should be theirs, but will Ching, Jaqua or Ngwenya be able to do anything with it? The lack of quality finishing is the only reason the Dynamo are down in the series. As his playoff history shows, Ching can explode at any moment, but it does seem that his injury from August is still hurting his game. However, he likes big games so I think he will find the next at least once.

This game really should be outstanding. Expect a really strong, vocal crowd and an intensity level that will make soccer fans proud (by the way, if you live in the area, the game will not be on local TV, so to see it you will need to be there).

Prediction: Me FCD 1-2 HD (HD wins series on pks), Wife FCD 0-2 HD (HD wins series 2-1)


New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
Series tied 0-0
Saturday - 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (30-min pre & post), FSE

So the playoff team with worse road record has to go to New England and win to advance. That should tip the balance in the Revs direction right off the bat. Much like Houston, the Red Bulls had their chances in the first leg, but they did not finish. Angel and Francis Doe should have got something from all the work Claudio Reyna was doing in the middle, but it did not happen.

The Revs say they are confident and they should be. Michael Parkhurst is doing wonderful work in the back, Steve Ralston and Shalrie Joseph own things in the middle and Taylor Twellman and Pat Noonan offer good options up top. If it wasn't for a bit of a slip in form for goaltender Matt Reis, there really wouldn't be much to talk about, and that's why Angel and Altidore need to expose.

New England is a quality side, but they depend a lot on the skill of their keeper. In the regular season he made 120 saves off 169 shots, meaning he made the second most saves off of the third most shots in the league (by the way, none of the other teams that had this many shots or saves made the playoffs). So even if he is just a tad off his game, the Revs are in danger.

For the Revs to keep the Eastern Conference final from being a #3 versus #4 affair, they will need to limit that chances the Bulls have. If they can do this, they have enough talent at the top get the win.

Prediction: Me NY 0-1 NE (NE wins series), Wife NY 1-2 NE (NE wins series)


Kansas City Wizards vs. Chivas USA
KC leads 1-0 on aggregate
Saturday - 10:30pm ET/7:30pm PT
TV: HDnet, Direct Kick
Internet: MLStv

First the good news for Kansas City. They are the only team that owned a game in Los Angeles this year against Chivas. They controlled the pass, had the better opportunities and frustrated the goats. The bad news, they still lost the match 2-1.

With Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov still either out or less then 100% for Chivas, the Wizards defense should again be able to dictate the pace of the match. With a goal, KC all but has the series, so they will need Eddie Johnson (who might be playing his final MLS match) to actually get involved in the game and Scott Sealy needs to work on staying on sides and his movement in the box. Brad Guzan is a fantastic net minder, so they will need to either catch him with a quick dump pass in front of goal or create a mess in the box and hope for the best.

Chivas has their own offensive worries as they have only scored one goal in their last four games (which matches Razov's injury). Sacha Kljestan and Jesse Marsch can make trouble, but overall, they have no solid strikers for this match. Jonathan Bornstein should help control things in the back, but with nothing to really push the game, the Wizards have a golden opportunity to knock off the second number one seed of the playoffs.

Predictions: Me KC 1-0 Chivas (KC wins series 2-0), Wife KC 0-1 CV (Chivas wins series on pks)


By the way, I am now taking bribes to predict that a team will win. I do this because I have been incorrect about every game for the last two weeks. If you want your opposition to lose, just bribe me and I'll pick them to win.

One last thought, what happens if FCD, NY and KC win this weekend? If all four top seeds are knocked out in the first round, will MLS finally change the playoff format to actually give top seeds an advantage in the first round or will they point to it as proof that the playoffs are the most exciting time of the year?

Houston Dynamo downtown stadium deal coming together - MLS stadium update

Back in May, the Houston Dynamo signed a letter of intent with the city to negotiate a stadium deal. The letter called for a deal to be reached by mid-July. Well July is long over and forgotten with no deal reached. However, it now looks like a deal could be worked out by the end of the year as the club is looking at a location just east of downtown (a previous location near the baseball stadium has been ruled out).

The new deal will actual involve two different locations. The first location will be a 22,000-seat, open-air stadium downtown costing $70-80 million while the second location will be a satellite public soccer complex and training facility on the city's south side. To me, this makes the most sense. Put the stadium in a central location that is easily accessed by the city's population and put the bulk of the playing fields further out where the land is cheaper.

No official world on city money has been given, however it looks like AEG (the owner of the Dynamo) will invest over $60 million in this project.

As far as the players, they feel it is about time to get a deal done. Having moved from San Jose because they could not get a stadium, a few players are wondering what is taking so long, including defender Craig Waibel:

"We feel like we're a championship team, and we've won one, and regardless of what happens here in the (playoffs) we've done very well this season, we've had great attendance (average attendance was 15,883 in 2007), we've done everything we were supposed to do.

''We feel a bit frustrated that there hasn't been an announcement, but we understand there's a lot more things to this than just our feelings and our team."

If the Dynamo can end up with a stadium downtown, then the wait really would be worth it, but what about everyone else in MLS? One of the odd events, or non-events of this season has been the lack of stadium news, still things have been moving along. Here is a look at the way the future stadiums look right now:

Chivas USA - There is occasional talk of a possible move from the Home Depot Center, but nothing major has come of it.

DC United - How to sum this one up? There was a lot of movement on building a stadium along the Anacostia River at Poplar Point, however in July talks broke down. United offered to pay for the $150 million stadium, however it wanted '$200 million in city subsidies, including roads, tax incentives and the right to develop additional land.' The city has since put out a call for open proposals on ways to develop the land, some of which will not include a soccer stadium. There has also been talk about building a stadium next to RFK (which would then be torn down) or move the team out of DC (something the owners have said they don't want to do). With nothing set as of yet, it looks like United will play at least through 2009 at RFK.

Kansas City Wizards - Last November, the Wizards saw a $75 million soccer complex voted down by a large margin. Since then, their focus has turned to the site of a mall. The Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas City as scheduled a special meeting for 7 Nov. to listen to the proposal for Bannister Mall and its surroundings in south Kansas City. A new stadium would anchor the site and would open in time for the 2010 season. As far as the 2008 season, the team might end up playing at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

New England Revolution - Despite occasional noise concerning a move from the much too big Gillette stadium, there really has not been much of a push to get the Revs a home.

New York Red Bulls - On 19 September 2006, the New York franchise broke ground on a stadium that they hoped would be ready by 2008. However, due to disputes between co-owners Red Bull and AEG, the progress on the site has been minimal at best. At issue is AEG's demand that a stage be included at the site in order to make it more profitable. Needless to say, the stadium will not be ready for 2008 and might not be up and running by 2009.

Real Salt Lake - After a very rocky process, Real got their stadium deal in Sandy and construction has been moving along very nicely. They still seem on pace to open in 2008.

San Jose Earthquakes - The team is still hoping for the city of San Jose to rezone some industrial land so owner Lew Wolff can develop it for residential purposes. He would then take the money made and build a stadium near the airport. The city has yet to move forward on this idea.