This weekend the MLS conference semifinals (that's a fancy way of saying quarterfinals) begin. While the league's convoluted and ever changing playoff system is drawing criticism, MLS right now is smiling. After all, it is this very convoluted structure that has given the league the marquee matchup that it has been longing for. New York is playing LA! Henry against Beckham! The Big Apple vs. Tinsel Town!
No matter that it makes little sense that New York, of the Eastern Conference, is playing LA in the two-legged Western Conference semifinals, having the two biggest cities face off in the playoffs is what every American sports league dreams of. Last year MLS executives were salivating over a possible final between New York and LA, which were the two top teams during the 2010 regular season. But it went horribly wrong when New York crashed out in the first round and LA in the second. Despite New York being the lowest seed and LA the top seed in the playoffs this year, this is the marquee game of the weekend. In all of the four ties that begin this weekend, none of the games have an overwhelming favorite. The league's salary cap forces a competitive balance that few if any leagues in the world can match. While this makes the league exciting and unpredictable, it can also make everything more than a bit muddled.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. New York Red Bulls – Sunday 3pm EDT
The Galaxy had one of the best regular seasons of the last decade and they were without a doubt the best team in the league this year. When Beckham joined the Galaxy in 2007 they were a disorganized mess. They had the two best players in the league (the other being Landon Donovan) but no one else. The most important acquisition over Beckham's tenure wasn't a player, it was manager Bruce Arena, who has proven to be the most successful American soccer coach in history. Arena has built a complete team and gotten the best out of his high priced talent. Without the distraction of a possible England call up or loans to Milan, Beckham has had his best season in MLS. With Landon Donovan and the addition of Robbie Keane (who may be healthy enough to play on Sunday), LA has plenty of offensive firepower. But the Galaxy's biggest strength is its defense, which gave up the fewest goals in MLS. Up and coming centerback Omar Gonzalez looks set to be a future U.S. national team regular (that is if Mexico doesn't call him up first).
While LA looks to be the favorites, they can't be happy to have to schlep all the way across the country to play a team that many expected to be among the best in the league. On Wednesday, New York gutted out a win against Dallas, but the victory came out a cost - right back Jan Gunnar Solli got sent off and midfielder Dax McCarty left with an ankle injury. Nevertheless, Thierry Henry is still Thierry Henry, making New York a very dangerous team. With the speedy Jamaican Dane Richards and 18 year old American starlet Juan Agudelo they have attacking options. Defensively, young centerback Tim Ream has attracted Arsene Wenger's eye (Arsenal was reportedly on hand to scout Ream in Dallas) but while his passing is exceptional, Ream has had a bit of a rough second year and looks susceptible on defending crosses – a point that Beckham will likely try to exploit. The other New York star is former Barcelona defender Rafa Marquez has been used as a holding midfielder but has often looked disinterested and had a subpar campaign.
Houston Dynamo vs. Philadelphia Union – Sunday 5pm EDT
The Houston-Philly game is perhaps one of the most even match ups of these evenly-matched playoffs. Houston struggled through much of the season but under the steady stewardship of Dominic Kinnear, they have found their footing at the right time. With most valuable player candidate Brad Davis, who led the league in assists this year, Houston has a dynamic playmaker who creates chances. Houston is still not what they were when they had Bolton's Stuart Holden, but with Geoff Cameron and Bobby Boswell they have a strong defensive spine.
Philadelphia is a solid side that possesses a good mix of youth and experience. In the attack, Frenchmen Sebastian Le Toux has had another excellent campaign and solid contributions from young players such as Danny Mwanga. Coach Peter Nowak is known for his defensive organization and Philly has given up the second fewest goals in the league. Their most notable player is Freddy Adu, who bizarrely is able to simultaneously embody both youth and experience. After being cast out to the wilderness of European soccer (second division in Turkey), Adu still just 22, came back to MLS in the summer. He has yet to make much of an impression and is not a regular starter, but his play in the Gold Cup final for the U.S. against Mexico reminded everyone of his talent and he could help provide a spark for Philly.
Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders – Saturday 10pm EDT
Seattle has had a great year and after LA they are second-favorites for the title. Led in the midfield by Cuban defector Osvaldo Alonso and the attacking flair of Colombian Freddy Montero (12 goals and 9 assists), Seattle have bite in the midfield and class up top. They also have the most rabid fan base in America and outdraw most English Premier League teams.
It's been a rocky season for Real Salt Lake. Injuries and a dip in form – they are winless in their last six – has Salt Lake limping into the playoffs. Holding midfielder Kyle Beckerman, a player that has always been just on the outside of the US national team conversation, has had a stand out season and recently caught the eye of Juergen Klinsmann. Boosting Salt Lake's spirits is the return of attacking midfielder Argentine Javier Morales from a long term injury. Should he prove sharp it will be a big boost to the attack. Manager Jason Kreis is considered one of the best up and coming young American coaches in the game and Salt Lake, having won the MLS title in 2009 in Seattle, have the experience and quality to upset the Sounders. But it is hard to see Seattle losing on recent form.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Colorado Rapids – Sunday 7.30pm EDT
Kansas City is perhaps the feel good story of MLS this year. Prior to this year Kansas City was playing in a tiny minor league baseball stadium, leading some to suggest that the team leave Kansas City for a bigger market. The opening of Livestrong Park, a gem of a stadium, has been a shot in the arm for the market and is a sign of how far MLS has come. On the field, Kansas City is the top seed in the east and have been one of the best teams in the league over the last few months after a disastrous start to the season on the road while the stadium was completed. They play an attacking 4-3-3 that deploys a plethora of young attacking talent aided by the veteran Mexican striker Omar Bravo. In Teal Burnbury and rookie of the year candidate CJ Sapong, Kansas City has two strikers now on the U.S. national team radar. They score a lot of goals, but they leak a fair share too.
Colorado are the defending MLS Cup Champions, but in a sign of the league's balance, they had to play in a wild card play-in game on Thursday. Colorado has one of the best midfields in the league with veterans Jeff Larentowicz and Pablo Mastroeni. However, striker Omar Cummings, who had a break out year last year, tallied just 3 goals this season. They lost bruising striker Conor Casey to a season ending injury and former Hull City striker Caleb Folan hasn't exactly been a revelation. Colorado will try to smother the Kansas City attack with their customary physical play and grind out a result.
The first legs of these games will be played on Saturday and Sunday, with the return legs on Wednesday and Thursday. Full schedule can be found here.
