The MLS Coaching Carousel is in Full Swing

Frank Klopas is one of the MLS coaches now looking for a new position.

It's a certainty, kind of like death and taxes.  Every year in sports, across the USA especially, the end of the regular season sounds a death knell for the jobs of a few coaches who didn't quite meet expectations.  This coaching carousel is already at full speed in Major League Soccer, before the playoff schedule is even finished.

The first domino to fall was in Vancouver, where Whitecaps manager Martin Rennie is now moving on.  His contract was up at the end of the 2013 season, and the 'Caps decided against renewing him.  This actually surprised me a little bit.  Vancouver had five more points than they finished with last year when they made the playoffs.  They also captured the Cascadia Cup.  I really thought they would give him another one year deal at least, but as it turns out, the playoffs really did seem to be the bottom line.  It was another year when the 'Caps just couldn't quite hold it together down the stretch, including a horrible loss to RSL's "reserve squad" on their own pitch at BC Place.

Failing to make the playoffs cost at least one Eastern Conference manager his job as well.  Yesterday the Chicago Fire announced that they were parting ways with head man Frank Klopas.  Well, if you read the pressers, Klopas "stepped down."  Whatever helps you sleep at night I guess.  This one does not surprise me at all.  The only reason the Fire were anywhere near the playoff spots was because of Mike Magee.  One might argue that the Fire and Klopas failed to really bring in enough of a supporting cast to supplement Magic Mike, and that cost them the playoffs.  Still, when Klopas took over the Fire were an absolute wreck, and he did take them to the playoffs last year.  I think he had a pretty good run, and it will be interesting to see who the Fire pick to replace him.

However, the end of the season wasn't bad news for all of the managers who were sitting outside the playoffs.  San Jose interim manager Mark Watson saw his position upgraded to a multi-year contract as manager.  He totally deserved it as well.  He brought the Quakes back from near the foot of the table to just missing out on the playoffs, as they finished tied with Colorado on 51 points.  The Rapids held the tiebreaker, however.  The Quakes recaptured the Goonie swagger under Watson and finished the season on a 7 match unbeaten run.  Watson also steered them into the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League.

So there are the first comings and goings.  We'll see if a few more dominoes fall in the next few days and weeks.

MLS Eastern Conference at the Halfway Point: Entirely Up For Grabs

The failings of Ben Olsen's DC United headline the first half back east.

Interestingly enough, the major story of the Eastern Conference in the first half is not who is at the top of the table, but rather who is at the bottom.  No disrespect to the Montreal Impact, who sit up top, but they've really slipped in recent weeks, and the fact that they remain in 1st place is more of a monument to the inconsistency of the teams behind them than a tribute to their play.  At the bottom though, DC United have been a league worst all season.  This from a team that I personally thought might compete for the Cup this year.  Here is my rundown of the teams and their top players for the first half.

1. Montreal Impact, 31 Points

The Impact have really shown that they are a force to be reckoned with this year, and they got off to a huge start, including road wins in Cascadia, to jump way ahead of the East.  However the shine has come off in recent weeks, especially on the defensive end.  The Colorado Rapids came from behind to beat them at Stade Saputo, and then last week they dropped points at home to the lowly Chivas USA, who actually led for a good portion of the match.  Still, the Impact lead the league in PPG, but my main concern for them going forward is can their aging roster (Di Vaio and Nesta types) keep up with the grueling MLS schedule in the second half, especially considering that they'll be playing in CCL.  

First half Team MVP--Marco Di Vaio.  The Italian leads the league in off-side calls, but he's right there in goals as well.  Until recently he has been a shoe-in for your three goal monte, but has kind of cooled off of late.  Still, he is a great scorer and gives opposing defenses plenty to think about.

2. Sporting Kansas City, 30 Points 
I didn't really think Sporting Kansas City was going to go away, despite the fact that they've struggled a bit more at home than they're used to.  In particular, they seem to be more prone at giving up goals at Sporting Park.  I still think this team has all the tools, particularly with the return of Kei Kamara from his loan in the EPL.  I think he's one of the most fun players in the league to watch and is almost always a danger man.    Like Montreal, Sporting will be dealing with CCL play later on this year, so it will be interesting to see how they hold up and if that gives some of the teams behind them an opening.
First half Team MVP--Graham Zusi.  Zusi is one of the best, if not the best, midfielder in MLS in my opinion, and he's made significant strides with the National Team. To me, Sporting seem to be lacking security in their play when he's not around, and he should help propel them through the congested second half.

3. New York Red Bulls, 28 Points.
I still don't think the Red Bulls have gotten it.  They seem to continue to believe that bringing in guys on basis of name recognition is the way to MLS Cup, regardless of the player's age.  At the beginning of the year they signed former Brazilian international Juninho.  Hey that's great, but he was 38 years old.  Did it work? Nope.  Red Bulls did help solidify their back line with the addition of Jamison Olave, but some injury issues, the same that affected him in recent years at RSL, have started to crop up again, as well as a red card every once in awhile.  However, I do like the signing of Ibrahim Sekagya, a 6'1 defender from Uganda.  He could step in beside Olave and help out a lot.  Tim Cahill has also started to come around, which should bolster their attack.
First Half team MVP--Tim Cahill.  Yeah, I'm not going with Henry here, mainly because I haven't been all that impressed with him this year.  To me the times when the Red Bulls have really been able to hit a higher gear is when Cahill has been in form and in the lineup.  They'll need him to stay consistent to keep threatening the top of the conference.

4. Philadelphia Union, 27 Points.

Well hello there, Philadelphia.  It seems like this team has finally recovered from the junk and the drama that Peter Nowak put them through at the end of his tenure.   Jack McInerney has been the star of the squad, and the return of Sebastian Le Toux has reignited his form and given the Union another weapon.  Speaking of weapons, how about Conor Casey?  Has there been a more underrated pick up in MLS this year?  I kind of figured Casey might be through after being jettisoned from the Rapids, but not only has he stayed healthy, but he has proven that he can still be one of the most productive big men in the league.  My question about the Union is in goal.  Zac MacMath is progressing, but the youngster is still essentially learning on the job and has been fairly inconsistent. I think he'll need to step it up a bit going forward, but still the Union look pretty solid as a playoff team right now.
First Half Team MVP--Jack McInerney.  This is pretty easy to justify.  He's turned into a big time goalscorer who has also proven his ability to pass off to teammates to help create.

5. Houston Dynamo, 26 Points.
Injuries and international absences have hit the Dynamo hard so far this season.  They've been without Brad Davis quite a bit, as well as Oscar Boniek Garcia.  Will Bruin has played well, but is also in the USA camp.  Meanwhile the Dynamo acquired former Rapids man Omar Cummings, but unlike Casey for the Union, Cummings has failed to yield any real dividends for Houston.  To make matters a little more pressing, Houston lost their unbeaten streak at home.  It seems like more and more opponents are figuring out the stadium, and the Texas summer heat only lasts for so long.  I have my doubts as to whether the Dynamo can retain their playoff position, but they always seem to stick around somehow.
First half Team MVP--Tally Hall.  I look at Hall a lot like I do Clint Irwin of the Rapids.  He keeps Houston in matches, and with a little more support he can keep them in the playoff hunt.

6. New England Revolution, 24 Points.
Don't look now, but here come the Revs.  They've been kind of quiet about it, but I think they're one of the more improved sides in MLS.  Diego Fagundez has really come on strong, as has Bobby Shuttleworth in goal.  As you probably know, GK Matt Reis's father in law was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, and the emergence of Shuttleworth has been great to let Matt and his family focus on that.  Saer Sene continues to be a force in attack as well.  Right now they're just a little too inconsistent, especially playing from a winning position.  They seem to be learning how to close matches out.  Still, this team just might fly under the radar right into a playoff spot.
First Half Team MVP--Diego Fagundez.  Sure, he isn't scoring all the goals, but he's proven himself to be highly capable both attacking and creating.  This young man is the future of this club and the future is now!

7. Columbus Crew, 23 Points.
The Crew have been a little disappointing for me this year.  However, they have a completely valid excuse.  They've lost a few key players, including Eddie Gaven, to season ending injuries, and it's wreaked havok.  Jario Arrieta has also missed significant time for national team duty.  Federico Higuain has struggled a bit more than last year, it's possible that the league is adjusting to him somewhat.  What is of more concern however is the fact that he is among a group of Argentinian players who have been suspected of doctoring their passports.  We'll have to see where this goes, but whatever happens, I think the Crew could use multiple reinforcements if they want to stay in the playoff race.
First Half team MVP--Dominic Oduro.  You may not have heard much about him in the rest of MLS, but Oduro has really settled in nicely in Columbus and fashioned himself into one of their top weapons.  His speed is always tough to deal with and his eight goals show an improvement in finishing.

8. Chicago Fire, 21 Points. 
When you talk about the story of the Fire's season so far, you have to talk about Mike Magee.  Some folks wondered if he could continue to play as well as he has after departing the Galaxy.  Yes he has, and he's been the man for the Fire.  Bakary Soumare came over from Philly and helped solidfy things at the back in front of Sean Johnson, one of the better young 'keepers in the league.  However, it seems like the Fire are still having a little trouble putting all the pieces together on a regular basis.  Right now I don't see them as a playoff team.  Sure, they've gotten better, but I can't see them cracking the top five.
First Half Team MVP--Mike Magee, cause duh.  #MikeMageeFacts

9. Toronto FC, 13 points.
At some point the long suffering fans in Toronto are going to get a winner, but it doesn't look like it's going to be this year as TFC have already lost touch with the playoff group.  Last week local media trumpeted the arrival of Diego Forlan, and MLS even asked via Facebook if TFC were now contenders.  Forlan and his agent shot down the reports the very next day, but for a few hours the fans had something to be excited about.  The revolving door of players continues, and I don't see Ryan Nelsen bringing in the stability that the club needs, at least not yet.  I look for the carousel of players to continue as Nelsen looks for guys that fit his mold, whatever that is.
First Half Team MVP--Robert Earnshaw.  One of the new additions that has stuck, Earnshaw has been one of the few bright spots for TFC.  He is probably their only consistent goal scoring threat, for what it's worth.

 10. DC United, 10 points.
How do you go about pinpointing what in the world is wrong at RFK?  Both Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius have been injured, and that hasn't helped, but the defense has been a disaster in front of Bill Hamid.  The front office has seemed clueless for much of the year, and Ben Olsen's penchant for blaming the referees has gotten real old, real fast.  United needs help everywhere.  If they can solidify the lineup and make a run ahead of Chivas USA and TFC, that might be something to build on.  If they can't, Olsen's days may be numbered.
First Half Team MVP--Dwayne De Rosario.  The former MVP has to get healthy and stay healthy.  He is the best hope this team has of getting out of the cellar.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the East.  In the end I suspect that Sporting KC, Montreal, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia, and the Revs will be your five playoff teams, but there is a lot of football left to be played.

MLS Notes, 12/9/12: Re-entry Draft and Philadelphia ReUnion

The Chicago Fire acquired Maicon Santos in the MLS Reentry draft.

Things simmered on the MLS transaction front this week after RSL and the Portland Timbers started proceedings with a bang last Monday.  There were a couple of notable trades that went down, and the league held the first phase of it's reentry draft.  There were some decent names on the table, but for the most part the first phase was a dull affair, with only one team in action.

The Chicago Fire were that one team that picked up a player in phase one.  They picked up forward Maicon Santos, who had had his option declined by DC United.  Santos started last season really well for United, and looked to have finally found a home at RFK.  However, as the season wore on his playing time and production tailed off, leading DC to ultimately to deem him expendable.

No other team picked up a player in the first phase, and teams are now free to negotiate with their declined players leading up to the second pahse of the draft later this coming week.

There was also some really good news for Sons of Ben and the supporters of the Philadelphia Union.  Fan favorite Sebastian Le Toux traded back to the Union from the New York Red Bulls.  Le Toux had been shipped out to the Vancouver Whitecaps prior to 2012 as part of Peter Nowak's purge.  Later in the season the Whitecaps sent him to the Red Bulls as part of the deal that sent Dane Richards to Vancouver.  Le Toux was excited about returning to Philly, where he hopes he can remain for the duration of his MLS stay.

That was not all of the activity for the Union however.  They also acquired defender Jeff Parke from the Seattle Sounders, who are in need of cap relief.  They also loaned midfielder Zach Pfeffer to Hoffenheim in Germany.

MLS Thanksgiving Roundup: Awards, Waiver Draft, and Beckham

David Beckham announced that he is leaving the Galaxy and MLS

News out of MLS has been somewhat slow after the conference championships last weekend, but there were a few noteworthy items, none bigger than the departure of the man pictured above.  LA Galaxy DP David Beckham has announced that this year's MLS Cup will his final game for the Galaxy and MLS.  The former England captain has said he still has another challenge he would like to pursue before his playing career ends.  Thus far he has been coy about where he will end up.

Now as a football fan and fan of MLS as a whole, I certainly appreciate Beckham as an outstanding talent on the pitch.  I got to see him play in person a couple times and that really was something special, but I'll refrain from the rest of the hand wringing that has been coming from the League's social media and in some other blogs and news sites.  The league will be just fine without him, but I definitely wish him the best wherever he ends up.

Also this week MLS had their waiver draft, which was a little odd since the playoffs aren't even over yet.  At any rate, this draft was for players released by the clubs who are not eligible for the reentry draft in a couple of weeks.  There was only one player chosen, as Real Salt Lake drafted former Crew MF Cole Grossman.  He will join the Claret and Cobalt in the preseason.

Finally, the League announced it's Rookie of the Year, the Chicago Fire's Austin Berry.  The former Louisville man started 28 straight games for the Fire in central defense, scoring three goals in the process.  He beat out DC United's Nick DeLeon and Vancouver's Darren Mattocks in the top three.  MLS will announce the rest of the awards in the week leading up to MLS Cup.

Rapids Ship Wells Thompson to Chicago

Colorado have granted Wells Thompson's request for a trade (Getty Images)

Early yesterday MLSSoccer.com reported that Colorado Rapids midfielder Wells Thompson was unhappy with his scant amount of playing time and had requested a trade.  As it turns out, the Rapids were able to fulfill his request in rather quick fashion.  Late last night they announced they had traded him to the Chicago Fire for a conditional draft pick.

Thompson had been somewhat of a mainstay under former Colorado coach Gary Smith, with whom he won MLS Cup in 2010.  He started 24 matches in 2011 under Smith, but his time had diminished to just five starts in 2012 under new head man Oscar Pareja, who has been busy trying to install a new philosophy and system at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, admittedly to mixed results.

Whether Thompson actually gets the playing time he seeks in Chicago is probably debatable at this point.  True, the Fire have been somewhat depleted after the transfer of Marco Pappa, but it's hard to see Thompson really cracking their XI anytime in the near future.

Chicago coach Frank Klopas had this to say about his new player:

“We’ve talked to him, we brought him in, he knows the position he’s in. You’ve got to come in with an attitude that you want to be a guy that starting the next game in the way you train, and when you get opportunity to play, making an impact and making those decisions harder for the coaches.”

Match Thoughts: Chicago Fire vs. L.A. Galaxy

LA's Robbie Keane passes between 2 defenders.  (Getty Images)

The Galaxy came into Sunday's match trying to break a little losing streak after losses at San Jose and at home versus Philadelphia.  David Beckham wasn't around due to suspension, and both Landon Donovan and Mike Magee started the match on the bench for the defending champions.  Chicago has been playing very well since the international break, and had clawed themselves into 4th place in the east.  The bad news for the Fire was that they were missing midfield creative force Sebastián Grazzini, who returned home to Argentina to deal with personal issues

There were goals in the match, but it really played like a boring scoreless draw.  Neither team really established much offensively and there were very few decent chances created.  The Galaxy did have the first good luck of the match on 9 minutes, but Chad Barrett hit his open look high and wide of the upper ninety.  Two minutes later the Fire had a decent look of their own, but Jalil Anibaba shanked a hard hit volley wide on a corner kick to squander the chance.

Things really started to go downhill for Chicago in the 23rd minute with Anibaba again in the middle of the action.  He deflected an LA cross off of his hand right on the edge of the penalty area.  It was close enough to the area for the referee to award a penalty kick, which Robbie Keane promptly hit in off the inside of the post to make it 0-1 to the Galaxy.

The first half ended with little other action, and the second half didn't show much promise from either side either.  Landon Donovan entered the game later in the half as Bruce Arena tried to seal the win.  In the 78th minute Donovan found Keane on a counter attack going into the box.  Keane mishit the shot, but Sean Johnson somehow left his near post uncovered and Keane's weak shot rolled over the line to give the Galaxy a 0-2 lead.  The Fire never threatened the Galaxy goal, and the defending champs held on for the win.

NOTES:  While serving his suspension, Beckham was in England watching the Wimbledon final.  Juninho picked up a yellow card for dissent in the 14th minute and will miss the Galaxy's next match.  The win vaults them over the Colorado Rapids and into the 5th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  The Fire remain in 4th place in the East, 3 points ahead of the Houston Dynamo.  There's no word yet on if or when Grazzini will return to the squad.

Match Thoughts: Chicago Fire vs. FC Dallas

Chicago's Orr Barouch touches around Dallas's Bruno Guarda (Getty Images)

If last night's MLS matches were to be viewed as set of prize fights, this one would probably be billed as an undercard.  It certainly didn't have the flair of some of the other matches on paper, but it had profound significance for both clubs. Chicago needed the points to try and keep up in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference race, and FC Dallas was trying to stop their free fall out west, as they came in winless in their last seven.

The first half was rather uneventful, but Dallas had the better chances.  The Fire seemed to have some defensive issues a couple of times and the Hoops almost took advantage in the 18th minute.  Jair Benitez cleared the defense from a through ball and looked to have a good go at goal, but couldn't get his shot away.  Dallas did take the lead in the 41st minute after a corner kick though.  Bryan Leyva sent in the kick and Blas Perez headed it toward goal.  Fire 'keeper Sean Johnson saved this attempt gut gave up a rebound.  His defense went MIA as Matt Hedges headed in the rebound to give Dallas the 0-1 lead.

The Hoops couldn't hold their lead into the half though.  In the 45th minute Sebastian Grazzini took a ball outside the box and sent a brilliant drive into the top left corner.  Dallas 'keeper Kevin Hartman had no chance and the goal equalized the match at 1-1 going into halftime.

Dallas came out in an attacking mood in the second half and could have taken the lead early on.  In the 50th minute Dominic Oduro took down Bruno Guarda just inside the box and conceded a PK.  Yes, it definitely was a forward's challenge, but the contact was minimal.  Guarda was looking for it.  Blas Perez took the PK for Dallas, but Johnson guessed right, saving the kick and knocking it out to preserve the 1-1 scoreline.  

Then in minute 62, Chicago got their shot from the spot.  Zach Loyd brought down Marco Pappa in the area to concede it.  Like Johnson, Hartman saved the PK attempt from Grazzini but gave up a rebound.  Pappa came running in and banged the ball into the goal to give the Fire the 2-1 lead.  The only problem was that Pappa encroached big time.  Replays showed he came in so early he was nearly even with Grazzini when he struck the ball, however the replay also showed that the official's eyes were glued on the goal and he didn't even see Pappa.  Despite the Dallas protests, the goal would stand.

Dallas got a good look to equalize in stoppage time.  A Blas Perez rebound fell to goal scorer Hedges, who had a look at a wide open Fire goal, but this time he couldn't get a touch on it and the match finished 2-1 to the Fire.

NOTES:  FC Dallas was without Brek Shea, who is serving the 2nd of his 3 game ban.  He will also miss the match at Real Salt Lake this weekend.  They are now winless in eight matches.  They're 3rd from the bottom in the west, just two points ahead of the last place LA Galaxy.  For the Fire, it was their first win against Dallas at Toyota Park, and they will take the Brimstone Cup, as this was the only match between the two this year.

Match Thoughts: Portland Timbers vs. Chicago Fire

The Rose City again had no pity for the Chicago Fire (Getty Images)

The Portland Timbers needed a win in this one, there is little doubt about that.  They'd been playing better recently, but coming up with draws instead of wins had kept them mired at the foot of the Western Conference table.  Following the Galaxy's defeat to Chivas, the Timbers could escape last place with a win over the Fire.

Portland coach Jon Spencer had been preaching service into the box after Portland's scoreless draw at Houston.  That did improve somewhat for the Timbers, who scored both of their goals from corner kicks.  In the 4th minute they got the ball into Kris Boyd after a throw in but his header was saved at point blank range by Sean Johnson.  It was really the only noteworthy chance for either side until Eric Brunner hook volleyed a ball into the Chicago net off of a corner kick in the 20th minute. 

The kick gave the Timbers the 1-0 lead which they looked keen to hold into halftime.  However, the Fire have come back from 1 goal deficits 3 times on the road this year.  In the 36th minute Pavel Pardo unleashed a wicked strike on the Timbers goal that was well saved by Troy Perkins.  Then in the 39th minute Jalil Anibaba ended up with the ball in the box after a poor clearance from the Timbers and slid a shot in far post to tie the match at 1-1 going to the interval.

The second half proved very frustrating to watch.  The Fire players started going to the floor with every little bit of contact.  Thankfully the referee wasn't buying it.  Then of course the Fire complained to said referee.  It really was embarrassing.

The Timbers had yet another chance off of a set piece in the 47th minute, but this time Brunner's header missed the target.  They did finally get the deserved lead in 52nd, when Chicago's Logan Pause deflected in a Timbers corner for an own goal that put Portland up 2-1. 

The Fire did mount a bit of an attacking presence later in the second half, but the Timbers did a much better job of managing the game, staying with the Fire attackers and not giving up many good looks.  The tension came to a head in the 80th minute when the the Fire's Sebastián Grazzini went down easily in the box trying to earn a penalty.  The referee saw right through it and gave him a yellow card for simulation. 

The last ten minutes plus stoppage time saw little significant attacking action from the Fire, and the Timbers held on for the three points, dropping the LA Galaxy into last place in the west.  It certainly could be a win for Portland to build on, and I think they definitely played better, but their best service still came from set pieces, as the Fire were able to get more balls into the 18 from the run of play.  For the Timbers to truly mount a climb out of the cellar, they need to improve on this some more.  I'm sure Spencer would agree.

Match Thoughts: Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire

Chicago's Marco Puppo and TFC's Matt Stinson battle for the ball (AP Images)

So NBC's game this week was Toronto FC versus the Chicago Fire.  My first thoughts on seeing this were pretty drab.  Chicago hasn't been off to the best of starts, and TFC is off to one of the worst starts in MLS history.  They came into this one losing all 5 of their league matches, mired on the bottom of the Eastern Conference with zero points.  They had also not led in a league match once in 2012.  I was curious to see if any of that would change.

I will say this for the match, it was pretty entertaining, which is what you often hope for from a neutral perspective.  However, both sides showed some woeful gaps at the back that facilitated the end to end action.  TFC came out with a three man back line, including Torsten Frings in the middle of it.  This was somewhat mind boggling as Frings is such a rock in the midfield for TFC.  The choice cost the Reds right off the bat.  Just 25 seconds into the match, TFC 'keeper Milos Kocic tamely rolled the ball out of the area to Frings.  Frings didn't seem to know that the Fire's Patrick Nyarko was right bight behind him.  Nyarko deftly took the ball off of him, and slipped it over to Dominic Oduro.  The speedy Chicago striker slipped the ball easily past Kocic near post to give the Fire a 0-1 lead and shock TFC.  It was the 5th fastest goal in MLS history.

Toronto did manage to respond fairly well though.  They didn't implode, at least right off the bat.  They got the ball forward with regularity and seemed to find some space to work on the wings.  Soon enough, Chicago 'keeper Sean Johnson was facing a red firing squad, made up largely of Reggie Lambe and Joao Plata.  Finally the pressure paid off late in the half.  The Fire lost track of Lambe on a corner kick, and he worked his way out into space in the 36th minute.  He got the ball outside of the area and blasted a shot home into the upper near post corner to make it 1-1.  Then just four minutes later, Lambe scored again.  TFC carved up the Fire at the back and they passed out to him as he dashed toward the six, hammering it in to give TFC the 2-1 lead, their first of the MLS season.

However the TFC lead would last less than 2 minutes.  In the 41st, Sebastian Grazzini set up a set piece from distance.  He floated it into the 18 and found Gonzalo Segares unmarked.  The Fire defender easily flicked the ball into the TFC net to make it 2-2 heading into halftime.

TFC deserves a lot of credit for the way they came out in the second half.  They were much more aggressive, knowing they needed a win in this one both for themselves and their fans.  The camera shots around BMO Field revealed a lot of empty seats.  Keep in mind the fact that this is a team that has never made the MLS playoffs.

Unfortunately the Fire caught them asleep at the back after a spell of pressure and capitalized on a counter attack.  Oduro and Nyarko shot up the pitch on the break, and Nyarko found Oduro going into the box.  He worked his way easily around Kocic and slapped the ball past the two TFC defenders who were trying to get back to make it 2-3 in the 58th minute.

Still TFC didn't give up.  Aron Winter finally pushed Frings up into the midfield and flipped his formation into a 4-4-2.  Frings himself would get two great looks to tie it up.  He hit a shot just wide in the 63rd minute, then forced a great save out of Johnson in the 88th.  Ryan Johnson also hit the post with a header late on.  In the end, it wasn't enough and the Fire held on for a hard fought 2-3 win.  TFC drops to 0-6 on the season, and the pressure mounts on Aron Winter.

Match Thoughts: Real Salt Lake vs. Chicago Fire

I hate having to write these entries on a tough night like tonight. Bleh. However, with the good comes the bad. Tonight at the RioT was an example of the bad.

It didn't have to start that way though. Sabo had a great look in the opening minutes, but his shot sailed just wide of the far post. After that the match changed for the worse for RSL.

In the 9th minute Pappa scored the first of his three for Fire, left totally alone in the box. Then less than a minute later Kyle Beckerman received a red card for a nasty head butt that will probably cost him some games.

RSL just never really got it going after that. As coach Kries said, totally undisciplined. Pappa dropped two more on us to make the final score 0-3. The only positive tonight was the return of Javi Morales after his broken ankle. That was really nice to see.

Match Thoughts: Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire

I was really relishing the chance to be able to watch some MLS action in English on a Sunday afternoon. I wasn't really excited about the teams though. Crew beat RSL last Wednesday night in a result I don't think they deserved, but again I'm biased. Chicago played to scoreless draw crapfest at Sporting KC on Thursday.

At any rate, this one had the look of another yawner for most of the game. Sure, both teams played midweek matches, but the weather was great in Columbus and both teams looked really lethargic out of the gate. The Crew had some decent chances early, but couldn't trouble Johnson's goal. The Fire never really tested Hesmer at all in the first half, and that's pretty much all there is to say about half number one, which ended scoreless.

Frank Klopas must have said something to the Fire at half time, because they came out with much more of a spring in their step for the second half. The Crew just continued to look flat, like they didn't even want to be there.

Chicago started to move the ball around pretty well, and that started to create chances. Patrick Nyarko in particular put some great balls in for the Fire. Unfortunately, they just could NOT finish at all. The final touch was lacking all afternoon, and you could feel their frustration growing.

All that changed in the 90th minute though. Will Hesmer hit the deck and got a hand on a ball coming in from wide. Unfortunately, he spilled it. Nazarit was right there for the Fire, and he poked it in to give Chicago the 0-1 win.

It certainly was the right result. Chicago played pretty well in the second half, and again, the Crew looked like they'd rather be home napping. The Fire are going to have to do better in the final third if they want to improve though. Still, it's a great win and something to build on. As for the Crew, they need a much better effort. That was pretty pathetic.

Match Thoughts: Sporting KC vs. Chicago Fire

I can't believe I looked forward to a Sporting KC match all week. I really should have known better. Oh well.

First, the good. Live Strong Park is awesome. The stadium looks great, the pitch looks great, the atmosphere was great. The KC supporters were in fine voice. The stadium also gives a real nice impression on TV. I really wish we had those electronic side boards at Rio Tinto. It's great for KC to finally have their home, where they can establish themselves.

Now, the bad. The pitch was great, the soccer sucked. Not really much to say about the first half. Sporting had the possession (57%) but couldn't make anything out of it. They did put the ball in the back of the net in the 15th minute, but the goal was negated because Omar Bravo (who wasn't the one that scored) was ruled offside, and interfered with the play. The Fire had a couple of nice shots on target, and forced Nielsen into a couple of good saves, but we went to the break even at 0-0.

There were no goals in the second half either, but we did get a couple things to talk about. In the 67th minute, Nielsen came charging up on a ball for KC, and jumped up and handled it. Unfortunately, he was a few steps outside of the 18. The ref gave him the straight red card treatment. Sporting brought in their back up keeper and went down to ten men.

Chicago had the best chance of the match in the 80th minute. Paladini took a shot from distance, and Kronberg spilled it in goal for KC. Paladini got to the rebound, but hit his shot off the wood work, no goal.

The last bit of controversy came a couple of minutes later. Omar Bravo went down in the Chicago penalty area in spectacular fashion. No PK was awarded, and replays showed the defender got the ball. Good call, but the crowd felt different. What's worse for Sporting is that Bravo seemed to sustain a fairly significant injury on the play. Keep an eye on that one folks.

The ref gave an astounding 9 minutes of stoppage time. Still nobody could muster a goal. 0-0 was the final. To sum it up, great park, great fans, bad football.

2 MLS managers bite the dust on Memorial Day.

2 different MLS coaches will now have to find other plans for the summer. Both the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Chicago Fire announced that they were sacking their managers today.


The expansion Vancouver Whitecaps sacked head coach Teitur Thordarson. They haven't won since downing TFC on opening day, and they've compiled a 1-5-6 record, worst in the Western Conference. He will be replaced by Director of Soccer Operations Tom Soehn for the rest of the year. Thordarson was the manager for the Whitecaps at the Division II level and stayed on to start the MLS campaign.

The Chicago Fire have been off to an equally bad start in the Eastern Conference. They've only managed a 1-4-6 record so far. Today they sacked head man Carlos de los Cobos. Cobos was the manager last year as well, and the Fire missed the playoffs for only the second time in their history. He will be replaced by Technical Director Frank Klopas on an interim basis.

The Whitecaps and the Fire played to a draw earlier this year.

Puddle's MLS Preview: Saturday, 5/28 Late Matches

Let's not forget about the 4 late starts tomorrow night as well:


Chicago Fire vs. San Jose Earthquakes
These two teams met earlier this week in a US Open Cup match. Chicago won the match on penalties in San Jose. Back in the league, San Jose has been in pretty good form while Chicago last won...when exactly? Still the Fire have been playing really hard and I'll bank on them to secure at least a point at home.


Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas
This is the only reason I feel slightly bad about going to the Riot tomorrow night. Thank god for Match Day Live, so I'll be able to catch this derby after I get home. It's already number 1 on my viewing schedule for the weekend, since I won't get to watch the Champions League final until Sunday morning. Dallas has been on a tear and Houston has slumped some, but a derby match is always up for grabs. I'll give the Dynamo an edge at home though.


Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting KC
Don't look now, but KC got a win earlier this week in the US Open Cup. Colorado has been kind of bleh, and I'm gonna pick the boys from Sporting to get off the league snide in Denver. They've gotta win sometime, right?


Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders
A battle of two teams that are having a tough time scoring right now. No offense to Sounders fans, but I hope RSL puts it in tomorrow night. We need a goal bad. Still both of these teams are pretty creative, and I look for a fun game to be punctuated with an RSL win. (hopefully)

Match Thoughts: Philadelphia Union vs, Chicago Fire

Coming into this match, the Union had been having a bit of a tough time. Their defense had been pretty decent but the offense anemic at best. They had slipped from top of the Eastern Conference to third behind the New York Red Bulls and Houston Dynamo. The Fire have been poor most of the season, but fought back to a 2-2 draw in their last match.

Though neither side really had an offensive advantage early, you could tell from the run of play the the Union were really focusing on offense. Carlos Ruiz in particular seemed to be chasing the scoring touch. Throughout the first half he took his chances, but never seemed quite able to find the target, He was very active though. He did finally get a shot on target in the 37th.

The Union had most of the chances in the first half, and certainly had the best chance. That came in off a corner kick in the 25th minute. Valdes rose up out of the crowd, got his head onto the corner and beat the keeper, only to see it smack off the bar. Philly should have been up 1-0. However, we went to the half tied at 0-0.

Philly came into the second half in the same mood which they had played the first. Sitting there watching the match, you really got the impression that the goal was coming for the Union, it was just a matter of time.

The goal finally did come in the 64th minute when Michael Farfan stoked the ball home off of a free kick pass from Nakazawa to make it 1-0. The Union celebrated the return of their offense.

However, they might have paid some more attention to defense after that. In the 67th minute, Chicago roared back with a goal from Oduro, who had been the one member of the Fire that had given the Union trouble. His strike from a difficult angle equalized at 1-1, and took the life out of the Philly crowd.

Philly was lucky though, because they still had Carlos Ruiz. He finally capitalized for the Union in the 75th when he took a left footed half volley from outside the area and lobbed it in over Conway to make it 2-1. Definitely a goal of the week candidate.

Still the Fire didn't go down without a fight as the last 15 minutes produced chances from Gibbs, Barouch, Oduro, and Pappa, but they couldn't find the back of the net and the match ended at 2-1.

For the Union, hopefully they can take these 3 points and build on it, especially with the offense looking much better. I don't know what to say for the Fire though. They played hard and they fought with a lot of determination. The results just aren't there.

Match Thoughts: Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire

Yes folks, after I saw the score for this match, I was actually excited to fire up Match Day Live and watch a Fire match. I know, weird huh?

Things didn't start out well for the Fire though. Let's face it, TFC had played well in their last home match, knocking off the Dynamo, and they were gonna try to build on it. Almost from the first minute they started to exploit gaps that were opening up in the Fire defense. Maicon Santos had three pretty decent chances in the first ten minutes, but couldn't get it on goal. The pressure paid off though as Plata, the hero of the Dynamo match, was left all alone in the 9th minute and slotted home the first goal of the match to make it 1-0 to TFC. It looked like it was going to be a long night for the Fire.

Try as they might, the Fire finally pushed their way into the attacking third in about the 16th minute, This created a couple of half chances for them. Bone had a shot blocked, and Gibbs hit a volley off the ensuing corner just a little too high. At least it served notice to TFC that the Fire weren't going to roll over.

Another significant moment happened in the 25th minute. This time it was bad news for TFC. De Guzman picked up his fifth yellow card of the season and will miss the next match. Not good. Really guys, those cheap yellows add up.

Both teams did get additional chances before the break. Plata had a shot right outside the six yard box blocked in the 36th minute, and Soolsma had a header saved in the 44th. For Chicago, Bone had another shot blocked in the 36th, and Oduro blasted a shot off of Frei in the 42nd, but we went to the half with TFC up 1-0.

The second half was a little sloppy on both sides, and this let the Fire back into the game. However, TFC started the quicker as Maicon Santos drove home a 30+ yard strike through the legs of Chicago keeper John Conway to make it 2-0. I'll bet Conway wishes he had that one back.

However it was all Chicago after that as we witnessed yet another TFC collapse. Papa got a goal for Chicago off of a free kick in the 63rd minute to make it 2-1. Bone and Barouch combined efforts in the 75th to score a weird goal, but the Fire would take it, and equalize at 2-2. They actually had a good chance to grab the win in the 83rd, Palladini got 1 0n 1 with Frei, but Frei made a killer save and salvaged a point for the struggling Canadian side.

All in all if you're the Fire, you have to be satisfied that you came back from 2 down on the road and got a point. However, it looks like they might be getting something on offense, so if they could solve their defensive lapses it might give them a chance for better results against better clubs. For TFC, another wasted chance, and more dropped points at home. This time they dropped them from a winning position. Something big needs to happen up there to jolt that squad.

Puddle's MLS Preview--Saturday 5/14 Early Matches

Blogger was down a lot of the week, so here's my rundown of the Saturday MLS early matches, just a little late, but before they start!

Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire
Neither of these teams set the world on fire, no pun intended, during midweek matches. TFC lost and Chicago earned yet another draw. However, last time TFC played at home they looked pretty good in picking up all three points. I think they're doing better and have a great shot at taking 3 points from the Fire.


New England Revolution vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Every time the Caps hit the road I want to predict their first MLS road win. New England has been inconsistent at best, so there's a chance here for Vancouver if they can avoid making the mistakes. I think this week they get it.


DC United vs. Colorado Rapids
DC has been looking better, especially at home. The defense is looking a lot better, though I think they have a bit to go. Conor Casey (Baldy) should play for Colorado. I think DC will play well, but the Rapids will find a way to squeeze out a point from that young DC defense.


FC Dallas vs. Philadelphia Union
Don't look now, but the Hoops are starting to get things cranked up a but, even without the MVP. Both teams played midweek, Dallas winning and Philly coming on late to salvage a draw against the LA Donovans. The Union are still having issues scoring, and I'll take Dallas at home in this one.

Puddle's MLS Preview: Saturday, 5/7 Late Matches

A couple of big matches late Saturday as well:

Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
So...who wants this one? I doubt Chicago does, as this team has been boring and not very good at winning. Vancouver can be pretty entertaining, but it's always a big question mark which Caps team shows up? The mistake prone clueless team or the really fine looking, sharp, on the ball Caps? Tomorrow I say the latter, and The Caps pick up 3.


LA Galaxy vs. NY Red Bulls
This is the one everybody's watching. It really is turning into a major MLS rivalry. So, who ya got? Becks and Landycakes or Henry and DeRo. I can't bet against Landycakes at home, So I'll take Galaxy. They'll be hungry after the loss down in Dallas last weekend. Should be fun.

Puddle's MLS Preview: Sunday, 4/17 matches

Chicago Fire vs. LA Galaxy, Sunday, 4:00 EDT
The Fire will try to overcome the chainsaw wounds inflicted by Timber Joey against an LA squad facing a bunch of suspensions, including one David Beckham, who can't learn to keep his trap shut. LA has dropped four points in the last two matches, and if they want to be in the Supporter's Shield mix again, they better pick it up. Teams aren't going to roll over for them, and MLS is done worshiping at the feet of Beckham. Still Chicago is having a rough time, so LA should win, but that's what you might have thought the last couple of outings as well. The Fire showed some guts trying to come back against Portland, but their back line was horrid.


Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas, Sunday, 6:00 EDT
How many slabs will Timber Joey cut off against the Hoops? Honestly though, Dallas looked pretty good last time out, and they do still have the MVP. I think this could be a really fun match to watch. It will be interesting to see if the advantage the Timbers at home against Chicago will turn up again. They need to hold on to the ball better, or Dallas will punish them. Still, Timber Joey rules.


Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution, Sunday, 7:00 EDT
Maybe New England can keep everyone on the pitch for this one, but I doubt it. Discipline problems have hassled the Revs all year, and it's not just the ref's fault. They were just boneheads against RSL and couldn't take losing. As for Houston, they'll try to build on a 3-1 win over Vancouver, but they still had some lapses in the at one that will need fixed. Unfortunately for the Orange, Brian Ching is still doubtful after going off injured in NY a couple weeks back.P

Match Thoughts: Portland Timbers vs. Chicago Fire

Didn't keep any real detailed notes on this match, I was too busy hanging out, so this is basically gonna be my impressions on this one. Really, there was no pity in the Rose City, and the Fire were MIA for about the first 60 minutes. By the time they showed up, it was too little, too late.

First off, it's been a bad week for MLS refs. Toledo allowed a controversial winning goal for RSL against Colorado last night. Beckham was given his six yellow in five matches, and there were two questionable calls on goals in this match. Early on, PDX looked to have opened the scoring off of a corner kick, but the official ruled that the kick went out of bounds, so the goal was disallowed. My friend and I at first thought it was because of some shirt tugging in the box, but then ESPN explained the actual call and showed the replay. I dunno. The replay didn't convince me either way.

At any rate, it didn't slow the Timbers down. They put two on the board and went into the break up 2-0. The Fire were nowhere in sight. Granted the Fire had a ton of turnover this season, and they are in the middle of a major rebuild, but they looked awful except for the last 25 minutes or so.

Portland came out of the half and put another beauty of a goal up, and we thought it was over. After all, Chicago had given us no reason to think otherwise. However, they did come back and put two up in a row that made it 3-2 with about ten minutes to go. It looked like we had a match after all.

It wasn't to be, and this is where the other controversial call came in. Portland put a ball in the box off of a set piece, and it ended up getting booted around the line for a few seconds before finally going in to restore the two goal advantage for Portland. However, looking at the replay, Kenny Cooper obviously handled the ball not once, but twice before it went in. It was just a bad no call. At any rate, the goal counted and the Timbers went on to win 4-2.

Portland was obviously the better team, but they're gonna have to hold on to the ball a lot more against the better teams in MLS. They looked pretty good, but not real crisp, and I would question if they could break down a defense that actually bothered to get off the bus. I can't take anything away from them tonight though, great match and a great atmosphere. The Timbers supporters were awesome and "Timber Joey" with his chainsaw is surely one of the most awesome mascots in sports. Let's hope nobody freaks out over sawing that log!