Sunday, October 14, 2007

Options

Colorado beat Chivas USA in what I thought was a game they had little chance of winning. Well, I lost money on bets this weekend so it goes to show what I know.

Colorado is still very much alive in the playoff race. There are four teams left fighting for two spots and three of the four hold their own fate in their hand. KC, Chicago and the Galaxy need only take care of their business to get into the postseason.

However, the Rapids don't have that luxury. They need to beat RSL on Saturday. That's first and foremost. But the rest is pretty straightforward. If the Rapids win and either Kansas City or Chicago loses, they're in.

As far as possible tiebreakers, the Rapids and KC and Chicago could all finish with 38 points. The Rapids tied both games against Chicago and both games against KC so possibly goal differential would come into play. The Rapids are minus four, KC is minus two and Chicago minus six. It seems then the Rapids have some sort of edge there, but not sure on that.

If they pull off the surprise and get into the playoffs, Colorado could play either Chivas or Houston. Heck, they could play DC United. How? If the Galaxy wins out, they would have 39 points. Colorado would get in with a win and a KC loss then, and would finish on 38 points and fifth in the Western Conference, in which case they would move to the other conference for the playoffs and would be seeded fourth.

5 comments:

just another one of you said...

Say that LA beats the Red Bulls, who presumably will be resting everyone, and ties Chicago. This would be the best scenario for MLS. Beckham and Blanco in the playoffs vs the best teams.

The Chivas' games were the only two around this weekend below 20,000, let alone 13,000.

JT Soccer said...

I do not want to see the Galaxy come to Chicago with a chance to still make the playoffs. Not with Mr. Hall as the referee.

Oh those late match equalisers have come back to haunt Fire fans.

Marmaduke said...

LB said: "If the Rapids win and either Kansas City or Chicago loses, they're in."

There is at least one twist here: if KC wins and Chi loses, then Colorado needs LA to not beat NY.

If LA wins both (beating Chi), then either KC must lose or KC must draw and Col win by enough (2 or 3?) to get goal differential. If Chicago ties LA, Colorado advances.

(...assuming, of course, that Colorado gets three points next week)

Marmaduke said...

...and (for m.o.o.y.) if LA tie Chicago, LA are out. Chicago beats them on points, KC on goal diff even if they lose.

(Colorado could then sneak in the mix with a win.)

It would be good to see LA make the playoffs. Beckham would draw more fans and maybe LA could do well enough that they could trade for a second DP allocation and the MLS wouldn't have to add a second DP to save them.

I'd like to see Blanco in the playoffs, though, 'cause I haven't seen him in a good game yet.

just another one of you said...

marma,

The LA/KC tiebreaker is where I get confused a little too but alas LA owns the tie breaker because they are up in head to head games. And as everybody knows, the MLS rulebook states (this year) that: "If two teams are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head results, the second tiebreaker is goal differential, and the third is goals scored for the season."

So the league would need the Denilson show to get on track in the last week of the season and somehow undo KC's wizardry.

Beckham vs. DC! Blanco vs. Chivas!

Mr. Garber could only dream of such a matchup.

By the way, Blanco and the Galaxy were the only opponenets to draw a sell out crowd for a Chivas game.