MLS Round-up: Galaxy stumble as D.C. down themselves.

LA continue to find bumps on the road.
With the playoffs rapidly approaching the LA Galaxy were intent on making a bold statement that resonated around the league in their final two games of the regular season.

Undeniably they made an impression but it is not one that will strike fear in the hearts and minds of their competition. Rather it will suggest that this once proud animal is wounded. As we touched on last week during their 5-2 defeat to Portland Timbers there is issues with the central midfield of the Galaxy and their inability to provide adequate cover to the back line.

On Sunday night Benny Feilhaber revealed that he was trying to find space in behind that central midfield, which he did for Sporting KC’s second goal in their 2-1 win. A problem further compiled by their poor away form, it would be far too easy to point the finger solely at Steven Gerrard’s lack of mobility in central midfield. The former Liverpool midfielder is often compared to a man twice his age when the team is struggling and that is unfair.

What can be said is that Bruce Arena is yet to identify the dynamic he wants from his midfield two. Juninho and Gerrard do not flow around each other seamlessly like Galaxy midfield partnerships of years gone by.

Surprisingly Arena was able to forge a duo with similar attributes in 2011 when the 26 year old Brazilian worked alongside David Beckham. Important in that side was Landon Donvoan at right midfield. The speculation over the best position of Giovanni Dos Santos will likely continue although it seems increasingly like that is right midfield.

Against Sporting Arena opted to name Dos Santos in attack alongside Robbie Keane. Swapping him and Gyasi Zardes may be the answer to their problems. Unfortunately for Arena the time to indulge in experimentation has passed. He will face the Seattle Sounders first up in the play-offs and they appear to have clicked if their first half demolition of RSL is anything to go by.

A kink in the track for the Galaxy, these are exactly the kind of situations that Arena has ridden through on his way to success in previous years. For that reason alone it would be wise not to write them off just yet, but there is definitely a notable weakness to this side.

Red Bulls make the final step on the road to the Supporters Shield.
Fans of the New York Red Bulls have already endured a roller-coaster of emotions in 2015. They began the year with a town hall meeting in which they questioned the sacking of Mike Petke. A passionate meeting of minds, their concerns seemed completely understandable.

Present that evening was sporting director Ali Curtis. The former D.C. United forward took a lot of criticism at the start of the campaign but now has some validation for his decisions after they collected the Supporters’ Shield. Beating Chicago Fire 2-1 to complete the regular season, the game finished with a stout defensive performance from the Red Bulls.

“What makes us good is were so committed to each other,” Jesse Marsch said after the game. The Red Bulls coach is completely right in his evaluation. What has been most impressive about the Marsch era has been how quickly it was assembled. We talk about being patient and needing time to build an identity. The Red Bulls have not only ditched their well-established big name model but also built their team ethic in the space of one season.

However there remains one demon to exorcise. Red Bulls have not done it in the play-offs lately. They’ve found ways to trip themselves up and often it has been about what they did wrong in the post season rather than what their opponents did right. Eradicate that and have a solid run and then they can truly get excited about the future. History is against them however, with just six of the 19 Supporters’ Shield winners also collecting MLS Cup.

D.C. United take four steps forward and five steps back.
Spare a thought for D.C. United fans. Last week they won 4-0 against the Chicago Fire and it seemed like they were starting to build some momentum at the perfect time. Seven days later and they lose 5-0 to Columbus Crew SC to finish the regular season on something of a downer.

For critics of Ben Olsen this is a prime example of why he is not the man to take this team forward. Deep, defensive and relying on counter-punching their opponent, Olsen has been let down by individual defensive mistakes with the quality of the backline often dictated by how well veteran Bobby Boswell performs.

In fairness to Olsen he has rarely had money to spend. D.C. United are one of the lowest spending clubs in terms of salary in MLS and his need for a creative play-maker in the middle of the park does not look like being satisfied anytime soon as Erick Thohir focuses his attentions (and investment) on sister club Inter Milan.

They will face the New England Revolution in the play-offs and with that comes the danger of Lee Nguyen. He has 10 assists this season, while no United player has broken double figures with Fabian Espindola closest with seven in 2015.

Given they finished the season with a comfortable 3-1 win over New York City FC it is hard to see anything but an early exit for Olsen and his team. Even with their solid record against the Revs this year (1-1 and 2-1) the team just look stiff and one dimensional, which are not adjectives we associate with MLS Cup winners.

Montreal’s impact being felt week on week.
There may come a point in which we dedicate a portion to each article to the ever growing brilliance of Didier Drogba. The Ivorian has taken to this league effortlessly and turned around the Montreal Impact’s season.

The very definition of a Designated Player and why they are seen as so important to defining a team’s success or failure, Drogba will enter the playoffs knowing his side has little to lose. There are no expectations on Mauro Biello’s side. Many are trying to gauge whether the team is running on momentum or ability right now.

Either way they are not a side you’d be keen to face in the post season. Drogba is just as content coming deep for the ball (as he showed against the Chicago Fire Sunday) or playing high up in the penalty box. Blended alongside the raw speed of Dominic Oduro, Biello has a simple but effective offensive plan.

As we saw last year a mid-season DP can be the boost a team needs to push them all the way to the MLS Cup final. On current evidence Montreal could be the New England Revolution of this year, with Drogba no doubt eager to go one step further than the Jermaine Jones inspired Revs did last year.

Cascadia could dominate the play-offs in the Western Conference.
As we covered earlier in the season the Cascadia Cup is viewed as a major trophy to fans of the respective teams (Vancouver, Portland and Seattle).

With that trophy already settled focus quickly turned to MLS Cup with the latter two teams nervously trying to secure their spot in proceedings. Doing that in relatively comfortable style on Sunday night they were not without their nervous bumps and wobbles. Representing very different prospects to their opponents, a Cascadia match-up in the play-offs is very believable and while an exciting prospect it would also guarantee a spot in the latter stages for one team.

In the case of Seattle, a struggling LA Galaxy awaits in a clash that will likely see Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins define the Sounders’ narrative. The duo combined for all three goals during the 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake with Dempsey barely celebrating. A subtle acceptance that they have not performed to expected levels of late that determination to reach potential could be important as they look for their blue chip players to drive them on.

Whereas for Portland a second convincing win in the space of seven days, this time 4-1 against the Colorado Rapids, makes them difficult to predict. Losing Diego Chara to injury, the severity of that knock is unclear. An important component in helping them win the ball back and then instigating attacks, how Caleb Porter deploys Darlington Nagbe may prove influential. The midfielder seems ideal for a free role but if Chara is absent that shield in front of defence is lost and he may seek more stability from his midfield trio.

In the case of Vancouver, their season ended with a comfortable 3-0 win over Houston that much like their season didn’t earn much press. The Whitecaps have largely gone under the radar this year but could fall into the same category as FC Dallas. Blessed with some exciting young components such as Kekuta Manneh and Octavio Rivero. Their potential weakness is also shared with Dallas. Young players could dim under the bright lights and pressure and if that happens experience will win out. Don’t rule out a Cascadia run in this cup though given the potential strength of the trio.

Play off Match ups
Montreal Impact v Toronto FC
DC United v New England Revolution

Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy

Portland Timbers v Sporting KC

FC Dallas ,Vancouver Whitecaps, New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew SC get a by to the next round.

Results

Montreal 2-1 Toronto FC

Philadelphia Union 1-0 Orlando City SC

Columbus 5-0 D.C. United

New York City FC 1-3 New England

FC Dallas 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes

Seattle Sounders 3-1 Real Salt Lake

Chicago Fire 1-2 New York Red Bulls

Sporting KC 2-1 LA Galaxy

Portland 4-1 Colorado Rapids