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Sounders In! Bring On … ? The Only Team We Haven't Beaten, Chivas USA.

News   October 18, 2009 at 11:53 am LaRoche

Nothing makes a clinical psychologist happier than watching your clients realize their shortcomings, correct them in action, and proceed to triumph in their improved lives.

Last night, after falling asleep for 15 minutes in the second half and letting Kansas City score twice—falling once again into the pattern of losing to teams they should beat and fulfilling the “Saving it For When it Matters” theory—the Sounders woke up and said: “Enough!  We’re done with letting lesser teams sneak through a victory.  We’re tired of only winning when we /really/ need to!  Hell, if we win this game, we’re IN THE PLAYOFFS!  Isn’t that reason enough?  Do we have to wait for the very last game?”

Congratualtions, Boys, you’ve grown up!

The 3-2 victory at the weirdest baseball field in MLS fixed the Sounders firmly in the playoffs, with one more regular season home game next week against Dallas, one of seven teams battling for the last three playoff berths.

The game might be more important than we thought: The Examiner ponders that the “most likely scenario seems to be Seattle finishing 4th in the Western Conference and playing Chivas USA in the first round.” Chivas is one of the few teams we haven’t beaten, drawing once and losing twice.

I would sit here all day and hypothesize the playoff possibilities (btw, I was 1-3 with my predictions yesterday with Chicago vs. New England and Chivas vs. San Jose surprising draws, and DC pulling an upset over Columbus. I only guessed right that Dallas would defeat Colorado, and was too indifferent to RSL vs. Toronto to care). But I have a test in MicroEcon and a couple papers to write. And then I have a game to play in an hour.

You can hypothesize yourself at the standings.


  • Bobblehead

    I think it is more likely that the Sounders will be taking on LA than it is they’ll be taking on Chivas.

    Chivas is playing Chicago away. While a team playing at home is usually a good thing, Chicago has the third worst home record in MLS, only KC and New York are worse, while Chivas is currently tied with 2 other teams for fourth best road record. Since Chicago needs to win this game to get in the playoffs, while Chivas would like to win this game, I’m going to give a slight nod to Chicago and say this game is a draw.

    LA is taking on the hapless San Jose Earthquakes at home. With San Jose’s abysmal road record, third worst in the league, this usually means it rocks to be the home team, but, unfortunately for LA, its most feared crowd to play in front of is the home crowd and they have the fifth worst home record in the league. San Jose has also been on a tear of late and always seems to play hard against LA. San Jose is just out classed here though, win LA.

    Seattle playing the red hot FCD at home. Yet again, usually a good thing, but Seattle hasn’t scored a goal at home since July 11 and going 0W-1L-3D in that time. FCD is complete crap on the road, but is in a win and in situation and will be playing a wide open game. This usually plays right into Seattle’s hands which is very strong on the counterattack. I’m predicting a high scoring draw in this game.

    Houston and Chivas are then playing at HDC for the final game of their season. Chivas at home has been lights out and Houston will be without Brian Ching due to a red card suspension. This means it sucks to be Houston who will rely heavily upon Pat Onstead to keep them in this game. End result, Chivas win.

    End result is 49 points for Chivas, 49 points for Los Angeles, and 45 points for Seattle and Houston. Since Seattle holds the tie breaker against Houston – Seattle went 1W-0L-1D against Houston this year – this means the first round playoff matchups would be:

    #1 Chivas vs. #4 Houston
    #2 LA vs. #3 Seattle

  • Bobblehead

    I think it is more likely that the Sounders will be taking on LA than it is they’ll be taking on Chivas.

    Chivas is playing Chicago away. While a team playing at home is usually a good thing, Chicago has the third worst home record in MLS, only KC and New York are worse, while Chivas is currently tied with 2 other teams for fourth best road record. Since Chicago needs to win this game to get in the playoffs, while Chivas would like to win this game, I’m going to give a slight nod to Chicago and say this game is a draw.

    LA is taking on the hapless San Jose Earthquakes at home. With San Jose’s abysmal road record, third worst in the league, this usually means it rocks to be the home team, but, unfortunately for LA, its most feared crowd to play in front of is the home crowd and they have the fifth worst home record in the league. San Jose has also been on a tear of late and always seems to play hard against LA. San Jose is just out classed here though, win LA.

    Seattle playing the red hot FCD at home. Yet again, usually a good thing, but Seattle hasn’t scored a goal at home since July 11 and going 0W-1L-3D in that time. FCD is complete crap on the road, but is in a win and in situation and will be playing a wide open game. This usually plays right into Seattle’s hands which is very strong on the counterattack. I’m predicting a high scoring draw in this game.

    Houston and Chivas are then playing at HDC for the final game of their season. Chivas at home has been lights out and Houston will be without Brian Ching due to a red card suspension. This means it sucks to be Houston who will rely heavily upon Pat Onstead to keep them in this game. End result, Chivas win.

    End result is 49 points for Chivas, 49 points for Los Angeles, and 45 points for Seattle and Houston. Since Seattle holds the tie breaker against Houston – Seattle went 1W-0L-1D against Houston this year – this means the first round playoff matchups would be:

    #1 Chivas vs. #4 Houston
    #2 LA vs. #3 Seattle

  • Bobblehead

    I think it is more likely that the Sounders will be taking on LA than it is they’ll be taking on Chivas.

    Chivas is playing Chicago away. While a team playing at home is usually a good thing, Chicago has the third worst home record in MLS, only KC and New York are worse, while Chivas is currently tied with 2 other teams for fourth best road record. Since Chicago needs to win this game to get in the playoffs, while Chivas would like to win this game, I’m going to give a slight nod to Chicago and say this game is a draw.

    LA is taking on the hapless San Jose Earthquakes at home. With San Jose’s abysmal road record, third worst in the league, this usually means it rocks to be the home team, but, unfortunately for LA, its most feared crowd to play in front of is the home crowd and they have the fifth worst home record in the league. San Jose has also been on a tear of late and always seems to play hard against LA. San Jose is just out classed here though, win LA.

    Seattle playing the red hot FCD at home. Yet again, usually a good thing, but Seattle hasn’t scored a goal at home since July 11 and going 0W-1L-3D in that time. FCD is complete crap on the road, but is in a win and in situation and will be playing a wide open game. This usually plays right into Seattle’s hands which is very strong on the counterattack. I’m predicting a high scoring draw in this game.

    Houston and Chivas are then playing at HDC for the final game of their season. Chivas at home has been lights out and Houston will be without Brian Ching due to a red card suspension. This means it sucks to be Houston who will rely heavily upon Pat Onstead to keep them in this game. End result, Chivas win.

    End result is 49 points for Chivas, 49 points for Los Angeles, and 45 points for Seattle and Houston. Since Seattle holds the tie breaker against Houston – Seattle went 1W-0L-1D against Houston this year – this means the first round playoff matchups would be:

    #1 Chivas vs. #4 Houston
    #2 LA vs. #3 Seattle