The Soccer Thread (IV)

D.C. has a pretty good chance.
Marathon has to win tonight at San Juan Jabloteh tonight for D.C. to be eliminated.

All in all, any MLS team advancing to the quarters will be drawn against a Mexican team, which means they aren't likely to make it to the semis.

The semis look to be an all-Mexican affair.
Group runners-up:

Columbus
Arabe Unido
D.C. or Marathon
W Connection or Comunicaciones

Of that group, I give only Columbus a reasonable chance of knocking off a Mexican team (even though they lost badly at Cruz Azul).

I've watched all the D.C. games so far, and seeing them play I know they have no chance advancing to the semis.

 

They owe him over 20m pounds.

 

They could lose more than that if they don't advance, and then don't qualify for the CL next season.

Oh, and while it proved to meant little to Houston last night, San Juan Jabloteh is 0-5 in CCL play so far, making Marathon a pretty strong favorite to advance in my mind.

 

I think Columbus has put itself in the best position to do something in the CL. Sure they struggled just to get into the quarterfinals, but playing in March is a whole different story since the pressures of the league aren't quite there yet.

That said I believe they'll be semifinalists as best. The expansion draft will drain any depth they have built up.

 

If Columbus is playing in March, wouldn't that put the knockout round right in the midst of its preseason?

Probably not the optimal time to be playing games of that importance.

 

Didn't seem to hurt any of the USL teams playing in the CL quarters and semis last season.

 

I think a case could be made that if you get those at the beginning of the season, the team will be fresher instead of playing at the end of a long season.

Of course, with the expansion, and movement, the chemistry may not be there, but I don't see that many Crew players leaving after this season.

 

Just to make sure that the World Cup stadiums are “blessed” a few animals will need to be sacrificed. [/color]

 

They'd better use a live chicken and not a bucket of KFC.

 

Hopefully, it will ward off poor officiating.

 

Rafa is not the problem, other than his fixation with Lucas.
The problem is lack of depth, injuries, and owners who messed up the whole deal.

 

Benitez may not be THE problem, but just like his opposite number across the park, he's part of it. It's not Hicks and Gillette who refuse to make full use of Benayoun or who chose to play Ngog alone up front despite having a healthy Kuyt in the squad, and neither did they buy a right back when they were already two deep there or spunk eight figures on Italy's answer to Darren Anderton.