MLS Playoffs Preview and Predictions

By: Bob | October 19th, 2006

They’ve played an entire season and now only eight teams remain. The Major League Soccer playoffs begin this weekend so now is as good of a time as any to start paying attention to a league that improves every year.

I won’t claim to be an expert on all things MLS like my friends at My Very Brain and like the one and only DuNord, but I still have the confidence and stupidity to weigh in on how things are going to turn out in this year’s playoffs.

Let’s start in the Eastern Conference where DC United takes on New York Red Bulls. United was the top team in the league during the regular season but enters the playoffs playing some of their worst soccer of the year. Fortunately for their fans, they are playing a Red Bulls side that is mediocre at best and not very good at worst. Former US men’s national team coach Bruce Arena hasn’t been able to work miracles since taking over New York in August but he will have his team ready for this home and away. I’m taking DC United but it will be closer than some might think.

The other side of the Eastern Conference bracket sees the New England Revolution face the Chicago Fire. This is going to be a great match up. New England has the slight advantage defensively, but the Fire get the nod on offense. New England has the advantage of playing on a home pitch that could be used as a set for a movie about the moon. The Fire has the advantage of playing in front of fans that are vocal and passionate. In the end, I’m picking Chicago because of a slightly better recent form and because they demonstrated in the US Open Cup that they can play their best during big games.

Moving to the Western Conference, top seed FC Dallas takes on the Colorado Rapids. I see this as the biggest mismatch of the first round. Colorado barely squeaked into the playoffs and does not have the talent to keep up with a Dallas team that has largelly been consistent all year long and who has one of my favorite players, Kenny Cooper, who has knocked in six game winning goals this season.

The other Western Conference match up features Chivas USA and the Houston Dynamo. Chivas turned things around this season after being nothing short of dismal last year. Bob Bradley is a good coach and he will have his side ready to take on a Dynamo side that is paced by Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Ching up front. This is another tough one to call, but in the end I think Houston will come through because they are the slightly more talented team.

First Round picks

DC United over NY Red Bulls
Chicago Fire over New England Revolution
FC Dallas over Colorado Rapids
Houston Dynamo over Chivas USA

Feel free to tell me that I smoke crack and to offer your own predictions and thoughts on the first round of the MLS playoffs.