MLS Thursday Night: Chicago Fire v DC United

We’ve made a permanent dent in our couch, slogged our way through many a mind numbing game, endured the Beckham hype and have spent more time with Eric Wynalda than with our loved ones. Our efforts have not been entirely in vain, my MLS friends. We have ridden the MLS Thursday Night road since the beginning and it has taken us to this very point in time where the new American tradition meets the very American tradition called the playoffs.

Other leagues in other countries might scoff at the notion of a postseason, but it is a part of MLS so we might as well suck it in. Tonight’s contest should not be a very difficult one to feel excited about. It features the best team in the league during the regular season taking on the team that ended the season the hottest.

DC United already have the Supporters Shield in their trophy case, but as seasoned veterans of Major League Soccer know that doesn’t mean a damn thing once the playoffs start. In fact, United finished with the most points in the regular season in 2006 before being ousted from the playoffs in the semifinals. The four-time MLS Cup champions enter the contest with a plethora of injuries, most noticeably to their strike pair Jaime Moreno and Luciano Emilio.

For a large stretch of the season it didn’t look like the Chicago Fire would even sniff the playoffs. But along came Cuauhtemoc Blanco and a closing stretch of eight consecutive games without a loss. The Fire are coming in off a high from their season ending victory over the LA Galaxy and have been in do-or-die playoff mode for the past month. In three games between the two teams during the regular season, DC United won once and the other two (played during the past month) ended in a draw.

A few things to keep an eye on while you catch playoffs fever:

1. United’s goalscorers – Emilio and Moreno combined to score 27 of DC United’s 56 goals on the season. They both might be in the lineup, but how effective they will be with their injuries is something worth watching. If either isn’t able to go, United’s bench offers slim pickings.

2. Chicago’s finishing – The Fire have been able to create an attack centered around Blanco but their ability to finish has been a source of frustration for their coach and their fans. Will Juan Carlos Osorio stick with Paulo Wanchope up top or will we see a different Fire attack?

3. History – One of the most overrated things in sports is historical performance. Does it really matter that Chicago is 4-0-1 against DC in their previous playoff meetings and that they have outscored United 10-0 if most of the players involved in tonight’s game weren’t around for the previous encounters? Probably not. What does matter is how teams match up against one another and in this instance the Fire match up very well against the regular season champions.

Your predictions and thoughts on this and the other MLS playoff series?

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Category: MLS, World Football