ASN Roundtable
New England vs. Columbus: Which Team Advances?
What happens when you put five American Soccer Now writers in a room-like container and force them to discuss Saturday's MLS playoff matchup between New England and Columbus? This.
JOHN GODFREY: Six months ago, I would not have walked to the end of my driveway to watch a New England Revolution - Columbus Crew matchup like the one we're talking about today (Game 1: 4pm Saturday; UDN, MLS Live). Neither team was particularly compelling at the start of the season, and at that time I didn't consider either team a viable MLS Cup contender.
But now: Jermaine Jones! Lee Nguyen for MVP! Kelyn Rowe and Wil Trapp for the U.S. national team! Michael Parkhurst is back and better than ever!
I'm genuinely excited about this contest. I'm even modifying my weekend plans to watch it. Is there something wrong with me?
BROOKE TUNSTALL: Well, there are probably many things wrong with you but wanting to watch this tilt isn't one of them.
This is a great matchup with lots of sub-plots: good young coaches; up-and-coming players; two former defenders of the year (one of whom won it playing for the other team); and they both feature mostly U.S. developed players, too—down the stretch both clubs were starting at least nine Americans. It's literally American soccer, now.
Even without all the intriguing players and subplots, what ultimately makes this such an interesting contest is both teams enter the playoffs playing so well. New England was 9-1-1 since mid-August but the Crew are 8-2-1 during the same stretch. I can't remember two hotter teams ever having met in the MLS playoffs.
So, yeah, you might be crazy. But if you're a fan of American soccer you'd be crazy not to watch this one.
JOHN GODFREY: OK—that’s enough enthusiasm for one post. Tell us why you won’t be watching this one, Jon. Or at least tell us who is going to win.
JON ARNOLD: Well, for one it’s on Saturday afternoon, squarely in the middle of college football season....
But let's be honest. You know me, and I'll be watching, but I can't get as enthused for this one as Brooke.
Jay Heaps and Gregg Berhalter have had a lot of help from their staffs in retooling rosters and bringing in players who will excel in MLS. That's great, but that doesn't mean we're going to get some sort of ice-hockey-on-grass thing tactically. It's the first leg of a home-and-home. They're going to be more dialed back than usual, especially with their young teams entering the postseason for the first time with wide eyes.
And do you really think there's any animosity between Parkhurst and the Revs? Dude left and backpacked through Europe for a few years. Bob Kraft probably doesn't even remember the guy.
That Crew defense is salty, though, even with its Costa Rican contingent cut in half. And where did this Tony Tchani come from?! Columbus wins this match but New England will move on.
BLAKE THOMSEN: Of course Bob Kraft doesn't remember Parkhurst. There's a genuine 50-50 chance he doesn't even know who Lee Nguyen is. Anyway, I think I'm going to pass on this one and save my Saturday MLS energy for Los Angeles vs Salt Lake.
This is going to be a cagey affair that could easily end 0-0 or 1-0, and it'll be highlighted by about 50 million Wil Trapp passes and Jermaine Jones running around a lot. I've seen Jones run around for the past four years for the national team and I'll see Trapp metronome it up for the next 10, so for me there's not much to see here. And no, Nguyen cannot possibly score again in this game—the law of regression will bite him in the same way it did for Vancouver's defense.
All told, the return leg is the interesting one in this matchup, so count me out.
JOHN GODFREY: Harsh. I like it. And the group hug portion of today’s virtual roundtable is now a distant memory. While I recognize the possibility that this turns into a chess match-like slow burner, I’m still holding out hope that we see New England’s kids—and their cool Uncle Jermaine—let loose and try to bury the Crew in their own backyard.
That strategy could backfire, certainly, but I don't think it will. I will hereby go out on a limb and predict a 3-0 Revs win, with goals from Nguyen, Charlie Davies, and Rowe. Game, set, match...and then we won’t have to pay much attention to the second leg in that NFL stadium in Foxboro, Mass. Brian—who do you like?
BRIAN SCIARETTA: New England has looked like the best team in the East since Jones joined the club. He has just brought out the best in everyone else on the team and was the missing ingredient for Heaps. That doesn’t mean Columbus doesn’t have a shot. They can play some terrific soccer when they are on. Trapp has been a revelation and Steve Clark is one of the best keepers in MLS. But I think the task will be too much and I am going with a 2-1 win for the Revs in the first leg.
BROOKE TUNSTALL: Like Jon, I agree that Tchani could be a difference maker. Trapp deservedly gets a lot of headlines but Tchani has done a lot of the grunt work that has freed up Trapp to shine while helping the Crew play tight defense. He’s finally living up to the promise that had him taken so high out of the University of Virgnia in the 2010 draft and is, ironically given this matchup, playing like a poor man’s Shalrie Joseph or Jermaine Jones.
I also agree with Brian that Clark is one of the better MLS goalkeepers, and playing at home I think Columbus has enough defensively to come away with a 1-1 draw, though I fully expect New England to prevail at home next week.
That's how we see it, ASN readers. Agree? Disagree? Give us your take below.
Even without all the intriguing players and subplots, what ultimately makes this such an interesting contest is both teams enter the playoffs playing so well. New England was 9-1-1 since mid-August but the Crew are 8-2-1 during the same stretch. I can't remember two hotter teams ever having met in the MLS playoffs.
So, yeah, you might be crazy. But if you're a fan of American soccer you'd be crazy not to watch this one.
JOHN GODFREY: OK—that’s enough enthusiasm for one post. Tell us why you won’t be watching this one, Jon. Or at least tell us who is going to win.
JON ARNOLD: Well, for one it’s on Saturday afternoon, squarely in the middle of college football season....
But let's be honest. You know me, and I'll be watching, but I can't get as enthused for this one as Brooke.
Jay Heaps and Gregg Berhalter have had a lot of help from their staffs in retooling rosters and bringing in players who will excel in MLS. That's great, but that doesn't mean we're going to get some sort of ice-hockey-on-grass thing tactically. It's the first leg of a home-and-home. They're going to be more dialed back than usual, especially with their young teams entering the postseason for the first time with wide eyes.
And do you really think there's any animosity between Parkhurst and the Revs? Dude left and backpacked through Europe for a few years. Bob Kraft probably doesn't even remember the guy.
That Crew defense is salty, though, even with its Costa Rican contingent cut in half. And where did this Tony Tchani come from?! Columbus wins this match but New England will move on.
BLAKE THOMSEN: Of course Bob Kraft doesn't remember Parkhurst. There's a genuine 50-50 chance he doesn't even know who Lee Nguyen is. Anyway, I think I'm going to pass on this one and save my Saturday MLS energy for Los Angeles vs Salt Lake.
This is going to be a cagey affair that could easily end 0-0 or 1-0, and it'll be highlighted by about 50 million Wil Trapp passes and Jermaine Jones running around a lot. I've seen Jones run around for the past four years for the national team and I'll see Trapp metronome it up for the next 10, so for me there's not much to see here. And no, Nguyen cannot possibly score again in this game—the law of regression will bite him in the same way it did for Vancouver's defense.
All told, the return leg is the interesting one in this matchup, so count me out.
JOHN GODFREY: Harsh. I like it. And the group hug portion of today’s virtual roundtable is now a distant memory. While I recognize the possibility that this turns into a chess match-like slow burner, I’m still holding out hope that we see New England’s kids—and their cool Uncle Jermaine—let loose and try to bury the Crew in their own backyard.
That strategy could backfire, certainly, but I don't think it will. I will hereby go out on a limb and predict a 3-0 Revs win, with goals from Nguyen, Charlie Davies, and Rowe. Game, set, match...and then we won’t have to pay much attention to the second leg in that NFL stadium in Foxboro, Mass. Brian—who do you like?
BRIAN SCIARETTA: New England has looked like the best team in the East since Jones joined the club. He has just brought out the best in everyone else on the team and was the missing ingredient for Heaps. That doesn’t mean Columbus doesn’t have a shot. They can play some terrific soccer when they are on. Trapp has been a revelation and Steve Clark is one of the best keepers in MLS. But I think the task will be too much and I am going with a 2-1 win for the Revs in the first leg.
BROOKE TUNSTALL: Like Jon, I agree that Tchani could be a difference maker. Trapp deservedly gets a lot of headlines but Tchani has done a lot of the grunt work that has freed up Trapp to shine while helping the Crew play tight defense. He’s finally living up to the promise that had him taken so high out of the University of Virgnia in the 2010 draft and is, ironically given this matchup, playing like a poor man’s Shalrie Joseph or Jermaine Jones.
I also agree with Brian that Clark is one of the better MLS goalkeepers, and playing at home I think Columbus has enough defensively to come away with a 1-1 draw, though I fully expect New England to prevail at home next week.
That's how we see it, ASN readers. Agree? Disagree? Give us your take below.
