Week 11 Previews

We're getting ready to enter into virtual purgatory for MLS as they brilliantly continue to play games while the World Cup is in progress. But when all is said and done, they're not actually bad matchups and the whole Frank Yallop thing is just going to make my predicting that much harder to do.

Week 11 has 7 matches spread out over 4 days so pay attention.

Thursday

Chivas USA "at" LA Galaxy

10pm ET, ESPN2

At the end of last week I could have told you the Goats were going to mop the floor with this shell of a Galaxy team but the variables have changed with Yallop in the driver's seat after LA kick Steve Sampson out while the car was still rolling up the 101. Is still think Chivas will get the win (Yallop isn't Anne Sullivan. He'll need a little bit of time to straight out these damaged goods). But it will be close and LA will find net again.

My prediction: CUSA 2 - 1 Galaxy


Friday

Real Salt Lake at Colorado Rapids

9:30pm ET, Direct Kick, MLSLive.tv

Even with the tear RSL seems to be on as of late, that's not enough to make this matchup all that intriguing. Add that to the fact that most people will have already gotten their fill the the opening of the World Cup earlier in the day. Expect this game to be on the snoozer side.

My Prediction: Colorado 1 - 1 RSL

Saturday

KC Wizards at Columbus Crew

7:30pm ET, No TV

Not the worst thing in the world this game isn't being broadcast (unless you're a Crew or Wiz fan). Again, KC will get their 1 goal. Will the Crew be able to take their momentum from beating FC Dallas in Frisco last weekend and turn it into another win here? Probably.

My Prediction: Columbus 2 - 1 KC

Houston Dynamo at NY Red Bulls

7:30pm ET, Direct Kick, MLSLive.tv

The Red Bulls need to reharness the fire power that brief exploded super nova-like earlier in the season against Chivas USA. They've got the talent to win, but unfortunately for them Houston has more talent than they do.

My prediction: Houston 3 - 1 RBNY


Sunday

Chivas USA at FC Dallas

6pm ET, HDNet

Now this will be a fun game to watch, and in HD too! Chivas should be coming off their 3rd win in a row and FC Dallas will be wanting to show that last week was an aberration and there's a reason they lead the West. Should be back and forth.

My Prediction: FCD 2 - 2 CUSA

NE Revolution at Chicago Fire

7pm ET

Another game not on TV which is a shame. This is Chicago's home, stadium, everything opener of the year. They'll be happy to be home at least and the Revs are still off kilter. Who can Jay Heaps slap down in this game? I would pay good money to see him try to do it to Zach Thorton.

My Prediction: Chicago 3 - 1 NE


DC United at LA Galaxy

8pm ET, Direct Kick, MLSLive.tv

This will be the Galaxy's second home game in 4 days. Still not enough time for Yallop to get this team winning though this won't be the walk-over DCU was eagerly anticipating. DCU should maintain their spot at the top of the league.

My Prediction: DCU 3 - 1 LA

A Canadian in SoCal

Former San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop was introduced today as Steve Sampson's replacement, just like I (and many others) guessed might.

What does this mean? Good for LA, bad for the rest of MLS. Yallop is an excellent coach who has a great relationship with former underling Landon Donovan and he actually know how to win.

Aside from the obvious good move of getting a coach of such a high caliber, it was also a good move to snatch him up before the Toronto MLS team could snag him.

Steve Sampson, we knew you too daggum much!

There is much joy in Mudville, I mean Tinsletown, as the LA Galaxy brain trust finally got their little Magic 8 ball to tell them, "Fire his butt now!" Alexis Lalas gave the overly creative coach his walking papers and was then good enough to loan old Steve his cell phone so he could call Century 21 (okay, so I made that last part up).

What sad little country with a GDP equivalent to that of Rhode Island will Sampson get a head coaching job with now? Who cares! His whole hiring was one big snafu, not only because it was him being hired at all but also because first LA booted Sigi Schmid who had the Galaxy in 1st place at the time of his dismissal. Steve Sampson sure brought in much more attractive, attacking soccer, didn't he?

And don't think it isn't just a little apropos that SS met his demise on 06-06-06 but that joke's been done to death. Speaking of death, word is a new coach will be announced tomorrow before Stevo's body is even cold. Who could it be? Frank Yallop wouldn't be a crazy guess, would it?

MLS Power Rankings Week 10

We're closing in on the World Cup which means the MLS schedule gets whacky and wild. Week 10 had a little of that as well as there's quite a bit of movement in the rankings.

12 - LA Galaxy (2-8-1)

Hey, they do know how to score; finally ending their near-record scoreless streak with a John Wolyniec goal in their 2nd game of the week against Houston. They still lost that one though and also the one earlier on Wednesday away at Colorado.

11 - New York Red Bulls (1-2-6)

Salvaged the tie against Kansas City thanks in no small part to Tony Meola. These guys like drawing games like KC likes only scoring 1 goal a contest.

10 - Chicago Fire (2-3-4)

I know it seems like a gigantic drop but I'm sure they'll pull themselves up mid-season. They still lost ugly to RSL. Hopefully they find Bridgeview much more accommodating than this 9-game road trip they've been on.

9 - Real Salt Lake (3-5-2)

Cunningham gets the brace and the Monarchs of the Wasatch move up a spot. Hopefully all this winning doesn't go to their heads.

8 - Colorado Rapids (4-4-2)

It is a tough blow to win and tie your games in a week and still drop a spot but unfortunately for the Rapids, they'll still winning by just playing less bad than their opponents instead of better. Plus Chivas USA is playing that much better than them, kicked their but for a 4-1 win, and are going no where but up.

7 - Chivas USA (3-4-1)

The Goats managed to get the first consecutive wins in team history with an exclamation point of a win over the Rapids. It's finally clicking for them.

6- New England Revolution (3-4-2)

Jay Heaps must've thought he was in the movie Superfly with that pimp slap he put on Jaime Moreno. Things shouldn't be this ugly for the Revs but they are. Nothing seems to be working.

5 - Columbus Crew (4-4-2)

Lost bad at DCU but pulled out the stunner against West leaders FC Dallas. Ritchie Kotschau also had a GOTY nominee on a fantastic individual effort.

4 - Kansas City Wizards (4-4-2)

They don't want to win any games and they don't want to score more than one goal per match. Yet somehow they're clinging on to this ranking. A loss this weekend though and they're toast.

3 - Houston Dynamo (5-3-2)

No team wants to be the one to end another team's scoreless streak, especially if it's LA but the Dynamo drew the short stick. At least they got a win though they're stilling looking for one of their forwards to figure out how to capitalize on the consistently great air service Davis and Mullan are giving them.

2 - FC Dallas (6-2-3)

Lost to Columbus at home. For shame. In a tight race for tops of the league with DCU, Dallas stumbled first.

1 - DC United (7-1-3)

Beat up on the Crew big time, 5-1, midweek then took the win from New England 1-0 that weekend. Went 3 for 3 in 10 days. That's good enough for the top spot this week.

Week 10 Wrapup

I only went .500 this weekend, picking 3 out of 6 correctly. Who knew the Crew was going to figure out how to beat FC Dallas at home? I would ask who knew the Red Bulls would squander their lead and settle for a draw with KC but that's not nearly as out there as the FCD-Crew match.

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Real Salt Lake is starting to come alive and not a moment too soon for Coach John Ellinger. Instead of just barely holding on his starting to crawl his way back. The good people of SLC are finally seeing something worth coming out for which has been long over due. Jeff Cunningham picks up the brace and is now in a 4 way tie for top goal scorer in the league. Never mind that it took an average of 4 games for everyone else to catch up to a departed Brian Ching.

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The Galaxy finally end their goal drought but not their losing ways. Baby steps I guess. Steve Sampson is quickly becoming John Ellinger's Mini-Me.

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So of course Kansas City manages to get their 1 goal per usual. That's 8 games in a row with only 1 goal. That last time they scored in multiples was April 8th, almost two months ago. They better hope their new Dutch signing will help them find the back of the net in larger quantities.

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For the first time ever Chivas USA have claimed two consecutive wins with their 4-1 triumph over the Colorado Rapids. And I know I've said it before (I'm starting to be the way Eric Wynalda is about Taylor Twellman) but the Goats are gonna be hella good to darn near impossible to stop once John O'Brien gets back from the World Cup (which hopefully will be sometime in July). Also, maybe it's just me, but I really, really like Paco Palencia. I'd love to have him on my soccer team any day.