Top Discussions

Bob Bradley has called up some fresh faces into the US Mens National Team training camp in preparation for the USA friendly against Chile on January 22. This is a chance for the USA to begin putting together a new & stronger World Cup squad from the fruits of the ever improving development of US soccer talent. It's a once in a career chance for many of these players to make their mark and potentially go to the World Cup. Good luck to all!

The friendly against Chile will kick off at 6 PM at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California on January 22nd.

Who will request what from Santa Clause this year? Jose opens the phone lines to find out...

The New York Red Bulls beat the Earthquakes 1-0 in San Jose to take the lead in their MLS playoff tie. Can the Quakes come back on the road to beat the Red Bulls on aggregate? The answers may lie in a look back at the first match.

New York Red Bulls coach Hans Backe, in his pinstripes, debriefed the media after the match. The game went as hoped. They had come to win, they had stuck to their system, they had not had to man mark the MLS Golden Boot playing against them. Backe gave a confident polished set of sound bytes right out of Professional Coaching 101.

Quakes Coach Frank Yallop could not have been more different in his comments. The team will be disappointed at having lost, he advised, and you sensed there was no separation in that statement between coach and team. No matter what words he used and how strictly he might have quoted from the same media playbook, the difference in the two coaches was emotion. Yallop heart on his sleeve, Baake pin stripes on his.

We go back a few minutes in our heads and see 5 minutes left to play on the clock and Chris Wondolowski, the MLS Golden Boot with his face in his hands. Open in front of goal. He muffed it.

The game was on fire from the first with the Red Bulls forcing two great saves from Quakes keeper Busch in the first dozen minutes, but the Quakes looked fully up for the game, playing with zeal. The Quakes got their own chance, a Quakes style opportunity, Bobby Convey releasing Geovanni with a cross field ball which a designated player should have turned into a goal, instead of hitting into the side netting from the wrong direction.

The Red Bulls attack was wholly different from the Quakes, as instead of looking long downfield, they got numbers in scoring position and found ways to introduce chaos into the 18 yard box. Just before halftime they managed to strand Busch and only Jason Hernandez’ presence of mind to get on the goal line, and his quick feet, kept the game 0-0 at the half.

Ten minutes into the second half, Hernandez’ error in judgment allow the Red Bulls Joel Lindpere to score. Jason finds himself in the area without a man to mark, and just for a moment or two allows himself to ball watch. But a poor clearance from his teammate lands for Lindpere who has stealthily drifted in unmarked, like a French Blanco. Lindpere fires it past Busch before Jason has a chance to pick him up.

This season the Quakes self-belief at home has often seemed mere paper deep, and Hernandez embodies this within the next few minutes. Hesitant and uncertain on the ball, he gets caught in possession and goes to ground, the Red Bulls testing Busch with a strong shot on net.

The Quakes immediately counter via a Convey run up the middle of the pitch, but Geovanni can’t handle the pass and the split second opportunity is wasted. Geovanni aims to make up for it, and minutes later sends in a low hard shot from distance bouncing in front of goal which the keeper can’t handle. Wondolowski has made a run for the rebound a little late, but gets there in time to go down within a breath of the keeper, earning a yellow card for simulation, instead of a penalty kick.

But that wasn’t the chance.

The chance comes when Alvarez is substituted in for Geovanni and sends a freekick backpost to Ryan Johnson. Johnson heads it to the MLS Golden Boot who is standing on the penalty spot, unmarked. Jason Hernandez can take solace here, as the Red Bulls have made a much more blatant mess of marking on this play than he did on their goal.

Chris Wondolowski scores impeccable volleys in situations where there is but half a chance to get a foot on the ball, but in this case it’s a simple sitter of a volley. Too simple, perhaps. Chris completely muffs the shot and the ball augers into the ground bouncing wide right. Eduardo throws his body into an acrobatic scissors, the move of the match to put it on net, but finds the post instead.

Thierry Henry will likely be available to play for the Red Bulls Thursday in the rematch, which won’t make things any easier for the Quakes. Maybe just having Thierry Henry on the roster makes it easier to win games, what belief that must instill.

As proud as the Quakes should be to have earned their way into the playoffs, their self-belief is still too fragile, at least at home. High anxiety looked contagious after they went behind.

When the Quakes do believe in themselves, and play with cools heads and passion, they are a tough team to beat, a team far more talented than in recent seasons. They were equal to New York in the first match, bar a miss-kick by a player who has been the league’s best in finishing. The Quakes attacking talent is all there now with fair riches in style and specialty.

However, it has been Wondolowski doing the finishing for the Quakes for quite some time. One or more of his teammates need to step up and produce goals if the Quakes are to have a chance moving past New York. A matter of confidence for them, probably.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 5 PM San Jose time.

Hot match-ups this weekend decide the fate of the 6 teams who still have a shot at clinching a berth in the playoffs.

Last Call for the MLS Playoffs

This weekend may decide all the remaining spots in the MLS playoffs. It’s crunch time, those on the bubble need to step up, and those just behind them are in a must win situation.

Do or Die
Toronto FC can achieve a maximum of 40 points in the regular season, but if they don’t beat Chivas on Saturday they are mathematically eliminated.

Chicago Fire are in a similar position and can achieve a maximum of 41 points if they beat Columbus Crew Friday night. A loss or a draw against the Crew eliminates Chicago.

Kansas City still have a reasonable long shot at making it into the post season, with 4 games yet to play and a maximum possible 45 point regular season tally. They play Seattle who is on top of the bubble with 42 points.

Bubble Riders
Seattle has 3 games to play and could tally as much as 51 points for the season, but they just need one more win. If Seattle beats Kansas City, they will have clinched a spot in the playoffs. If Seattle loses to Kansas City, and does not win another game, it could be Kansas City who takes their spot in the playoffs.

Colorado with 3 games to play has a maximum possible tally of 50 for the season, but they have their work cut out for them against FC Dallas.

San Jose has 40 points and 4 games to play. They could tally 52 for the regular season, but if they don’t add to the 40 they have now, Kansas City in particular has a fair shot at taking their spot in the playoffs. A win for San Jose and a loss for Kansas City on Saturday will mean that San Jose reaches the playoffs.