WVHooligan - Soccer Blog

I guess the monkey wrench in the 2008 MLS schedule was this week. We all knew these four clubs would be in SuperLiga and that their summer schedule would be a little funky. Well, this is the week they try to catch up with the rest of the league in terms of games played in the standings…for at least a couple days.

Before I go into the previews I just don’t get it, why on earth have these games on the same day as an international fixture date for World Cup qualifiers. Its a tricky thing that the league is doing here and in all honesty they aren’t doing a good job with it. But we all already knew that now didn’t we?

So yeah, two games tonight with all four MLS SuperLiga clubs. The eastern sides meet in one match and the western sides meet in the nightcap.

DC United – at – New England Revolution: This won’t be the same matchup that we saw a couple weeks back in the US Open Cup. New England seemingly mailed that game in (which is terribly sad) by not bringing along some key players. The Revs are going into a slight funk right now, losing their last two. DC on the other hand has been fairly hot in league play since May, only losing three of 10 in that span.

So what gives in this one? Both clubs will be without a few players for various reasons but the biggest I want to know about is New England keeper Matt Reis. He’s currently listed as ‘questionable’ for this game. Does the Revs hold him out to get healthy for this weekend’s game or battle through it and play him again? I think if he isn’t 100% to hold him out, even though the Revs no longer lead the league in the standings.

DC is one of those clubs New England has trouble with. Their 2-2 draw earlier in the year was just an example of that. They got down early and battled back late to salvage the draw. It was more of DC not being able to hold on to a lead on the road that allowed the Revs back in it. I sort of think that will take place again tonight as DC just isn’t the road team that many think they are (2-6-1 with 7 goals this year).

I expect another tough game, probably not the best defense at some times either. I think New England’s current rut and DC’s lack of quality play on the road equals another ugly draw between these two sides.

WVH Prediction: New England 1, DC 1

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Chivas USA – at – Houston Dynamo: This game has little luster really. Houston will be without their key players due to international call-ups and Chivas is pretty bunch without half of their lineup because of injuries and call-ups. Yikes.

Seriously look at this list of players that won’t play tonight (or are at least doubtful):

Houston: Pat Onstad, Dwayne De Rosario (Canada, WCQ v Jamaica); Brian Ching (USA; WCQ v Guatemala)

Chivas: Sacha Kljestan (USA; WCQ v Guatemala); OUT: FW Justin Braun (R ankle sprain); MF Jesse Marsch (fractured jaw); DF Lawson Vaughn (R knee sprain); MF Raphaël Wicky (R ankle surgery); DF Alex Zotinca (R knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Maykel Galindo (sports hernia surgery); PROBABLE: DF Jonathan Bornstein (R hip strain); FW Alecko Eskandarian (sports hernia surgery); MF Jorge Flores (R ankle tendonitis); FW Ante Razov (L knee sprain); DF Claudio Suárez (concussion)

To be fair, I want to pick Chivas in this one but I know that just would be a waste of time. Houston is at home where they’ve never lost to Chivas. I don’t see that trend stopping anytime soon with the list of injuries to Preki’s bunch.

Poor Chivas, they just can’t get healthy enough here this season. Houston should have little problems with this one as they move up the standings here.

WVH Prediction: Houston 2, Chivas 0

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