As mentioned yesterday the playoff race has gotten pretty clear for me. Aside from two or three clubs I pretty much have a good understanding of who will be in the second season and who will not. The rankings sort of reflect that this week and there was some movement across the board.

First up I think LA has finished climbing the charts for now. They possibly even peaked too soon for that matter and now they are dropping games and sparking some defensive questions as they nearly back their way into the playoffs. Chicago isn’t much off that as far as backing into the post season but with another game at home that they fail to get three points you pretty much have to think that way.

In the middle of the order New England jumps up big time thanks to another win over Seattle. I think New England has a shot at Chicago’s second place seating in the eastern conference but I’ll again point out that Steve Ralston injury worries the hell out of me for them. I know even with the way that Shalrie Joseph is playing right now, which is MVP form, the loss of Ralston is a big one to their offense that is already not one of the best in the league.

Near the bottom I shook some things up with Dallas getting a nod up thanks to a big win over Salt Lake. I pretty much think that clubs ranked 10 and below have no shot at the playoffs now. We knew Dallas, KC, San Jose and New York were in that boat for a while but now I am adding Salt Lake and very close to adding DC to that mix.

As always feel free to take  your shots at my rankings below.

Team	Rank (Last Week)	Record (W-L-T)	Comments
	1 (1)	12-4-10 46 pts.	Just a couple wins shy of their second straight Supporter’s Shield trophies. Think most of us second guessed this club back in May.
	2 (3)	12-8-7 43 pts.	They get the bump up not because of LA and Chicago lack the ability to move up but because I like the fact the club re-signed Brian Ching to a long-term deal.
	3 (4)	10-6-11 41 pts.	Fire drop points at home again but their offense is showing more signs of life now that Brian McBride is back and good to go.
	4 (2)	10-6-11 41 pts.	Did LA peak too soon here? Starting to wonder if they are backing their way into the playoffs here.
	5 (8)	10-8-7 37 pts.	Shalrie Joseph better get some MVP votes (he’ll probably get mine if he stays on this form) but this season ending injury to Steve Ralston will do a number on their playoff chances.
	6 (6)	11-9-5 38 pts.	Draw at home against New York causes some concerns but their final slate is still fairly easy. I just don’t know if they will challenge LA or Houston for an automatic bid anymore from the west.
	7 (5)	9-7-11 38 pts.	Boy this club is dangerously close to falling out of contention here. Thankfully for them those battling below them aren’t doing well at the moment either.
	8 (7)	10-8-9 39 pts.	Another club I really battle back and forth with over their current playoff position. With a couple road games left I really question their chances.
	9 (10)	9-10-8 35 pts.	The own-goal wasn’t the only issue. Defensive mistakes cost this club a serious road win in Chicago. I still believe however their schedule sets them up nicely for a chance into the playoffs.
	10 (9)	8-7-12 36 pts.	With the injury to Josh Wicks I just don’t see this club reaching the playoffs this year.
	11 (13)	8-12-6 30 pts.	I said last year when Jeff Cunningham was traded from Toronto to Dallas that it was a deal that would really pay off in the long run for Dallas. Turns out it is.
	12 (11)	9-11-7 34 pts.	The playoff dream isn’t totally dead but it is dead in my eyes. Just too many clubs to over come with so little left.
	13 (12)	8-11-7 31 pts.	Not getting the result against Colorado pretty much summed up the season for this bunch. A whole lotta nothing.
	14 (14)	6-12-6 23 pts.	Some may forget that Ryan Johnson has scored nine goals this year for this offensively-challenged bunch.
	15 (15)	4-17-6 18 pts.	Two more points from 20 points. Can they do it? Two more road games and a home finale against a playoff hungry Toronto will certainly be tough.

Just as the playoff race gets hot, the goals of the week get hotter. Something about a playoff race that makes the goals just a little bit better if you ask me.

Order of goals: Jamie Moreno, Ramon Sanchez, Ryan Johnson, Sacha Kljestan, Juan Pablo Angel, Dwayne De Rosario, Chad Barret, Brian McBride, Jeff Cunningham, Eddie Gaven, Fredy Montero, and Shalrie Joseph.

Eddie Gaven and Emilio Renteria are leading the charge for the Crew. (Getty Images)

And just with one weekend the playoff race really cleared up in my eyes. I may end up being wrong about a team or two but for the most part I have a pretty good feeling about six of the clubs that should be in the playoffs this season. The last two spots I am still going back and forth on but I will get into that shortly.

First of all we do know something new about the playoffs. The Columbus Crew are all but officially in if you do the math (The league finally updated their site to say the Crew clinched a spot). Even if they lost their last four games (which I wouldn’t bet on after this past weekend) they would still be at worst the sixth place team this year. Not bad. As for their Supporter’s Shield chances, well it really comes down to that game in hand I think. They took care of business this weekend against LA but really it is all down to how they handle these last four games. I think we’ll see a repeat Shield winner though, they just need two more to at worst tie for first though I believe they do hold a tiebreaker with Houston should that happen.

But let’s move on to see the current standings after this weekend’s set of games. Again for my purposes I use the give the first tiebreaker to the club with the most games remaining. After that its down to head-to-head and then goal differential. Continue Reading…

GBS is returning to MVP form, that is dangerous for everyone else. (Getty Images)

A full weekend is upon us here as we head into the final month of the season. Once again we have a weekend that has a lot of playoff implications from top to bottom. Can the spoilers like KC and San Jose step up and bring down some clubs gunning for the playoffs? Can teams like Columbus or Chicago make a push for the Supporter’s Shield once and for all? Or will someone like LA or Chivas step up and surprise them?

Lots of questions to be asked this weekend. Nearly every club is in action except for the Houston Dynamo who are busy putting the wraps on Brian Ching’s new four year deal.

As always feel free to post your score predictions below. Continue Reading…

Plenty of MLS clubs will be interested in tonight’s mid-week clash at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park as the Colorado Rapids host the San Jose Earthquakes. Plenty of clubs want Colorado out of the playoff picture while San Jose is hoping to not just play the role of spoiler but go on a crazy run of wins to get them back into the playoffs for the first time in a few years.

San Jose has the most games left of any clubs right now with seven and the Rapids are hoping to use this home game as a springboard up the western standings. A win tonight at home would put the Rapids for at least the next couple days above Seattle in the standings and just a point back of LA for the second automatic bid in the west.

The Quakes have to come into this game and slow down the attack of Conor Casey and Omar Cummings. They did a good job last week in San Jose of not allowing them to use their speed and physical play to score goals, that is until the end of the game when the Quakes gifted Colorado a late PK that Casey scored easily to send the game home in a draw.

I think at home the Rapids find a way to get the three points. They don’t give up much at home and San Jose just flat out doesn’t win on the road (0-8-2) and doesn’t score on the road (8 goals all year away from Buck Shaw Stadium).

Look for Casey and Cummings to pace the offense into three points tonight.

WVH Prediction: Colorado 3, San Jose 1