Don’t you just love it when you begin something and think you are close to finishing when you realize you are better off starting all over again? I’ve had that happen here with what I thought was going to be a new look for this place. I had spent a couple weeks on a new design when I just basically hit a wall with it and couldn’t get myself to go any further with it. I have started over with the new look and have completely taken it to another direction. Who knows when it will be finished though. Just a status update for those who have asked.

Anyways, time to get into a couple links for the evening. First up is a big stinkin’ look at the playoffs and why there will be upsets. With things kicking off tomorrow night I wouldn’t be shocked to see a couple upsets this year myself.

I’ll be up front and will say that this may be a year that the top seeds actually do well for a change though. Which in itself is  an upset considering we have to go back to 2003 to find the last time the two number one seeds reach the conference finals.

I do see a chance for an upset as most probably do. First up is RSL and Columbus. Look if Real can get a lead at home in the first leg this weekend they do have the defensive abilities on a given night to be able to hold someone for a game, even on the road. My concern still remains with RSL is that they just lack the confidence on the road to actually get it done, especially against a good side like Columbus who know how to win. RSL just doesn’t have enough veteran leaders I think at the end of the day to get the job done but they certainly can pose problems for the Crew and could spring an upset.

Second upset may not be an upset if you consider how hot the club is coming into the playoffs. Yes I am talking about the Seattle Sounders upsetting the Houston Dynamo. A No. 3 seed over a No.2 see doesn’t seem like an upset but it will be an upset nonetheless. Houston isn’t playing their very best right now and Seattle certainly is based on their recent form.

I’ll have more on these games tomorrow though.

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League Attendance Hurting The Old

Link

There is no getting around it the older clubs in this league are hurting for butts to come sit in seats at their stadiums. New York, Dallas, Colorado, and Kansas City to name a few aren’t doing well at all in the attendance numbers this year and it doesn’t all boil down to performance on the field if you ask me. But what is getting worse is seeing strong clubs like DC and LA struggle at the gate now. Their dip in attendance has to worry everyone if you ask me. I know the DC issue stems from their stadium issues but for LA one has to wonder what the deal is there for a club that could normally sellout their stadium without David Beckham.

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MLS Stat Pack

Link

Who likes stats? We all do! Lots of good figures in there by Jack Bell at the New York Times.

I don’t want to sound like I am a Galaxy-hater or anything here because I’m not. I mainly just want to make a point about their defense here and how down right bad they are in comparison to some of the all-time worst.

Currently the Galaxy are giving up just over two goals a game right now. That mark is good (or bad enough) for fifth all-time. Now those clubs above the Galaxy on this list were pretty bad and to the Galaxy’s credit they at least have some offense to help win them some games. Some of those clubs are up there in the all-time worst category. I don’t see LA finishing that bad but their defense surely is playing on that level. See for yourself:

1. Tampa Bay, 2001 – 2.52
2. Colorado, 1998, 2.16
3. Dallas, 2003 – 2.13
4. Miami, 1998, 2.12
5. LA, 2008 – 2.11
6. Chivas, 2005 – 2.09
7. New England, 1998 – 2.06
8. Real Salt Lake, 2005 – 2.03
9. NY/NJ, 1999 – 2.00
10. KC, 1996 – 1.97
- NY/NJ, 1998 – 1.97
- DC, 2000 – 1.97

It should also be noted that in the earlier years of MLS there was more goals being scored than there is right now. Right now the league average for goals-per-game is right around 2.6, back in the early days the league saw averages about 3.4 in some years.

So what do you all make of these numbers? I guess when you spend a large chunk of your team’s salary cap on offensive players, you tend to forget the important positions elsewhere on the pitch. Will this Galaxy defense go down as one of the all-time worst or will they turn it around before the end of the year?