With the season coming to a close and the playoff races off to a rolling boil, we thought it was time to bring back the MLS pick em. Each week from now until the end of the 2014 season, Last Word SC will pick winners for two matches of special importance. This week, we take a look at LA Galaxy v Toronto FC and New England Revolution v Columbus Crew.
Toronto have put back to back wins together for the first time since the start of the season, earning victories over Chivas USA and Portland Timbers. The Galaxy has been dominant at Stub Hub center, and most recently spanked the New York Red Bulls to remain unbeaten in their last nine matches. If Toronto earns just 1 point, they will pull even with RBNY for the 5th and final playoff spot with a game in hand. If LA again earns three points at home, they can pull ahead of Seattle Sounders for the Supporters Shield race.
In New England, we have a match of equal, but different, importance. The Revs have ridden a streak of much improved form to work their way back into the playoff picture. With Sporting Kansas City faltering, and dropping points in their match against DC United, New England has a chance to grab sole possession of 2nd place in the East.
Columbus is right in the muck and mire of the 4 clubs vying for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference. Three points for the Crew would tie them on points with SKC.
Oh, the drama! Oh, the intensity! This is why we love this sport! Let’s see what our writers say…
Laura McFayden (Contributor):
Los Angeles Galaxy v Toronto FC
Toronto is off the block at a sprint now that playoffs are in sight, and if this match wasn’t in LA, I might just believe they’d get points here. But, it’s in LA and the Galaxy have had a tremendous goal scoring season. I love an underdog story, but I don’t think Toronto will get any points at the Stub Hub Center. LA has too many good players at the front, too many, for Toronto to make anything happen. LA – 2-1
New England Revolution v Columbus Crew
Both sides are coming in off road wins, but New England will have home field advantage, and Columbus Crew doesn’t have a great road record. While I’d like to see the Crew gain at least one point here to shake up the Eastern Conference even more, I think New England is has more momentum from their stunning display in Kansas City last week. I’m sure that now that Jermaine Jones has scored in MLS, it’ll be hard to stop them. Revs – 2-0
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Matt Pollard (Staff Writer):
Los Angeles Galaxy v Toronto FC
An eastern conference team with a few good attackers and an average at best back line makes the long trip out west to play the Galaxy. We’ve seen this before, and all too recently. The Reds put up a good fight with their playoff hopes on the line, but ultimately fold in the second half to the better team. LA uses the flanks in attack to avoid Bradley and exploit soft spots. Toronto does have a shot at a draw if Jermaine Defoe returns though. LA – 2-0
New England Revolution v Columbus Crew
Both teams come in hot and the Crew did won the first two meetings this year. But the Revs are flying high with Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones on fire. Jones stymies Higuain through the midfield just enough as the Revs eek one out on their turf. Jones played only 45 minutes when the Crew won this match up two weeks ago. This is going to be one cracker of a late season grudge match with a playoff atmosphere. I could see this one going either way, it’s that close. Revs – 2-1
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Los Angeles Galaxy v Toronto FC
It’s hard to tell whether or not this recent three-game unbeaten run from Toronto is demonstrative of a moving on of sorts from the turmoil that engulfed the franchise no more than a month ago. Regardless, their two wins came at home to hapless Chivas USA and a Portland team that gave up three unanswered goals after leading 2-0 early.
Though they only trail the New York Red Bulls by one point for the fifth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, a road trip to StubHub Center to face a blazing hot Los Angeles Galaxy team is not what the doctor ordered. The Red Bulls themselves fell victim to the LA buzz saw in their previous match, and I’m expecting more of the same when these two teams meet late Saturday night on the East Coast. LA – 4-0
New England Revolution v Columbus Crew
Columbus had a spectacular September, getting ten out of a possible 12 points from their four games. As a result, they sit fourth in the East and with a win in Foxborough coupled with a Sporting KC loss to DC United can vault themselves into second place in the conference. That would be quite an accomplishment for a team that wasn’t expected to do much under first-year skipper Gregg Berhalter.
The last time New England hosted the Crew on July 26, Columbus escaped with a 2-1 victory aided by an 84th minute Ethan Finlay goal. The Revs hadn’t yet been gifted Jermaine Jones though, and it will be interesting to see what his presence brings to a game with a ton of stakes from a conference positioning perspective. They can go three points ahead of KC if both DC and themselves can protect home turf. Draw – 2-2
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Los Angeles Galaxy v Toronto FC
Galaxy are on a 9 game unbeaten streak and have been just destroying teams on their way to a tie at the top of the Supporters Shield standings. The way they decimated a NYRB team which had just thumped Seattle the week before cannot be comforting for a TFC team which has only beaten Chivas USA and a Portland team that can’t defend and must have been shell-shocked following the injury to captain Will Johnson. If the game was in Toronto, TFC would have a chance. It’s not. Expect the Galaxy to deliver a major blow to TFC’s playoff hopes. LA – 3-1
New England Revolution v Columbus Crew
This is the tough one this week, since both teams are playing very well lately. I’m going with New England because aside from their 8 game losing streak midseason, they’ve been one of the best, most consistent teams in MLS. Columbus meanwhile has somehow improved their results despite losing their best defender and adding no significant pieces. Jermaine Jones is proving to be the rock NE needed in the midfield, and he’s even started contributing to the attack. New England wins as they continue their push for #2 or maybe even #1 in the Eastern Conference. NE – 2-1
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