Well it is Easter weekend and for some reason MLS decided to only have 6 teams play on Saturday (4 played on Thursday), and 6 teams have the week off? So why exactly did we start the season before Easter if it is such a big deal that you have to have a majority of your team off on week 2?
Anyhow, you have your choice of three matches and 3 ways to watch them if you are interested in the MLS weekend action. First up is the Chicago Fire heading to the Mile High City to face the Rapids, even without Blanco the Fire are a prime team for Telefutura, so I don't expect many fans will be watching this one.
Fire at Rapids: (Telefutura 2:00 MST)
Well without Blanco the Fire seemed to smolder last week as they faced the Red Bulls in their first real match at Red Bull Arena(really a stadium, but I think the prospect of Red BS may have influenced their naming choice) and now they head to Colorado to play a team that many have as the sleeper of 2010. I would love to do a real detailed preview of this match but since you can't find information easily on the "disaster of 2010 mls site", you only get a short look. Colorado went to the HDC and beat Chivas 1-0 and was only the second road team to win on the opening weekend.
Colorado has a lot of new players and they seemed to find a way to work together against Chivas, while the Blancoless Fire seemed to lack leadership on the pitch and toss in a new coach and well it seems like this one should be a win for the Rapids 2-1.
Other previews and picks after the jump:
New England at DC United: (Direct Kick 5:30 MST)
There is no team with more to prove this weekend than DC United, picked by many to back into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff hunt only to get spanked by KC 4-0 last weekend. Maybe it is true that coaches can't go home again because Curt was greeted rather rough when he played against the team that dismissed him last fall, I am sure he is hoping that going home to a team he played for will be easier. DC will need help in a hurry as they looked rather lost last week, and while New England couldn't get an opening win either, they played much better.
New England is a very different team this year as many of their players have moved on, but just knowing that head coach Steve Nicol is still in charge means that no matter the players on the pitch, they will be sound. They lost last weekend in LA 1-0 but didn't play poorly. There are a lot of interesting story lines in this match, the return of Carey Talley to DC, Cristman now wearing the Black and Red, the mystery of Twellman.
I think DC is a better team than they showed last week and in front of their loyal fans they should provide a much better show this weekend, I think they get a win because it is like New England will be without Sharlie Joseph and without him the Rev's tend to fire a lot of blanks.
DC United 2-0 over the Revolution
New York at Seattle: (Fox Soccer Channel 8:30 MST)
Well it is clear that all the attention focused on Seattle last year has shifted, they no longer are the newest team in the league, and Qwest field while it still entertains the largest and loudest crowds in MLS has been replaced as the "most favored" stadium by the media for the fancy new Red Bulls Arena. I thought Arenas were indoor stadiums, but I guess the potential Red Bull Stadium, had too many potential road bumps (ask Colorado about how that goes).
But on the pitch Seattle is basically the same team they were last year, and while they didn't play a great match against a struggling expansion side Philly on First Kick, they did what was needed and got the job done with a 2-0 win. While New York got to open their new arena against the Chicago Fire, who looked more like the Chicago Embers, the Red Bulls got a good boost from their home crowd and pulled out a 1-0 win. It is funny how Red Bull fans are proclaiming their new keeper Bouna Coundoul as the second coming, wait until the mental mistakes start to outshine the physical talent.
Both of these teams are likely going to be focused on this match, while their front offices are drooling over the new DP rules that allow both to go out and look for some additional talent to bolster their squads. The real wildcard in this match will Juan Pablo Angel, if he can create some chances it could throw Seattle into having to play more defensively than they like. I just don't think that New York can match up against Seattle when you look player by player at the talent levels.
Seattle wins 2-1.
So with the two matches on Thursday, I went 1-1 with the Galaxy winning, and Houston being gifted a win against RSL, so the best I can do this weekend is 4-1.
Here are the picks of others:
Salt Lake Kiddy:
Houston 1-RSL 2
Los Angeles 3-Chivas 1
Colorado 2-Chicago 0
DC 1-NE 3
Seattle 2-NY 1
rideacruiser:
Houston 1-RSL 1
LA 1-CUSA 0
CO 0-Chicago 1
DC 0- NE 2
Seattle 2- RBNY 0
Lurpy:
Houston 1 – RSL 2
LA 2 – Chivas 1
Colorado 1 – Chicago 1
DC 0 – NE 1
Seattle 2 – NY 0
Deepsouthsoccer:
RSL 2 – Houston 1
LA 1 – Chivas 1
Colorado 2 – Chicago 0
DC 0 – NE 0
Seattle 2 – NY 1
On Sunday I will tally up the totals and see who the winner is.
OFF MY SOAPBOX