Let's just jump directly into it, shall we?
SATURDAY'S SLATE
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls
1 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
It seems like this could be the week that the Purple Lions inch closer toward what we thought they'd be in terms of personnel. There are still a couple of worries – Jonathan Spector's concussion being one, Uri Rosell's overall fitness being another – but in general we should be past the "everybody's hurt and we're playing with a raft of backups" part of the season. It's also their third home game in four, and since they've picked up just one of nine available points so far, central Florida will inch closer to panic mode if there's not a mark in the W column soon.
Against the Red Bulls, though? Good luck. They're hammering teams so far:
Armchair Analyst: How does BW freaking P, of all people, get loose on a set piece? Watch his starting point (and don't fall for the step-over) #NYvMINpic.twitter.com/fTUxVtEjuj
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) March 25, 2018
Like TFC, with CCL semis looming they'll likely want to keep a few regulars back and might toy around with their tactics and formation in order to throw off the Chivas scouts. So far this season, doing that hasn't mattered much – the backups have RBNY 2-1-0 in the league with seven goals scored and just one conceded.
Columbus Crew SC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
3 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
Columbus beat D.C. convincingly last week, winning 3-1. And veteran Ricardo Clark did a nice job of filling in for Wil Trapp, even picking up a goal along the way.
But as well as Clark played, the absence of Trapp was both noted and notable. It's his distribution from deep that gives Columbus their form:
Wil Trapp's passing map vs. MTL on March 10, 2018 | MLSsoccer.com
Notice how deep Trapp drops, and how he spreads the ball diagonally? As Thierry Henry once said, "Wil Trapp is the key of that team ... bringing the ball out of the back, so [Federico] Higuain doesn't have to drop and get the ball. He will get it in good positions because Wil Trapp does his job. He brings the ball out for them and it's difficult to stop."
Here is Clark's passing map against United:
Ricardo Clark's passing map vs. DC on March 24, 2018 | MLSsoccer.com
Not a bad game at all, but not dynamic in possession either. If you're wondering why Columbus looked a little clunkier than usual last week (and yes, it says plenty about a team that they can win 3-1 and still be regarded as "clunky") there you go.
The 'Caps will know this, and it doesn't matter because no matter who's out there in Crew SC colors, Vancouver will sit deep and counter. It's what they do – this year as much as/more than ever:
LA Galaxy vs. LAFC
3 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
Zlatan is here for El Trafico, and the dude brought a freaking lion. I feel like that's a statement of intent.
I also feel like any time the Galaxy turn the ball over, LAFC are going to unleash a five-pass counterattack right up the gut to punish the hosts. The Black & Gold have been well-drilled through two games, and ruthlessly opportunistic when there's a pocket of space or a running lane.
Perry Kitchen will have to have a good day for the Galaxy. Defensively he's been very good thus far, though probably a touch too prone to chase plays rather than protect. In this one he needs to protect the pocket of space directly in front of the backline for the express purpose of denying Carlos Vela meaningful possession.
I really recommend Paul Tenorio's look at LAFC's roster-building strategy.
Chicago Fire vs. Portland Timbers
6 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
Through three games Diego Valeri has no goals, no assists and only four shots. He's created chances at a decent enough rate – six from open play, including one big chance. That's not what he's posted throughout his MLS career but it's still better than just OK. It should be enough for the Timbers to be more dangerous than they have been.
What's missing? Right now my early theory is twofold: First, they miss Darlington Nagbe's ability to eliminate defenders off the dribble and shuttle the ball forward. Without that, Valeri is getting his touches deeper and with more defenders in front of him, which is not a great combo.
Second, up until last weekend against Dallas, Portland were playing higher up the pitch and trying to become a front-foot team, which just isn't them. Doing so left gaps for both the Galaxy and Red Bulls to exploit in the first two weeks, and demanded more, defensively, than what Valeri or Fanendo Adi are capable of giving. So last weekend's adjustment into a low-block 4-3-2-1 made sense.
As for the Fire, I think it's fair to say they've looked like the weakest defensive team in the league thus far. Their wingers have not tracked back to help, their central defense has been a mess and Richard Sanchez has struggled in goal. If they play like they did two weeks ago at Minnesota United, they will be staring at an 0-3-0 start.
Minnesota United vs. Atlanta United
8 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
There will be focus on the "Rematch!" element of this game, and the elements element of this game, and pending arrivals for Minnesota and injury-list issues for Atlanta and so on and so forth.
But what it comes down to is this: MNUFC can not let Atlanta's attackers receive the ball on the run. If you do that, you're dead:
Armchair Analyst: Nobody loves running lanes the way Atlanta United loves running lanes. DC played themselves. pic.twitter.com/PkHhrnoi5d
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) March 11, 2018
I suspect the game will be won or lost around that simple truth.
On the flip side, watch for MNUFC playmaker Miguel Ibarra to drift wide and create overloads with his wingers. If and when that happens, at least one Five Stripes center back will have to step way out into space off the backline of that 3-5-2 and try to make a play. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez is always happy to attempt that, but so far in 2018 his batting average is below what it was in 2017.
If I'm the Loons, I try to bait him out and then go at the space he vacates.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. NYCFC
8 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
This is probably the game I'm most looking forward to this weekend just because we've seen so little of the Quakes, but what we have seen has been so entertaining and promising. They're playing a 4-4-2 that's really more of a 4-2-2-2, and are doing so without what I'd consider a true playmaker (though Magnus Eriksson really can pass the hell out of the ball), and have scored five goals in two outings. Pretty, pretty good!
They've also conceded five in two outings, which is obviously not great. The issue has been one of communication between their deep-central midfield pairing of Anibal Godoy and Florian Jungwirth (who've struggled) and their fullbacks. A lack of connection between the defensive midfielders and the central defense allowed Kevin Molino to bag a brace from between the lines in Week 1, and a lack of any discernible defensive plan allowed Sporting KC to go to town for three goals in Week 3.
If the Quakes give NYCFC the same kind of space in Week 5, the Pigeons will put up three of their own. They have arguably been the league's best team so far even with David Villa hurt.
Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution
8:30 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
This is how the Revs play:
Here's the thing: Houston blitzed Atlanta United, the only high-pressing team they've faced this year, 4-0 way back in Week 1. But the Five Stripes are a different type of high-pressing team than the Revs, in that Atlanta really want possession and New England wanted/wants nothing to do with having the ball. Any time they forced a turnover out of NYCFC last week, they just went direct.
The Dynamo have to be prepared for exactly that. They'll try to (and should) carry the game, and have the pieces – passers and attackers – to break down New England's defense once the Revs are put on the back foot. But rocking them onto the back foot in the first place is going to be a legitimately difficult task, even at home and with a full roster of healthy players.
Sporting KC vs. D.C. United
8:30 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
Friendly reminder that Sporting have the most wide-open, high-scoring attack in the league this season and also the most vulnerable, error-prone defense. Their 9 goals scored leads MLS, and their 9 conceded is worst in MLS along with ... D.C. United. There should be lots of goals in this one (an assumption that usually acts as the kiss of death in this league, but whatever).
Bobby Warshaw went into some depth in breaking down SKC's defensive issues thus far earlier this week.
I still can't put my finger on what, precisely, is wrong with SKC, but this rings true to me:
They have seemed weirdly spread out at times, and teams are attacking those gaps.
Will D.C. be able to manage that? So far they've not had much possession to speak of, save for an encouraging last half hour against Houston in Week 3, and when they've attacked it's almost always been via long balls over the top. SKC can be caught on that – they were last week against Colorado – but it's still a low-probability attacking approach.
Colorado Rapids vs. Philadelphia Union
9 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
The Rapids played 10 brilliant minutes last weekend, then fell on their faces for the subsequent 80. They simply stopped wanting to have the ball and in so doing allowed Sporting to get into a rhythm and start carving out chances. That rhythm and those chances eventually formed into a pair of second-half goals and a 2-2 draw that had to leave Anthony Hudson & Co. furious with themselves.
Colorado ended up conceding 3.55 expected goals on the day, the worst performance in the league last week. That is double-plus ungood from a team who spent so many of their resources on the backline this offseason.
Philly spent their resources on attackers. Neither David Accam nor Borek Dockal have broken through yet – though they've played two games and one game, respectively, so let's give them some time. I will be particularly interested in seeing how directly Accam attacks the space between wingback Marlon Hairston and right center back Deklan Wynne, each of whom have had some struggles thus far in the young season.
I'm pretty sure that will be the key because you just know that CJ Sapong is going to do the dirty work of occupying Danny Wilson and Tommy Smyth, the other Colorado CBs.
Seattle Sounders vs. Montreal Impact
10 pm ET | FULL PREVIEW | TV & streaming info
Montreal played a weirdo 5-3-2 with the "2" both being fake forwards – neither Ignacio Piatti nor Jeisson Vargas is really a forward – the last time they took the field. It obviously worked:
More to the point: It really threw Toronto FC off. And given Seattle's inability to adjust in meaningful, positive ways so far in 2018, that has to be a worry for Sounders fans heading into this one.
The other worry is obviously injuries and absences. Jordan Morris, Ozzie Alonso and Victor Rodriguez are all still out. Nico Lodeiro and Will Bruin are still questionable. Clint Dempsey is on time out. There is a good chance this is another patchwork lineup from the Rave Green.
It'll still be a 4-2-3-1 – I mean, it's always a 4-2-3-1 at this point – but anybody who tells you they know exactly who's going to be out there is fibbing. There's just been too much bad luck and too many questionable performances from this team so far to be at all confident about pretty much anything.
One more thing to ponder...
Happy weekending, folks. Enjoy the ride.
