ExtraTime Radio Podcast
LISTEN: The 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are here, and the guys battle sleep deprivation to break down all four Knockout Round games – most notably, Red Bulls pull the "upset" and Crew SC become the darlings of the field – and look ahead to this weekend's conference semifinal first legs. Subscribe so you never miss a show! Download this episode!
And now it's onto the conference semifinals of the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs.
We all know what's up. Hit the play button above to get my thoughts via ExtraTime Radio, then let's take a closer look, team-by-team, starting at the bottom:
Portland Timbers
WHY THEY'RE HERE: Because when the season looked like it was bottoming out, Diego Valeri put on a freaking cape and became Superman.
It seems like a million years ago now, but on July 19 the Timbers lost 4-1 to RSL, which made it six straight without a win and a record of just 2-6-5 in their previous 13 games. #PorterOut was a thing.
Since then? 8-3-2, and top of the West, with Valeri going for 11g/4a in that stretch. M – V – P!!!!!
FORMATION/TACTICS: They'll call it a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, but it's really a 4-4-1-1 with Valeri as a totally free second forward rather than his old position as a playmaker. He's getting more touches in the box than ever before:
ACHILLES' HEEL: With Fanendo Adi out, there's no other elite goalscorer, though that's less of an Achilles' Heel and more of a minor irritant, since the Timbers managed to grab 60 goals this year regardless.
No, the real issue is their defense, especially on the road. They've had some good games, but also some absolute shockers – even during this good run. They can be sleepy on the back post and are vulnerable on set pieces.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Darren Mattocks (F): He's gotten the bulk of the No. 9 minutes since Adi's injury, and while he's a poor finisher, his mobility and commitment open up back lines and create space for Valeri.
- Larrys Mabiala (CB): He hasn't been perfect, but the Timbers defense has improved significantly since his arrival.
- Diego Chara (DM): Defensive midfield is the most important position on the field, and Chara's playing it as well as anyone in the league recently.
PRESSURE'S ON: Sebastian Blanco was supposed to be in the Newcomer of the Year race, but instead he put up a "hey-that's-just-ok"-level season, with 8g/8a in 2800 minutes. He's got to be more dangerous than that.
Houston Dynamo
WHY THEY'RE HERE: You can't win the league in March and April, but you sure can give yourself enough of a cushion to survive a few bumps that are sure to pop up later in the year. And that's why the Dynamo are here.
Let's give them credit for that late surge, too, as Houston went 3-0-3 down the stretch including four points from two games against SKC. Then they outlasted that same Sporting group in a 120-minute rock fight in Thursday night's Knockout Round.
FORMATION/TACTICS: You could call it a 4-2-3-1 at times, and a 4-3-3 at other times, and a 4-2-1-3 at times, and a 4-1-4-1 at times as well. What really matters is that Houston attack with four guys: Two wingers spread out wide, a channel-running No. 9 (it should be Mauro Manotas), and a pseudo-playmaker No. 10 drifting underneath.
They prefer to absorb and counter rather than having a ton of the ball:
This is the Dynamo at their best. That said, they've gotten better at stringing passes together as Vicente Sanchez has found life in his old legs, and as Tomas Martinez has become a bigger part of the attack.
ACHILLES' HEEL: Distribution from the backline can be spotty at best, which is a big reason why they don't really want much possession. Teams that force the Houston central defense into decisive moments have generally found a way to profit, and now they're juggling the lineup thanks to injuries to CB Leonardo and RB A.J. DeLaGarza.
And look, there's simply something to be said for having a bunch of the ball in this game of ours. Get enough of it and you can make the Dynamo a purely reactive bunch.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Philippe Senderos (CB): Now that Leonardo's hurt, the spotlight will be shining on the veteran Swiss. He's held up well so far.
- Manotas (F): He's an expected goals machine who'd mostly usurped Cubo Torres as the starter, but didn't get off the bench on Thursday. Chances come further and farther between in the postseason and "clinical" is not a word anybody's used about him just yet.
- Alberth Elis (W): He is a one-man counterattack who's as fast with the ball as he is without it. It doesn't matter how deep you've got the Dynamo pinned in – if you give Elis room to run, you're dead.
PRESSURE'S ON: Literally no one. This is all house money the Dynamo are playing with, and it seems like – whatever happens – 2017 is going to be a wonderful stepping stone toward bigger and better things in 2018 and beyond.
So I guess in that sense you could say the pressure's on the front office to keep this group together and add quality around the edges, but that's a different column for a different day. When they take the field against Portland on Monday (9:30 pm ET; FS1 in the US | TVAS in Canada), this team should be playing free and easy.
Seattle Sounders
WHY THEY'RE HERE: Because they're the champs, man. I doubt anybody in Seattle is overly thrilled with how they've played this year – aesthetically it's been unappealing, and injuries have been killer, and production has been sporadic – but these guys are pros. They weren't going to fade out of their attempt at a title defense.
So come midseason, they locked it in defensively and trudged forward, one step at a time. They're 9-2-7 since then with only 15 goals allowed and a +18 goal differential.
FORMATION/TACTICS: 4-something-something. Right now it's up in the air because of Clint Dempsey's suspension and injuries to Osvaldo Alonso and Gustav Svensson.
However they line up, expect the fullbacks to be a little bit conservative, and for most of the play to funnel through Nicolas Lodeiro.
ACHILLES' HEEL: When they get hot they score in bunches, but when they don't get hot they can be ponderous and predictable trying to drive the ball upfield – especially when Dempsey's out. I mean, this guy's pretty good:
I'm a big Will Bruin fan, but is he good enough to be the go-to goalscorer on a title team in 2017? Probably not. They need Lodeiro and Dempsey to get hot and stay hot.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Roman Torres (CB): Had a miserable start to the year, but has been flawless since preseason. And as he showed for Panama, he knows how and when to push up and get an opportunistic goal.
- Chad Marshall (CB): Any team that wants to beat the Whitecaps has to have a plan for handling Kendall Waston. I suspect Seattle's plan is just "let Chad take him."
- Cristian Roldan (CM): If Alonso and Svensson are out, he's the d-mid. If they're not out, he's a key link player. And if the attack gets gummed up and Seattle need a clever run, he's usually the one to make it.
PRESSURE'S ON: Dempsey, who wasn't even on the field in Sunday night's first leg. He just hit a career low with the USMNT, he just took an unnecessary and petulant suspension heading into the playoffs, he's heading into a winter of contract negotiations, and let's all recall that these guys won the thing without him last season.
Deuce has gotta show up in Leg 2 on Thursday (10:30 pm ET | FS1; TSN, TVAS), keep the elbows down and put the ball in the net.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
WHY THEY'RE HERE: They had exactly one losing streak all season: it was two games, it was back in March, and they have just chugged along ever since. Then when they got their chance – a soft part of the schedule with six of seven at home – they took it, going 5-0-2 and climbing to the top of the conference.
They hadn't been great after that, but then they got the Quakes in the Knockout Round and dropped a nickel on 'em. It's easy to be high on a team that just won 5-0.
FORMATION/TACTICS: 4-2-3-1 that you could argue is a 4-4-1-1, and whatever you want to call it the goal is the same: Sit deep then unleash hell on the counter. Do. Not. Let. The. 'Caps. Run.
They'll also happily kill you dead on set pieces.
ACHILLES' HEEL: Their utter lack of possession. They finished the year at 41.48 percent, which is the lowest number we have for as far back as we have data (the 2010 season). What the 'Caps do they do well, but one-note teams rarely get the job done come the playoffs.
And so here's a simple way of thinking about it: If you're scrunched in your own half constantly defending vs. poor teams like Colorado or Orlando City, you're probably not that likely to get punished. Try the same against Portland, or Red Bulls or Seattle? Give them that much of the ball in the final third, that many looks at goal?
Good luck.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Yordy Reyna (FW): He's produced at close to a Best XI-clip since getting healthy midseason, and adds a turbo boost to that counterattack.
- Tony Tchani (CM): His ability to handle pressure then deliver accurate diagonals is what allows Vancouver to spread the field and rip teams apart. But he's inconsistent, and if he's not locked in – especially defensively – it's trouble.
- Kendall Waston (CB): Simply must be a dominant force, both in the air and on the ground..
PRESSURE'S ON:Fredy Montero finally broke his playoff scoring drought after 14 hours and 22 minutes, and now he gets to go up against his former team. I'd say there's some on him, and some on new No. 1 'keeper Stefan Marinovic, who gifted a goal to Liam Ridgewell on Decision Day that cost the 'Caps their lead, and then eventually the top spot in the conference.
Toronto FC
WHY THEY'RE HERE: They're the best regular-season team in MLS history based upon points, PPG, goal differential, eye test and raw talent in the room.
Imagine grabbing 69 points despite getting only 2/3s of a season from Sebastian Giovinco, and with him looking only about 75 percent of his best, 2015-era self for most of that time.
FORMATION/TACTICS: It's mostly been a high press based out of their 3-5-2 (though they'll look you in the face and lie to you about it being a 5-3-2 instead). They'll also toss out the occasional 4-4-2 diamond for fun.
They can get a little bit bogged down if the wingbacks aren't offering width and penetration. But reduce them to attacking only with the trio of Giovinco, Jozy Altidore and Victor Vazquez, and guess what? They're still good enough to carve up most teams.
ACHILLES' HEEL: When Michael Bradley steps upfield to hunt turnovers, that can and does leave a gap between him and the not-all-that-athletic central defense. Bradley and Marky Delgado have a great understanding when it comes to covering for each other in those spots, but nobody's faster than the ball and TFC can, on occasion, be caught out.
Midfield turnovers aren't kind to this team.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Justin Morrow (CB): If he gets cut up by Tyler Adams the way that Brandon Vincent did, TFC are in at least a little bit of trouble.
- Chris Mavinga (LCB): The 26-year-old Frenchman has been one of the league's best new defenders, and is the only guy in the TFC rotation who can put out fires with his athleticism.
- Bradley (DM): If he's out there trying to play hero ball, that will leave the Reds vulnerable.
PRESSURE'S ON: Everyone. This team is playing for the Cup, for redemption after last year, and for history. They will at least temporarily end the "who's the best MLS team, ever?" argument if they win MLS Cup.
Should they come up short, this team will still be remembered – they're all over the record books, after all. But the goal is to complete the treble, which means there's pressure everywhere.
New York Red Bulls
WHY THEY'RE HERE: A midseason formation change, a hot streak in July, and then the ability to scrape out just enough points down the stretch to pull away from the rest of the East stragglers.
It really was a season of constant change and flux for the Red Bulls, but the underlying truth is that, at some point, they really did discover who they are. Then they unleashed that all over the poor Fire on Wednesday night.
FORMATION/TACTICS: 3-3-3-1 that you could call a 3-6-1 or a 5-4-1 or whatever you want. The point is that they push both wingbacks forward, which gives Sacha Kljestan five separate targets to choose from in the attacking third. When it works...
Yeah, it works a charm. Toronto will have their hands full on Monday (7 pm ET; FS1 in the US | TSN4 & TVAS in Canada).
ACHILLES' HEEL: Push that many numbers forward, and you are bound to get roasted on the counter once or twice. But the bigger worry for RBNY is that they are very, very very very bad at defending set pieces. Teams that defend set pieces poorly eventually find a way to lose in the playoffs (looking your way, 2016 Montreal Impact).
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Damien Perrinelle (CB): The veteran's distribution is key. And obviously he's going to have to be nearly flawless on the defensive side of the ball.
- Felipe (M): The nature of this formation forces the Brazilian to man central midfield all by himself at times. He's been superb, but it's a big damn job that gets harder at this time of year.
- Aaron Long (CB): Long really has been outstanding in his first year as a full-time, MLS center back. If he has an off day at any point henceforth, RBNY's season ends.
PRESSURE'S ON: Kljestan. He's the orchestrator for this whole thing, and he needs to have a special playoff run in him to cement his status as one of the league's all-time great playmakers. He also probably wants to bury the memory of last year's missed penalty vs. the Impact...
I think it's also safe to say that the pressure's on Jesse Marsch & Co. Three years is a long time for a coach in New Jersey.
New York City FC
WHY THEY'RE HERE: Because for the first 2/3s of the season they were nearly as good as TFC, and that means they were pretty damn good. NYCFC were a relentlessly suffocating team who hit hard from the flanks, up the middle, via pressure... when they were at their best, they were damn good.
FORMATION/TACTICS: It's been almost entirely a 4-3-3 this season, and when they dominate it's predicated upon the effectiveness of that three-man midfield, who allow David Villa to drop off or push the line as he sees fit:
They mostly keep the ball on the ground, and mostly push their wingers really high in an effort to either pin back or punish opposing fullbacks. And if you are sloppy with your up-the-gut distribution, they will turn you over and they will kill you.
ACHILLES' HEEL: It's hard to point to one particular thing other than general "sloppiness" or "malaise" over the last two months. On August 21 Patrick Vieira conceded the Supporters' Shield to Toronto, and since then NYCFC are just 2-2-5 with a dead-even goal differential. It looks like the air went out of them in late August.
Beyond that, right now the concern is goalscoring. The Cityzens had 47 goals in the first 25 games this season, and nine in the final nine.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Yangel Herrera (CM): A one-man press, Herrera is a ball of fire bouncing around the midfield and making life hell for whoever lines up against him.
- Jack Harrison (W): No assists since July, and only two goals since June. Harrison needs to ratchet his performance up to what it was in the first half of the season.
- Alex Callens (CB): The only field player who played every minute this year, he has to be a backline rock.
PRESSURE'S ON: Vieira. He's been a wonderful regular-season coach, but has struggled in tournament formats – both of the last two US Open Cups, as well as last year's playoffs. He outsmarted himself in 2016 and paid the price, and if the same thing happens in 2017, that's a trend.
He has to get this team clicking again, and ready to go for Tuesday in Columbus (8 pm ET; ESPN in the US | TSN1/4/5 & TVAS in Canada).
Columbus Crew SC
WHY THEY'RE HERE: They got hot, they got solid, and they got the 2015 version of Federico Higuain back right at the perfect time. Columbus were unbeaten in 10 heading into the postseason, and while they weren't exactly going up against murderer's row during that stretch, they did finish it on a high note with a very nice draw at NYCFC. That seems relevant.
And then, of course, they did what they did on Thursday in Atlanta. Any time you haven't lost in almost three months, you're doing a bunch of stuff right.
FORMATION/TACTICS: Gregg Berhalter's experimented a little bit, but down the stretch they moved back to old reliable with a 4-2-3-1, attacking set-up that gets the fullbacks high and demands a ton of the ball.
ACHILLES' HEEL: The backline can still be error-prone in big moments, but I remain more worried about their central midfield's often-too-slow defensive reactions:
Those were tighter and faster against Atlanta, and those gaps got sealed off. Anything that snuck through, Zack Steffen gobbled up.
The same will have to happen over both legs vs. NYCFC.
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH:
- Wil Trapp (DM): Quietly elevated his game and had a very good stretch run. He's the most important player on the field for Columbus on both sides of the ball.
- Josh Williams (CB): This unbeaten run coincided with him winning the starting job, and over the last month he's become a set-piece weapon as well. His reactions need to be sharp, because City are going to try to cut Crew SC up at angles off every turnover.
- Jonathan Mensah (CB): He hasn't had a DP-caliber year, but he's been solid since August and his partnership with Williams is working.
PRESSURE'S ON: The entire organization. As a lifelong Hartford Whalers fan I'll be rooting for Columbus this postseason.
