2020 Schedule Thread

The important matchup between Orlando and Columbus is on tonight. 7:30 PM on ESPN+ for outside of the Orlando and Columbus markets.

I'll be cheering on for a draw with the hope that both teams lose on Decision Day, we win, and we jump to 3!

thats asking for way too much, i dont think columbus loses to atlanta in columbus. though maybe nashville will go after orlando since they may still need the points to avoid that play in round.

i feel we end up playing orlando, the question is only if we playing in orlando or they come to YS.
 
Is this the first decision day (not including season 1) where we aren't controlling our own destiny?
2016 - We were not catching RB or Dallas, so that didn't matter... but we were controlling against opposition below us (and then we tied columbus and toronto didn't win)
2017 - We controlled our destiny in 2nd place
2018 - Far off of 2nd, so didn't matter
2019 - Well ahead in first so didn't matter
2020 - Our fate is decided by columbus/orlando and us winning
 
Current Table
3) Columbus 38 Points, 11 Wins, +15 GD
4) Orlando 38 Points, 10 Wins, +15 GD
5) NYCFC 36 Points, 11 Wins, +11 GD

Remaining Matches
Columbus: at Orlando, vs. Atlanta (Atlanta is off on Wednesday)
Orlando: vs. Columbus, vs. Nashville (Nashville plays vs. FC Dallas on Wednesday)
NYCFC: at Chicago

If Columbus or Orlando win, we can't jump the winning team. We can jump the losing team if NYCFC wins and the losing team draws/loses their final game (we'd have the tiebreaker on wins).

If Columbus and Orlando draw, we can only jump if either team loses their following match and NYCFC wins.

Given Orlando has two home matches, I think jumping Columbus will be more likely. That being said, both teams are playing at home on Decision Day.

Current Table
3) Orlando 41 Points, 11 Wins, +16 GD
4) Columbus 38 Points, 11 Wins, +14 GD
5) NYCFC 36 Points, 11 Wins, +11 GD

Remaining Matches
Columbus: vs. Atlanta (Atlanta is off on Wednesday)
Orlando: vs. Nashville (Nashville plays vs. FC Dallas on Wednesday)
NYCFC: at Chicago

We can jump Columbus if NYCFC wins at Chicago and Columbus draws/loses at Atlanta (we'd have the tiebreaker on wins).
 
Current Table
3) Orlando 41 Points, 11 Wins, +16 GD
4) Columbus 38 Points, 11 Wins, +14 GD
5) NYCFC 36 Points, 11 Wins, +11 GD

Remaining Matches
Columbus: vs. Atlanta (Atlanta is off on Wednesday)
Orlando: vs. Nashville (Nashville plays vs. FC Dallas on Wednesday)
NYCFC: at Chicago

We can jump Columbus if NYCFC wins at Chicago and Columbus draws/loses at Atlanta (we'd have the tiebreaker on wins).

with atlanta's form, i'd be really surprised if they can pull off a win vs the crew. that being said, their latest signing is turning into a leader for them so who knows. anything can happen I guess.

but if all things remain equal, looks like we'll play the crew in columbus. I'm ok with that. but man.. the crew AGAIN in the playoffs? yeesh.
 
with atlanta's form, i'd be really surprised if they can pull off a win vs the crew. that being said, their latest signing is turning into a leader for them so who knows. anything can happen I guess.

but if all things remain equal, looks like we'll play the crew in columbus. I'm ok with that. but man.. the crew AGAIN in the playoffs? yeesh.

Well if Columbus win and Orlando draw/lose, Columbus jumps to 3rd and Orlando falls to 4th and we're playing in Orlando. But just for kicks, NYCFC in the quarterfinals...

2016: Toronto
2017: Columbus
2018: Atlanta
2019: Toronto
2020: Columbus?
2021: Atlanta?
 
Also worth noting that Atlanta is fighting for that playoff spot so I can see them beating a floundering columbus team.

Right. Columbus has been awful lately and Atlanta will need a win to have a chance at the playoffs. That's not as easy a game for the Crew as you'd think.
 
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with atlanta's form, i'd be really surprised if they can pull off a win vs the crew. that being said, their latest signing is turning into a leader for them so who knows. anything can happen I guess.

but if all things remain equal, looks like we'll play the crew in columbus. I'm ok with that. but man.. the crew AGAIN in the playoffs? yeesh.
It would only be the second time we've faced the Crew in the playoffs. Over a five-year stretch with two teams consistently in it, that doesn't seem very unlikely.
 
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Well if Columbus win and Orlando draw/lose, Columbus jumps to 3rd and Orlando falls to 4th and we're playing in Orlando. But just for kicks, NYCFC in the quarterfinals...

2016: Toronto
2017: Columbus
2018: Atlanta
2019: Toronto
2020: Columbus?
2021: Atlanta?

Actual NYCFC Quarterfinal Opponents
2016: Toronto Bye
2017: Columbus Bye
2018: Atlanta Philadelphia
2019: Toronto Bye
2020: Columbus?

NYCFC Semifinal Opponents
2016: Toronto
2017: Columbus
2018: Atlanta
2019: Toronto
2020 - probably not Columbus and possibly nobody

Either way the pattern breaks down if you're consistent. I guess it works -- to date at least -- if you go by the team that knocked NYCFC out of the playoffs, but I really hope that pattern breaks down also.
 
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Actual NYCFC Quarterfinal Opponents
2016: Toronto Bye
2017: Columbus Bye
2018: Atlanta Philadelphia
2019: Toronto Bye
2020: Columbus?

NYCFC Semifinal Opponents
2016: Toronto
2017: Columbus
2018: Atlanta
2019: Toronto
2020 - probably not Columbus and possibly nobody

Either way the pattern breaks down if you're consistent. I guess it works -- to date at least -- if you go by the team that knocked NYCFC out of the playoffs, but I really hope that pattern breaks down also.
The problem with this system is evreryone uses "quarterfinals" and "Semifinals" differently. You used it as "Eastern conference" while Lion used it as "MLS Playoffs" - so he is technically right regarding it being the quarter finals.

We are gonna win mls cup, don't worry.
 
The problem with this system is evreryone uses "quarterfinals" and "Semifinals" differently. You used it as "Eastern conference" while Lion used it as "MLS Playoffs" - so he is technically right regarding it being the quarter finals.

We are gonna win mls cup, don't worry.
You may be right about his intent, but that's not standard MLS usage. The round before MLS cup is officially the conference final(s) and everything flows backwards from that. Also, if that's his usage, then he's still wrong in projecting we play Columbus in the quarters this year because by that reckoning the first round we play is the round before the quarters, "Round of 16" or whatever.
 
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You may be right about his intent, but that's not standard MLS usage. The round before MLS cup is officially the conference final(s) and everything flows backwards from that. Also, if that's his usage, then he's still wrong in projecting we play Columbus in the quarters this year because by that reckoning the first round we play is the round before the quarters, "Round of 16" or whatever.
Well, as a person who uses the same usage as him... and the same usage as you... I get utterly confused and end up using both words for both situations and confuse the heck out of myself. If I do it, I'm sure I'm not the only one.

...Speaking of which, who do we actually want to see in the playoffs?
My count is:
1) Columbus
2) NJRB
3) Chicago
4) Montreal
5) Nashville
6) NER
7) Philadelphia
8) Toronto
 
Actual NYCFC Quarterfinal Opponents
2016: Toronto Bye
2017: Columbus Bye
2018: Atlanta Philadelphia
2019: Toronto Bye
2020: Columbus?

NYCFC Semifinal Opponents
2016: Toronto
2017: Columbus
2018: Atlanta
2019: Toronto
2020 - probably not Columbus and possibly nobody

Either way the pattern breaks down if you're consistent. I guess it works -- to date at least -- if you go by the team that knocked NYCFC out of the playoffs, but I really hope that pattern breaks down also.

I shouldn't late night Forum post... :(
The problem with this system is evreryone uses "quarterfinals" and "Semifinals" differently. You used it as "Eastern conference" while Lion used it as "MLS Playoffs" - so he is technically right regarding it being the quarter finals.

We are gonna win mls cup, don't worry.
Nope, I was right all along... :p
 
...Speaking of which, who do we actually want to see in the playoffs?
My count is:
1) Columbus
2) NJRB
3) Chicago
4) Montreal
5) Nashville
6) NER
7) Philadelphia
8) Toronto
Speaking of confusing usage, I'm not sure what you are ranking here. Teams we are most likely to play? Most likely to defeat if we do play them? Something else? I can't think of a basis for this ranking that makes sense of the order, frankly. Also, 10 teams make the playoffs, so excluding us the list should have 9 teams. Orlando is missing.
 
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Speaking of confusing usage, I'm not sure what you are ranking here. Teams we are most likely to play? Most likely to defeat if we do play them? Something else? I can't think of a basis for this ranking that makes sense of the order, frankly. Also, 10 teams make the playoffs, so excluding us the list should have 9 teams. Orlando is missing.
Oh. Yeah, meant to put orlando at #9.

Teams i'd want to see us play based on whatever happens inside my brain to decide that. Which teams would you want to see us play?
For me it's a mixture of most likely to defeat + fun games. NER, Philly, Toronto, and Orlando I'd want to avoid at all costs until as far as possible. (which is essentially not far at all)
 
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Oh. Yeah, meant to put orlando at #9.

Teams i'd want to see us play based on whatever happens inside my brain to decide that. Which teams would you want to see us play?
For me it's a mixture of most likely to defeat + fun games. NER, Philly, Toronto, and Orlando I'd want to avoid at all costs until as far as possible. (which is essentially not far at all)
Well, I can't put Columbus on top of the list until I know where we play them. They are completely different teams home and away, with 8 Home wins and 0 Away. We are one of the better road teams as usual, but still, that's concerning. Apart from that, assuming we only play teams above us, which is likely to happen, my preference is TOR (in Hartford), and then it don't matter because Philly, Orlando and Columbus have a combined 1 Home loss among them. Not that I'm giving up but there's no angle where I see an edge more with one team than another. And at this point I personally don't care about fun games. Let's just win.

For the teams below us, my preference is Montreal/Chicago (tie), NER, RB, and finally Nashville, who I think will be a surprisingly tough out, even though they will be an underdog in most any matchup after the play-in round. If Atlanta, Miami or DC sneak in, I'll deal with that after seeing how they accomplish that.
 
Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Scenarios

- Orlando win/draw, Columbus win, NYCFC win/draw/loss: NYCFC at Columbus
- Orlando loss, Columbus win, NYCFC win/draw/loss: NYCFC at Orlando
- Orlando loss, Columbus draw, NYCFC draw/loss: NYCFC at Columbus
- Orlando win/draw/loss, Columbus draw/loss, NYCFC win: NYCFC vs Columbus

I think that covers everything...
 
For the teams below us, my preference is Montreal/Chicago (tie), NER, RB, and finally Nashville, who I think will be a surprisingly tough out, even though they will be an underdog in most any matchup after the play-in round. If Atlanta, Miami or DC sneak in, I'll deal with that after seeing how they accomplish that.
It will be interesting regarding Nashville because I do think they'll be a tougher out than the odds they'll likely get. May be worth putting some money on them to win one game past the initial knockout games.
 
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