Philadelphia (Away) - Postmatch

I think they turn it on for the playoffs.

I think LAFC get knocked out in El Trafico because Zlatan loves playing at the banc and he loves a show. But after that, they lose steam.

Timbers play better away from home because they are more comfortable playing their defend and counter style. It will be tough against an RSL team at home, but I think they steal the win somehow and take on the Sounders in a rivalry match, where some sounders bad luck with let the Timbers through. after LAFC, the Galaxy will be worn out and again, the Timbers will win.

Timbers are a good team when they're on. They've had a shitty run of form lately and no consistency out of fernandez. but I think find that form in the playoffs like they did last year when no one expected them to reach the final. They are the only team who beat us at YS this year, after all.
I thought that was a good/great response until the last sentence. I thought we completely outplayed Portland while missing 6 starters. But I think all the other points are strong. I do think they will have a tough time beating RSL in Utah. If they get past that, they certainly can win in Seattle or against Dallas at home. I'm not going to handicap their potential conference final yet.
 
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I'm happy with the result in an arguably meaningless game? Guess we didn't want to go into the playoffs on a 2 game losing streak? that said I'm not thrilled with how badly we took our foot of our gas that can be just as bad a habit to fall into.
 
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If he was visibly limping, then it’s a calf tear. Discomfort is me being stiff getting up in the morning before my creaky muscles warm up, it’s not a guy doing his last warmup sprint. And if it was only tightness/cramping, he wouldn’t have been limping 2 hours later.

I really hope the medical staff can lay hands on him and get the leg healthy, but I’m fearful that come game time he’s gonna be at best a short stint sub.
 
If GMs of Miami and Nashville don’t watch any tape of Medina or look at his stats or his salary, I think there’s a chance.
Isn’t that what we presumably did, watched tape of him having only a single move of pushing the ball past a defender and out-sprinting him, and yet we bit and paid a transfer. Not getting my hopes up that another team makes as bad a choice as we did, but who knows....
 
Getting Mata at his best right now is working wonders for this team. Look out. He's never played this confident with as much success. If he's on during the playoffs, we add another wrinkle that could potentially unclog the middle.
 
Who's in that pic? I see Mitri and Reyna.

How can we make this pic somehow get back to the stadium?

mitri and barraza sitting side by side. and claudio in the back.


Isn’t that what we presumably did, watched tape of him having only a single move of pushing the ball past a defender and out-sprinting him, and yet we bit and paid a transfer. Not getting my hopes up that another team makes as bad a choice as we did, but who knows....

agree. discomfort wouldn't cause you to limp hours after the fact. hopefully it is a minor thing that can heal in 2 weeks and he's ready for the first playoff game. if not, i think we'll be ok. Losing Isi is tough though. Medina is not a good replacement and neither is GMS. I guess it's a good thing we did go out and sign all those fowards, cause they're dropping like flies.
 
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just awaiting injury updates


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So this game had some real ramifications, even though ATL won anyway. Seattle passed Phily in the SS standings and now if LAFC, NYC or ATL win the Cup, Seattle gets the last CCL spot.
 
Weird match, especially in that I thought it started later and that even then I forgot to turn it in until ESPN sent me an alert that we had won. I guess I just wasn’t nervous because I didn’t have to be. We played some of our prettiest football all season today and yet really took the foot off the gas.

Mata was really good today. Sweat was solid going forward and I can’t decide if he strands Callens or Callens is on a bad run of form. Probably both. Ofori also had a good day aside from the handball. Medina’s failure to ice it was just so Medina (it was the right shot but just not good enough). So it goes.

The two most puzzling things in the match were Maxi’s failure to shoot into a vacant net and SJ losing his usually excellent composure after the pen. I love SJ but that was an uncharacteristically dick move (and stupid). Ian rightly took him to task.

Dome has to be unhappy with the way we closed out. Very ragged. Only Ibeagha looked like he knew how to kill the match.
Actually, that’s the kind of energy we need going into the playoffs. THAT’S MY JOHNSON!
 
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They were missing 2 of their key players. Ones who are normally engines on the field and are also emotional leaders on the field. If they get them both back for playoffs, I think they are a different team.

We spanked them yesterday but only during the 1st half. I wouldn't say we dominated them the 2nd half by any means.

Theyr'e also going up against a red bulls team who have their own issues with work ethic this year. red bulls are a difficult team to beat if they are all playing with intensity and fire and they can manage to maintain that throughout the 90 mins. I think it will be a tough game for both. Tight one for sure. And whoever coems out of it is gonna be too beat up and worn out to give ATL any trouble in the 2nd round.
 
They were missing 2 of their key players. Ones who are normally engines on the field and are also emotional leaders on the field. If they get them both back for playoffs, I think they are a different team.

We spanked them yesterday but only during the 1st half. I wouldn't say we dominated them the 2nd half by any means.

Theyr'e also going up against a red bulls team who have their own issues with work ethic this year. red bulls are a difficult team to beat if they are all playing with intensity and fire and they can manage to maintain that throughout the 90 mins. I think it will be a tough game for both. Tight one for sure. And whoever coems out of it is gonna be too beat up and worn out to give ATL any trouble in the 2nd round.
I agree that the Union probably beat the Red Bulls, especially if healthy. And then if, and only if, they are healthy, I think they have a shot in Atlanta. They'll be underdogs and deservedly so, and I'll pick Atlanta, but won't be surprised if there's a Union upset. Philly has road wins against playoff teams Toronto, DC and Minnesota, which was the Loons' only home loss. They lack depth, but their Best 11 or so can win in tough spots. They have the league's 5th best Away record which is pretty good.

BTW, you know which team has the third best Away record after LAFC and NYC? I was surprised. They also have the only positive Away GD at +1. it's DC United. Portland is 4th.
 
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The thing about the Red Bulls is that you just don't know what you are getting. As M moogoo points out, if they play with the right intensity, they can be very good, but that hasn't happened consistently this year. They could easily upset Philly if they come out playing the right way - in fact, that may make it the most likely of the 3 Eastern Conference games to end in an upset.