MLS Weekend Preview: MLS clubs require complex solution to end CCL heartache
MONTREAL
In the midst of his post-match remarks after the second leg defeat to Club América in the CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday, Montréal Impact coach Frank Klopas offered a suggestion to MLS.
Klopas said he thought MLS needed to increase the level of bonuses offered to clubs and players for success in the Champions League. As he noted, he said he thought the league needed to increase the incentives offered to clubs and players to encourage broader and wider achievement in the competition.
The point is a good one, but it only touches on one aspect of the systemic problems hindering the MLS efforts in the competition. It isn’t just about money. It is about the overall growth required to win consistently in this tournament.
Any solution must look at all of the factors involved, not just the gulf in spending and the obvious hurdles created by the calendar. MLS teams must cultivate and produce better, savvier players from their academy systems to cope with the adjustments required to compete in continental play. They must improve the depth across the board to cope with the additional fixture demands with more homegrown products and more money to strengthen squads from top to bottom. They must place all of their teams in more competitive environments from week-to-week to lay the groundwork to process these pressure-filled matches and foster the necessary mentality to cope with them. They must supplement that base of players with a higher standard of international player -- Impact star Ignacio Piatti is a good model, for example -- across the board to supply that extra touch of class to tip the balance.
At this point, the difference between expecting consistent success and hoping for the odd run to the final does not rest on one component. It is a complex problem requiring a complex solution. There is no silver bullet to compel all teams to take the group stage seriously or provide the successful ones with more ammunition to march through knockout play.
It is a matter of patience and priorities for MLS now. There are immediate measures on the table to accelerate the process (e.g., those financial incentives and greater resources for Champions League teams), but the more comprehensive and permanent solutions require foresight, money and time. Those are precious commodities for a league looking to improve the standard of play, locate stable financial ground and make strides in other areas. It is now down to the league and its clubs to figure out where Champions League success fits within its stratosphere and respond accordingly to address the situation.
Houston Dynamo -- FC Dallas, Friday, 8:00p.m. ET (Univision Deportes)
Conference realignment added a little intrigue to the Texas Derby during the close season after years of intermittent meetings. Expect this first fixture to carry some of the necessary bite as the two sides renew acquaintances. FCD will look to break quickly to exploit the Dynamo’s lack of pace, particularly with target man Blas Perez ruled out through suspension. Houston must manage the tempo appropriately in order to chart a viable course toward the points.
Real Salt Lake -- San Jose Earthquakes, Friday, 10:00p.m. ET (Univision Deportes)
RSL enters this match on a 316-minute scoreless streak, but the more pressing issues are at the back right now. New England tore the Claret-and-Cobalt apart last weekend. Jeff Attinella won save of the week as part of his busy night, but RSL must figure out a way to offer more protection first and foremost. Chris Schuler’s absence hinders those efforts significantly. The first step against the Earthquakes: establish dominion in possession against an opponent that struggles to retain the ball for extended periods of time.
Philadelphia Union -- Toronto FC, Saturday, 4:00p.m. ET (TSN4)
TFC draws its protracted road trip to a close in the friendly confines of PPL Park. A second consecutive road victory would give the Reds an ideal conclusion to their topsy-turvy excursion. It is not beyond them if they muster the same sort of incisiveness on the break. Philadelphia must sort out its pervasive issues in transition in order to lay the groundwork to stymie the visitors here.
D.C. United -- Columbus Crew SC, Saturday, 7:00p.m. ET
This clash between two of the top sides in the East hinges on the work in the middle of the park. United often struggles when confronted with teams capable of exploiting their numerical superiority in central midfield. Crew SC still does not have Wil Trapp back in the fold, but it does have the pieces required to exploit the three-versus-two structural advantage. United must respond accordingly in order to build off the victory in Vancouver last weekend.
New England Revolution -- New York Red Bulls, Saturday. 7:30p.m. ET
Two of the league’s form teams meet at Gillette in a fascinating contrast in styles. Both teams love to press the opposition at the right times, but their overall aims differ substantially. New York prefers to operate in possession (54 percent possession share ranks tops in the league, per Opta statistics), while New England strives to pull teams apart with quick, incisive combination play. The contrast means the two sides will have to exploit their advantages accordingly in order to tip the balance.
LA Galaxy -- Colorado Rapids, Saturday, 10:30p.m. ET
Colorado continues to assemble decent passages of play without extracting the maximum end product or stringing together cohesive performances. Oddly enough, the Galaxy fall into the same category with Robbie Keane still sidelined, though the MLS Cup holders are far better at churning out results from modest displays. Expect the Galaxy to figure out a way to cope with the situation presented and secure the points.
Portland Timbers -- Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday, 10:30p.m. ET
These two Cascadia rivals meet for the second time in fairly quick succession as they jockey for position in the Western Conference. Vancouver won the first meeting with a late Robert Earnshaw goal in March, but the Timbers hope to issue their reply here. The potential inclusion of Diego Valeri -- named on the bench last weekend for the defeat in Seattle -- supplies the Timbers with some hope. One key tenet for the Timbers to carry forward from last weekend: They must remain compact from back to front to limit the Whitecaps’ opportunities on the break.
Sporting Kansas City -- Chicago Fire, Sunday, 5:00p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TSN1)
Pressure is the name of the game here for Sporting. Chicago isn’t particularly deft at keeping the ball (42 percent possession share ranks last in MLS, per Opta statistics), particularly when trying to play out of the back. If the home side can press responsibly (fullback positioning is crucial given the Fire’s pace on the break), then it can claim possession in good areas and try to carve open a side that has proven more resolute than expected this season.
New York City FC -- Seattle Sounders, Sunday, 7:00p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, TSN1)
This is a road game for the Sounders, but the tight confines suit them well. Seattle operates most ruthlessly when it constructs direct and quick supply lines toward Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins. NYCFC must shield the back four properly and shunt the play into the nominal wide areas to reduce the danger presented. If NYCFC can get its defensive shape right, then it must use that latitude to operate effectively in possession and present enough chances for its wayward strikers to finish.
