With J Hutcherson
Nobody's out of it by October, meaning at least another couple of weeks of that unbridled optimism in the face of poor results that's become the hallmark of late season Major League Soccer.
San Jose could turn it around because they're not really the worst team in the Western Conference. Not yet, anyway. Their postponed away date with Houston means they're a game behind. Those phantom three points could be the difference between last and trailing Real Salt Lake by goal differential for the final wildcard slot.
Unlikely, considering Houston still leads the West? Splitting points with the worst team in the League isn't exactly the strong statement. Toronto would need two wins and results higher up the table going their way to factor, but there's still a chance.
End result, another developmental hurdle for younger MLS players combined with coaches afraid to make moves late in the current season to build for next year. Put as much weight on that as you like, but the late season scenarios rarely shift on young talent. For all the complaining the coaches on struggling MLS teams do, few of them will make the bold move and push their squads away from the usual suspects.
No MLS coach has the depth to pull an Arsene Wenger and launch the age old threat of "changes." At the same time, what too many MLS teams end up with is the inability to switch out even the squad players without the coach opening himself up. Too many MLS teams have set the disappointment standard low enough that even name coaches should rightly consider themselves at risk.
The direct result is changing the squad through the transfer window and trades. With too many MLS trades ending up player for allocation slots and money, the result is a peculiar MLS version of the squad shuffle. Unfortunately, it happens in August, leaving the clubs who really push exposed as their new squad tries to gel.
For all the international calendar complaints, the continual reshuffle that is Toronto FC has more to do with their collapse than anybody would want to admit. Same thing in Los Angeles, where they dropped defensive cover in favor of... well, open question there. Same result, now five points out of the wildcard conversation.
The flip side to a parity that's given us repeated MLS Cups and Cup champions is that it doesn't allow for any team to bow out early. The benefit is that late season games shouldn't end up like the bulk of Major League Baseball's schedule, played out in relative anonymity in front of increasingly smaller crowds for the teams already out. The downside is that teams with obvious flaws can't start using the players that might factor next season. After all, there's still the playoffs to consider.
On TV
No TV for our Monday. All Times Eastern
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Europe
Angry Arsene Wenger vows to wield the axe -- from The Guardian's Matt Hughes: “What we delivered today was not good enough and we know that."
Ramos stays calm over job future -- from BBC Sport: The pressure on Ramos is certain to increase if his side are eliminated from the Uefa Cup by Wisla Krakow on Thursday.
Former Forest boss Kinnear will serve two-match touchline ban at Newcastle, confirms FA -- from The Daily Mail: Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Blackburn counted as the first match and the 61-year-old will complete his punishment during next Sunday’s trip to Everton.
Mike Ashley has seven offers for Newcastle -- from The Telegraph's Rob Stewart: "Premier League clubs are being bought as toys."
We have the technology, so let's embrace it -- from The Independent's Stephen Brenkley: It is the link between split-second decisions on the field of play and their effect that remains the larger concern.
Pompey open to offers but Redknapp denies cash crisis -- from The Guardian's David Hytner: Redknapp said he is "not worried at all" by the new trend for predatory billionaire buyers.
The Wonderful World of Soccer Media: Americas
Rio Tinto gets naming rights to new Real soccer stadium -- from The Salt Lake Tribune's Michael C. Lewis: It also compares favorably to other naming-rights deals in Major League Soccer.
Davies learns to be a true professional in Sweden -- from Soccernet's Ravi Ubha: Step it up or go home.
Crew is his home, for now -- from The Columbus Dispatch's Shawn Mitchell: "I'm pretty comfortable here," he said, relieved to have spent the bulk of the past 18 months in Columbus.
In Need of a Pick-Me-Up, United Suffers a Letdown -- from The Washington Post's Steven Goff: "Sometimes we forget how to play soccer," said Moreno.
Landon Donovan considering playing in Europe again -- from The Miami Herald's Michelle Kaufman: It is refreshing, quite frankly, to find an athlete who doesn't care much what everyone else thinks and is willing to stick to his guns.
Powerhouse Houston proving road warriors -- from The Toronto Globe and Mail's Larry Millson: "There's enough traveling within the league, now we have to travel for the Champions League to Central America and Mexico City," said De Rosario, who is from Toronto.
Revolution can't cut it against Crew -- from The Boston Globe's Monique Walker: It was a glorious chance for the Revolution to gain ground on the Crew.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
