Thierry Henry. Jermaine Jones. Bradley Wright-Phillips. Lee Nguyen. The Jap Convention Finals promise to to be an exciting showcase for MLS, and Brooke Tunstall tells you every little thing you might want to know.
BY
Brooke Tunstall
Posted
November 21, 2014
10:29 AM
SHARE THIS STORY
ON ITS SURFACE this 12 months’s MLS Jap Convention closing is as horny and compelling a playoff sequence because the league has seen for a few years, rivaled solely by…this 12 months’s Western Convention sequence.
Names, storylines, groups enjoying effectively, large markets in shut sufficient proximity to one another for the followers to journey. Thierry Henry and Jermaine Jones will share the highest billing with Lee Nguyen, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Charlie Davies, and Peguy Luyundula nonetheless on the marquee.
However these gamers may cancel one another out and this might come all the way down to the position gamers. Don’t be shocked if an A.J. Soares or Ibrahim Sekagaya is a difference-maker on this two-game showdown (Recreation 1: 1:30pm ET Sunday; NBC) .
HEAD-TO-HEAD PLAYOFF HISTORY
That is simply the fourth time the league’s two most Northeastern groups have met within the playoffs and the primary time it’s been exterior the primary spherical. They beforehand met within the 2003, 2005 and 2007 playoffs, with the Revs prevailing every time, the latter two matches being determined by one purpose. That is the primary time the 2 groups have met with a visit to MLS Cup on the road.
Attention-grabbing footnote: Regardless of spending eight seasons over two excursions as a participant with the MetroStars and/or Pink Bulls, that is the primary time Pink Bulls coach Mike Petke, who went to school in Connecticut, has confronted New England within the playoffs.
BEST PLAYOFF FINISH
New England completed second in MLS Cup in 2002 and famously repeated that feat three straight years, from 2005-07. A 12 months later the Pink Bulls have been MLS Cup runners-up, the one time New York has superior that far.
THIS SEASON
New York swept the common season sequence, successful each video games. On June 8 the Pink Bulls received 2-0 at Foxboro, Mass., as Eric Alexander scored early and Peguy Luyindula additionally linked—on the one pictures on purpose for the Pink Bulls. Thierry Henry and Dax McCarty missed that match and New England really had the higher of play, having the vast majority of possession and forcing Luis Robles to make 11 saves.
Within the August 2 rematch at Pink Bull Enviornment, Charlie Davies scored early within the first half however McCarty and Bradley Wright-Phillips struck early within the second half to offer the New Yorkers the win. The Pink Bulls performed shorthanded for total second half after teenager Matt Miazga was ejected simply earlier than intermission. Once more, the Revolution had extra pictures on body, 8-4, and once more Robles got here up large with seven saves.
In a standard 12 months these outcomes would give the Pink Bulls an edge however each groups have made substantial adjustments for the reason that second matchup. New England, after all, added U.S. worldwide Jermaine Jones in late August and has misplaced only one match since his arrival. And Davies was making simply his third begin of the 12 months and was nonetheless shaking off rust; he’s far more harmful and dynamic now.
In the meantime, the Pink Bulls made a tactical change the ultimate 9 video games, shifting Alexander to a holding midfield position subsequent to McCarty, which has elevated the crew’s defensive self-discipline and lowered the quantity of pictures Robles has seen. In brief, there’s little to be drawn from the prior matchups.
Each of those groups are cruising proper now. Cruising proper towards one another. It must be enjoyable.
KEY MATCHUPS
Jones vs. Henry. C’mon, you already know that is what you need to see. You’re not tuning in to see Chris Tierney vs. Lloyd Sam (although that’s a kind of sneaky off-the-radar matchups that would swing this sequence.) The truth is that with Henry’s desire to float vast and create from the flanks and Jones’ tendency to man the center from a deep position, this pair doubtless received’t go at all of it that a lot. However inevitably a couple of instances throughout this sequence the 2 of them will find yourself mano-a-mano and all of us need to see if Henry tries to blow previous Jones and if Jones goes in arduous to deal with the French icon.
However what will probably be secret is how McCarty and Alexander take care of Nguyen, how the Pink Bulls regulate to the Revs’ five-man midfield, how Soares and Jose Goncalves observe the sneaky off-the-ball runs of Wright-Phillips, and on the opposite finish how Sekagaya and Jamison Olave comprise Davies.
One X-factor is New York staring left again Roy Miller is suspended for Sunday’s sport after a crimson card late within the second match towards D.C. United. Miller could be erratic however earlier than his crimson card he’d had a strong run of type. His doubtless alternative, Cameroonian worldwide Ambroise Oyongo, is best going ahead however not essentially a defensive specialist. It will likely be fascinating to see if the Revs’ vast attackers, Kelyn Rowe and Teal Bunbury, can exploit this.
QUOTABLE
“There’s gonna be a lot of talk about Lee Nguyen, how he’s having a great season. About Jermaine Jones, since he joined New England he’s bringing a different variable. But I feel as long as we play the style of soccer we want, bring the same effort we’ve brought the last couple of weeks. It doesn’t matter who we play. I’m confident in the guys in this locker room to do what we need to keep this rolling.” –Luis Robles
“The players they’ve got, they kind of speak for themselves. They’ve got a guy who scored 27 goals and then there’s Thierry Henry. And Luyundula is playing really well. They do look very, very good and they’re playing really well right now. It’s a difficult test because they’ve beaten us twice this year but we know what we’re getting into.” –Bobby Shuttleworth
“I think we’re both exciting teams, dynamic teams. It’s going to make for a very good semifinal. We both have players who are good on both sides of the ball and difference makers going forward. And both teams love to score goals. It makes for a good battle and both teams are really gonna go after it. I’d certainly be watching this semifinal if I wasn’t playing in it.”—Dax McCarty
PREDICTION
Two issues. First, this pundit sucks at predictions. Second, this can be a robust one to name even for somebody who is sweet at making predictions as a result of the groups are so even and each are enjoying so effectively proper now. However it will be poor type to not make a name so in a sequence that must be celebrated by soccer followers everywhere in the Northeast, I’m going with the Revolution.
Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. You may comply with him on Twitter.
