Every week we’re going to bring you our look at the upcoming games that weekend and what we hope to see from those to benefit the Caps to the max, along with what impact the different results from the Whitecaps own match has to our playoff hopes.
For some background to our feature, see <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3099-Schedule-Dynamics-Adding-Interest-To-MLS-Season" target="_blank">HERE</a>.
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Last weekend's games produced a poor <i>BCS</i> success rate of 40%.
The Caps defeat in New England saw them waste a huge opportunity to stay close at the top and they now sit nine points behind leaders Real Salt Lake, who don't play this weekend.
A good midweek saw Portland draw and Colorado lose and Vancouver now need to take advantage of that when they host Seattle this weekend in a huge intra-conference Cascadia Cup match up.
But what are the <i>”Best Case Scenarios”</i> we’re hoping to see in the rest of the week 11 games this weekend?
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Nine games are being played over Saturday and Sunday. Only two all-Western Conference clashes again, four inter-conference match ups and three all-Eastern ties, so six matches to keep a really close eye on, including our own.
<b><u>Vancouver Whitecaps v Seattle Sounders</u></b>
Current Whitecaps Points: 17 (4th in West)
If Whitecaps Win: 20 points (Best Case Scenario = 4th in West, six points behind leaders / Worst Case Scenario = 4th, six points behind leaders)
If Whitecaps Draw: 18 points (BCS = 4th / WCS = 5th)
If Whitecaps Lose: 17 points (BCS = 4th / WCS = 5th)
Maximum Points Total Possible: 89
Projected Points Total On Current Results: 55 - 58
Playoff Likelihood: 67 - 72%
<b><u>Montreal Impact v New York Red Bulls</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
All eastern clash with, again no pun intended, no impact for the Caps. Always nice to see Montreal lose of course.
<b><u>D.C. United v Toronto</u> - DC win in physical encounter</b>
Another all eastern clash which may not affect the Caps playoff wise but could have a big bearing on the upcoming Voyageurs Cup final second leg. We really need a physical game to play out in DC, with Toronto ideally being pushed to their limits and picking up a couple of injuries for Wednesday. Wonder if we can put in some requests. Would also be hilarious to see TFC drop to 0 and 9.
<b><u>New England Revolution v Houston Dynamo</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
Yet another all eastern clash. Who cares?!
<b><u>Dallas v Philadelphia Union</u> - Philadelphia win</b>
Dallas sit five points behind Vancouver in sixth place in the west. Keeping at least that gap this weekend would give the Caps a little bit of breathing space in this busy time of the schedule for them. If we can increase that to eight, it would be a good springboard for the next stage of the season.
<b><u>Colorado Rapids v Sporting Kansas City</u> - Kansas City win</b>
Colorado missed the chance to go fourth on Wednesday evening and still sit two points behind the Caps. Hopefully Kansas City can shake themselves out of a three game losing slump to keep the Rapids looking up at us.
<b><u>Chivas USA v Los Angeles Galaxy</u> - Draw</b>
You would have got good money on both the Los Angeles teams being down so low in the table at this point. We keep waiting for LA to pick up. Let's hope it doesn't start this weekend. A draw would be nice, but a Chivas win wouldn't exactly be the end of the world either. Let the panic buying begin!
<b><u>San Jose Earthquakes v Columbus Crew</u> - Columbus win</b>
Winless in two, let's hope that Columbus can add to San Jose's woes. The respective home and away records don't hold out too much hope, but that's the beauty of football. We could close the gap to three on the Quakes, or end up sitting nine points behind the top two. Come on the Crew.
<b><u>Portland Timbers v Chicago Fire</u> - Chicago win</b>
Bottom dwelling Portland are struggling. Winless in three and scoreless in three, let's hope the Timbers don't find their form in time for us visiting them next Saturday. A nice Chicago victory on Sunday, coupled with some injuries and suspensions for Portland would be just what the doctor ordered to hopefully round off a successful weekend for the Caps.
So that’s what we’re rooting for this weekend. Let’s see how it all leaves the Caps looking come Sunday evening.
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