Tournament Focus: Your Guide to the 2015 MLS Playoffs
The lineup has been finalised, the draws have been made and the 2015 MLS playoffs are set. After a gruelling regular season, the North American top-flight kicks into overdrive for the next few weeks as the trophies and honours that really matter are handed out.
It’s time to start plotting your playoff bracket.
In Kei Kamara, the Columbus Crew have one of the shining stars of 2015 in MLS. The former Norwich City and Middlesbrough striker has netted 22 times in 32 appearances for the Crew this season, making him the league’s joint-top goalscorer with Sebastien Giovinco. And with an average of 4.2 shots on goal per game, when he plays - Columbus are among North America’s most dangerous outfits.
But where would Kamara be without Federico Higuain, who averages 2.4 key passes per game. Often played alongside the Sierra Leone frontman - and sometimes in behind him - Higuain is the Crew’s attacking spark and has been for the best part of three years now. The duo were suspended for Sunday’s clash against DC United - not that it affected the Crew’s performance, as they won 5-0 - but with the pair back for the playoffs, Columbus have the capacity to harm any opposition.
2015 has been a strange year for DC United. Ben Olsen’s side started the campaign well, but soon fell away and lost six of their last nine regular seasonx fixtures heading into the playoffs. However, they have one of the best home records in MLS and that will stand them in good stead against the New England Revolution on Wednesday.
DC United have Bill Hamid though - the highest rated goalkeeper (7.24) in the league right now - and Fabian Espindola too. The former RSL and Red Bulls striker has struggled with injury for much of the 2015 campaign, but he has still managed to clock up five goals and seven assists from 15 starts. The Argentine also averages more key passes per game (2.2) than any other DC United player. Whether it’s scoring or creating, Espindola is the embodiment of the Black and Red’s playoff hopes.
They might have missed out on the Supporters’ Shield, but FC Dallas are among the frontrunners for this season’s MLS Cup. The Texans enjoyed an excellent end to the campaign and as Western Conference winners are in good shape to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Mauro Diaz has been one of the stars of this year’s MLS campaign, notching eight goals and eight assists for FC Dallas. Defensively, Matt Hedges has also distinguished himself as one of the best centre-backs in the league, averaging a respectable 4.6 interceptions per game. That proactive attitude allows the Texans to move the ball into midfield quickly, unsettling opponents through the threat of Fabian Castillo and Diaz.
The L.A. Galaxy, as they always do, have made the playoffs, but there’s something different about the Carson side this season. In Robbie Keane - 20 goals for the season - and Giovani dos Santos - three goals and five assists in just 10 appearances - they have the best attacking duo in MLS, but it’s in midfield where Bruce Arena’s side have issues.
Steven Gerrard has proved an unsettling presence in the centre of the pitch since joining the Galaxy in the summer, pushing Juninho further up the pitch where he is less effective. The Brazilian is one of the best passers in MLS, averaging 59 passes per game, but is now being asked to play as something of a playmaker - a role he is not suited to. Arena must find a midfield solution if the Galaxy are to make a deep run in the playoffs.
The dismissal of manager Frank Klopas has had the desired effect at the Montreal Impact, with many even tipping the Stade Saputo side as frontrunners for this season’s MLS Cup. And with Didier Drogba in such goalscoring form, that tip might be a justified one too.
The Ivorian has 11 goals in 11 games for the Impact this term, and has given Montreal the focal point in attack they were lacking earlier in the season. With Ignacio Piatti, Justin Mapp and Andres Romero all boasting around two key passes per game, interim head coach Mauro Biello has one of the most inherently inventive frontlines in the league.
Jay Heaps’ New England Revolution suffered a horrendous slump over the summer, but they have recovered well and might be the most exciting prospect ahead of the 2015 playoffs. The Revolution are an innately attacking outfit, with Lee Nguyen finding form after a dip of his own during the season.
The US international has seven goals and eight assists to his name this campaign, is averaging more passes per game (42.8) than any other Revolution player, besides Scott Caldwell (47.6). And in Juan Agudelo and Charlie Davies, New England also have two strikers capable of moments of inspiration. Although with an average of just 1.7 and 1.5 shots on goal, respectively, the pair could do with being more consistently productive in front of goal.
Less than a year ago, a group of Red Bulls’ fans met in a town hall in New York to protest the ownership of the club, and primarily the dismissal of manager Mike Petke. It’s therefore remarkable that his replacement - Jesse Marsch - led the Harrison side to the Supporters’ Shield in his debut campaign as a top-flight coach.
It’s difficult to specifically pinpoint what the Red Bulls have got so right this season. Instead, they are simply the best-balanced, most-rounded side in the league, with Dax McCarty playing his best football at present, averaging 3.4 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game. His energy and drive is crucial to New York recycling the ball and giving it to more attacking threats such as Sacha Kljestan and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Caleb Porter’s side were the big winners on Decision Day, not just securing their place in the playoffs, but also rising as high as third in the West. That gave the Portland Timbers a home tie against Sporting KC, having scored nine goals in their last two games the Pacific Northwesteners and come into the fixture in exceptional form.
That recent surge is in part attributable to Darlington Nagbe, who has netted three and provided an assist in his last two outings. A tactical shift from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 has given the Timbers a greater threat in the final third, and with Diego Valeri averaging 2.9 key passes per game - the second most in MLS - Portland must be considered genuine challengers in this year’s playoffs.
Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins have combined for a tally of 25 goals and 16 assists this season, highlighting where the Seattle Sounders’ strength can be found. However, Sigi Schmid has yet to find the right midfield solution ahead of Wednesday’s heavyweight clash with the LA Galaxy.
Marco Pappa and Erik Friberg have enjoyed positive ends to the regular season, but neither of the two are especially adept at controlling games. Osvaldo Alonso (65.7 averages passes per game) and Gonzalo Pineda (54.1 per game) are better equipped at that side of the game, but would Schmid be willing to sacrifice his side’s defence to push his side higher up the pitch against the Galaxy’s defence on Wednesday?
Were it not for Giovinco, Sporting Kansas City’s Benny Feilhaber would most likely be the frontrunner for this season’s MVP award. The attacking midfielder has notched 10 goals and 11 assists for the campaign, demonstrating his quality by assisting Dom Dwyer’s winning goal against the LA Galaxy on Decision Day.
Peter Vermes likes his team to keep things tight, with Ike Opara enjoying a successful season to date, averaging 2.5 tackles and five interceptions per game. Soon Mustivar has also proven his worth in breaking up opposition moves at the heart of the central midfield unit, averaging 4.9 interceptions per game. Sporting KC will need that sort of resolution and alertness in the playoffs.
The term ‘one-man team’ is often used as an unfair insult thrown in the direction of a club dependant on one particular figure, but in Toronto FC’s case; it might actually be entirely justifiable and applicable. With 22 goals and 13 assists to his name for the 2015 season so far, MLS might as well have handed Sebastien Giovinco the MVP award months ago.
Indeed, the Italian is the league’s most prolific goalscorer (22 goals), most prolific shot-taker (5.5 per game) and most prolific assist-maker (13). Giovinco is quite simply the most productive player the North American game has right now. Of course, TFC have Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley as back-up - with the latter their conductor from deep, averaging two key passes per game - but Greg Vanney must be concerned by his side’s end to the regular season. With defeats to Columbus and Montreal they dropped from second - and a knockout round bye - to a sixth place in the East and a clash against the Impact on Thursday.
Carl Robinson’s side can be a difficult one to measure. At their best, the Vancouver Whitecaps are among MLS’s most accomplished, as they showed in Sunday’s trouble-free 3-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. However, they went four league games without a win before that fixture.
Kendall Watson has been a standout performer for Vancouver this season, averaging seven clearances per game as well as making an average of 4.1 interceptions, too. However, Matias Laba is arguably the Caps’ most important player, anchoring their midfield and breaking up opposition play, averaging more tackles per game (5.1) than any other player. Octavio Rivero, with 10 goals so far this season, has given Vancouver an effective focal point in attack and they will need the Uruguayan to perform at his best if they are to make an impression in the playoffs.
Which team do you think will secure MLS glory this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
