MLS (Mid)Week 11 Preview, Picks: Busy Week Starts With Three Big Games

A busy week in MLS starts with three very watchable games on Wednesday. The most evenly matched of them is probably FC Dallas visiting Qwest Field to face the Seattle Sounders, but anyone of these three could be very good.

New York Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids, 8 p.m., Wednesday

A couple weeks ago, the Red Bulls looked poised to make their claim as the best team in MLS. Through their first eight matches, they had allowed just three goals and claimed 15 points. Blame it on that senseless friendly against the Montreal Impact or whatever else you want, but something changed. In the two games since, they've allowed five goals and registered just one point despite playing against teams that will likely be competing for the final playoff spots. A match on short rest may not be the perfect solution, either, as the Red Bulls defense has looked a bit sluggish lately. But the Rapids haven't exactly been tearing it up, either, as they've won just once in their past eight. The cause of those struggles is almost certainly the cavalcade of injuries. Conor Casey seems to be getting closer to full fitness and their defense has remained strong during their down period, allowing five goals in their past seven matches. This could be ugly. Pick: Red Bulls 1-0.

While the national narrative seems to suggest these two teams have gone in opposite directions, although the reality isn't quite that clear. The Toros have, undoubtedly, been very good since David Ferreira's injury. After their tie on Saturday, they've now claimed 14 points in their last six and haven't even trailed since Ferreira got hurt. But the Sounders haven't been all that bad since Zakuani's injury, themselves. It's true they haven't looked as good as FC Dallas, but they've claimed 11 points in the six matches they've played mostly without their left midfielder and have lost just once. Like the Toros, the Sounders defense seems to have picked up most of the slack of their departed star by picking up their defense, allowing just four goals and registering three shutouts. Don't expect a lot of goals. Pick: tied, 0-0.

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo, 10:30 p.m., Wednesday

Don't look now, but the team with three Designated Players is playing as well as you'd expect. In the 10 games since their humbling loss 4-1 loss to Real Salt Lake, the Galaxy have lost just once and claimed 19 points while posting a +8 goal difference. The play of Landon Donovan and David Beckham, in particular, has played a large part in that run. With Beckham unavailable, they'll probably be looking to Juan Pablo Angel to pick up his game a bit. The Dynamo look to have slipped considerably in recent weeks, as they've followed their six-match unbeaten run with four straight without a victory. Their defense doesn't look quite so stellar and their offense continues to be spotty. A road win at Home Depot Center doesn't seem like a good bet. Pick: Galaxy 2-0.