Rapids Have What It Takes
MLS Cup, FC Dallas Vs. Colorado Rapids: SBN Editors Like The Toros, But Barely
Sure, the Toros have beaten the Supporters’ Shield winners and the team with many considered the best in MLS, but three of our eight editors think the Rapids are going to win their first MLS Cup.
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I know that Dallas is the popular pick after they dismantled Los Angeles, but I’m going with the Rapids. Dallas played exceptionally, but were also strong in the center of the park, where the Galaxy were weakest. Mastroeni and Larentowicz will challenge Ferreira and make things tough on him and the entire Dallas attack. On the other side, Cummings and Casey are too good and will exploit the Dallas back line that has been made out to be better than it is because of Hartman’s heroics. Hartman will have to be brilliant again for Dallas to lift the Cup and while a couple great saves wouldn’t surprise me, Colorado has the top-notch finishing needed to beat him and they win their first MLS Cup thanks to gritty work by Mastroeni and Larentowicz and a Cummings brace.
Red Stripes Have Too Much Talent and Variety
I wrote way back in March that I thought Colorado had built perhaps the best midfield balance in MLS. I picked them to finish third among eight in the West because of it, and because of its dynamic duo of strikers, Conor Casey and Omar Cummings. I still feel that way – almost. Now I think FC Dallas has the best midfield balance, the best assembly of talent and variety. Daniel Hernandez is the leader and holding man, Dax McCarty is the two-way linking presence and playmaker David Ferreira is the league MVP. On the outside, manager Schellas Hyndman has size in Atiba Harris, speed in Marvin Chavez and a great combo of both in Brek Shea. (Hyndman hasn’t said which two would start.) So, based on a slightly better midfield and on a fairly big edge in goal – Colorado’s Matt Pickens is trustworthy while Dallas’ Kevin Hartman has been out of this world – I’m calling Dallas in this one.
MLS Cup Preview Content
SB Nation's Soccer Hub has put together a serious of pieces hoping to get you read for tonight's MLS Cup final in Toronto:
- 10 Players to Watch (Farley)
- No DP Will Win MLS Cup, Does It Matter? (Oshan)
- Editors Picks: Dallas Favored, But Barely
- Three Keys To Colorado Success (White)
- Five Things To Watch For (McCauley)
- MLS Cup Final Preview, Colorado (White)
- Colorado, Dallas's Parallel Pasts (Oshan)
- Which Attackers Will Find The Net? (Rosenblatt)
Cummings Isn’t Quite Enough
An eight-day span at the end of August is the only reason to doubt Dallas, but after eliminating Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles, mid-October stumbles at Rio Tinto and Home Depot need a different context. At the time, those season-ending losses gave us reason to doubt. Now, those setbacks seem aberrations. Dallas has been the best team in the league since the end of May, and after their Sunday route of Galaxy at HDC, they're also the hottest. To counter that, Colorado has the match's most dangerous player and whatever confidence they can glean from drawing Dallas twice in the regular season. Omar Cummings gives any team a chance, but I can't pick against Dallas.
Don’t Bet Against Dallas
With all due respect to a strong Rapids side, I’m going with Dallas. David Ferreira’s wandering ways and mobility will help negate the defensive strength in Colorado’s midfield, and Marvin Chavez should be able to generate plenty of chances on the right going against Anthony Wallace (the weakest starting player for either team). While I have some reservations about the situation at forward for Dallas - with Cunningham better as a sub and Harris not really a goalscoring threat - I don’t think you can bet against a team that has knocked off the defending champs and the Supporters Shield winner to get here. Final score: 2-1 Dallas (goals from Shea, Ferreira, and Casey).
Dallas, But Barely
There’s no doubt who the hotter team is coming in to this game, however, Dallas is much better as an underdog and doesn’t serve the favorite role very well. I think the big key is can Colorado play well early in the game and build their confidence. If Dallas gets an early goal, I can see this game snowballing(no pun intended) as they are the best frontrunners in the league. However, the longer Colorado keeps it close, the more pressure is heaped onto Dallas. I’m not nearly as confident in this game as some but I’ll reluctantly pick FC Dallas to win 2-1.
Rapids Can Go The Distance
I figure I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t predict a Rapids win here, so here goes I guess. Colorado has been finding ways to score goals all season long plus has had a very stingy and lucky defense and Dallas has been the very best at making something out of nothing and scraping out results where there might not have been results for other squads. Still, Colorado’s advantage lies in its incredible striker duo up top, who should be able to solve even Kevin Hartman at least once. And if there’s anyone that the frigid Toronto weather in November would benefit in this league, I suppose it’s the Rapids. 2-1 Colorado, but they’ll need to go into extra time.
Rapids Have Too Many Weapons
FC Dallas has fallen only four times in all of 2010. They just don't lose. Well they just don't lose in regulation at least. Dallas achieved the rare feat of earning more ties than wins this year. Two of their ties came against the Colorado Rapids, and these two teams will be tied once again at the end of 90 minutes. And while you might think that the MLS all-time leading goalkeeper Kevin Hartman might have the advantage in that situation, it will be Colorado's striking combination that will make the difference. Conor Casey and Omar Cummings have been working together this year better than any other forward pairing I've ever seen in MLS that didn't involve Jaime Moreno. However, just like Pablo Mastroeni won the first round of the playoffs and Kosuke Kimura won the Eastern Conference Final, one of the lesser known Rapids will score the game winner. Maybe Jeff Larentowicz? Maybe Drew Moor? Who knows. What I do know is that the Rapids will win their first ever MLS Cup.
Toros Refuse To Lose
Since Kevin Hartman took over as the starter in goal for FC Dallas, the Toros have gone 12-1-8 and allowed 13 goals including three playoff matches against the two best teams in MLS this season. That's one loss in 21 matches and an average of .62 goals allowed per match for you math majors. Just once during that stretch has Dallas allowed more than one goal in a match. In matches Hartman has center back George John in front of him, Dallas is 11-1-8 with just 12 goals allowed. That's a points per match of 2.05 and .60 goals allowed per match. Dallas hasn't more than one goal in a match both players started since April 10. With both Hartman and John not only healthy but playing at the top of their games, it seems highly unlikely the Rapids are going to score more than one goal. On the flipside, the Toros have been shut out just four times all season. This is just not a good matchup for the Rapids, who have had a relatively easy path to the MLS Cup and have neither the top-end talent nor depth to match the Toros. FC Dallas really should this one, and soundly, 2-0.
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