GAME SCRIBBLES
• Chivas haven't won since the end of last month. 2 Wins, 2 Draws, 6 loses in last 10.
• Early in the season their defense was stout but pretty bad in last 10. LAG, NER, SEA, SJE have all tallied 3+ goals on them (SEA dropped 6).
• Crew have lost last two (both on the road)
• Crew have won last 3 at home but it has been against weak competition.
• Crew still struggling to keep a clean sheet. 0 in last 10.
• The Chivas coach, Robin Fraser, is suspended for this game.
PREDICTIONS
The Crew are favored and no mixed messages. 4/7 Bet365 home Crew win with the betters vote over at WinDrawWin seeing good play on Crew win, 56% (30% draw).
The "Pick 'Em" guys at MLSsoccer.com must be on vacation so I'll go with their last Power Ranking... Okay. Chivas is ranked 2nd to last and Crew 10th. Crew it is then from underpaid and over worked MLSsoccer writers.
I'm a little early for anything out of Drew Epperley (WV Hooligan), Adam Jardy (Columbus Dispatch subscription), Pitch Fest (Hudson Street Hooligans) or Aaron Katzeman but safe to say that they probably have Columbus coming out on top. Keep an eye on those sites for future matches though if you want a good feel for what will happen in the Crew's next match.
MY PREDICTION
This is one of those should win and have to win games that send shivers up my burnt sports fan spine. Objectively, Chivas is bad this year all round but the last month; horrid. Crew win, right?
What makes me nervous is that this game will be a little different for the Chivas Goats as assistant Greg Vanney will be at the helm, filling in for Robin Fraser. Vanney is a winner. Guys like him sometimes have enough to spur on even the worst teams. Couple that with the fact that Chivas leads the all time series with Columbus and hasn't lost in their last three to them and I get nervous.
That aside, the real winner tomorrow night will be the match itself. Fall is here in Columbus and soccer this time of year is magic to me. Give me a crisp 50 degrees and a beautiful sunset and I'll be the happiest man on the planet.
If you see a glowing object in the upper east stands during this game, that's me.
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