Crew Rd 5 Predictions, at SJE

The Columbus Crew are in San Jose today to take on the Earthquakes. Kickoff is 3 PM EST, 1 PM PST. Weather should be just awful out there today.

 GAME NOTES 
CLB : Team still has clean bill of health
CLB : Lineup not expected to change much
CLB : Look to get back on plan after last week's loss
SJE : Only played 3 MLS games in 2014 (+CCL action)
SJE : Looking for first win of 2014, losses to Sporting and New England
SJE : Off last week

 TEN PREDICTIONS 
Percentage on left is accuracy so far this season in picking result. Sorted Best to Worst.

75% WIN DRAW WIN ... COLUMBUS CREW
For the 5th match in a row, Win Draw Win likes the Crew. Wiseguys like this one to have some goals in it (which is different) 1-3 to the Away side. "Your Vote" also likes Columbus with 48% (Draw 29%, SJ 22%).

50% COLUMBUS DISPATCH ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (lean)
Adam Jardy thinks the story this week will be how the Crew rebounds from their seasons first defeat last week. Edge seems to go to SJ because of how physical they are and the fact that they are looking for their first win. Pick up a copy of today's Dispatch here in town if you get a chance!

50% WHOSCORED.COM ... COLUMBUS CREW
Graham Ruthven likes the Crew this week to "return to winning ways." Noting the great start the team has. He also mentions Scott Cooper is "under increasing pressure to turn their form around." Crew have higher whoscored.com rating.

25% BET365 ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
Looks like SJ is getting better than even today 10/11 (12/5 Draw, 3/1 Crew). A low scoring 1-0 match most likely.

25% GOAL.COM ... DRAW
No author listed on this lonely game preview but he/she does note that, "fans hoping their side will pick up three points may be disappointed if recent history holds. The previous three meetings between the Quakes and the Crew have ended in draws." Readers have chosen SJ this week.

25% HOME TEAM ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
Well, they have this going for them today.

25% MLSSOCCER ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The team over at the corp league offices likes the 'Quakes today, 3 of 6 picking them. Two draw, one lone pick Crew from Kristel Valencia. Kristel has lowest accuracy rate of the group.

0% WV HOOLIGAN ... SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
Drew Epperley likes "the Quakes chances being at home in this one as Chris Wondolowski gets rolling here." He also says that "Columbus has to show that they can be the same club that impressed" early on. Why do they have to do that? For power rankings?

n/a% TABLE POSITION ... COLUMBUS CREW
We'll go ahead and kick this on off now that it is past week five.

n/a % MASSIVE REPORT ... (no pick)
Head on over to MR to check out Pat Murphy's preview of the game to find out how seriously the Crew are taking this match. His preview is excellent as always and full of pre-match quotes and overloading with important information.

 MY THOUGHTS ON AN INTERESTING MATCHUP 

Weather is a common player complaint about playing away to San Jose. Garber to address issue?

First thought that ran through my mind when seeing this game on the schedule was that of relief because it wasn't going to be a 11 PM start but after thinking on it decided that it was sort of a bummer though because I like seeing the evening sky and the sun set on Buck Shaw. There is something about the color and shadows I love about it. I think some of it comes from the fact that the stands sit low and allow the sun to drench the pitch and players in magical hues... take it away Kerouac.

“Soon it got dusk, a grapy dusk, a purple dusk over tangerine groves and long melon fields; the sun the color of pressed grapes, slashed with burgandy red, the fields the color of love" ...

... where was I?

As mentioned a few game previews above, these two have played to low scoring ties in recent times but each one has been memorable in its own right. Last time this matchup was lopsided was a few years ago, late game eastern time out there and the Crew got stomped 3-0.

San Jose is a team that feeds off emotion. If they get going early, it's bad for the Crew. If they are in it late, it is bad for the Crew. Chris Wondolowski's last game being one where he played well for the USMNT against Mexico is bad for the Crew. Fact that SJ has only lost one of last 22 at Buck Shaw is... well you get the point.

Those things are all emotional type things a team like San Jose feeds off of. The Crew are taking on the mentality of their new coach Gregg Berhalter and he is the antithesis of riding on emotion (so far anyway). The way he is building this team is exactly the right poison for a group like San Jose has.

It might be cold and boring, but if Berhalter can get it right he will win games like the one. I reckon that's what I'll be looking for today but if they'd kindly leave the camera running until the sun is finished setting this evening, I'd be looking for that too.