What Matters This Weekend

As we enter the fifth week of the 2011 season, things are starting to take shape. Portland opened its home, Jeld- Wen Field, on Thursday with an electrifying 4-2 win over Chicago before nearly 19000 fans, meaning that all MLS teams but Sporting have now played a home game. This weekend that momentum will be as important for Portland as it will be for all other clubs both on and off the field, as all teams will be looking for wins and attendance, as many have found either (or both) of the two to be elusive. Here’s what matters this weekend:

Benny Feilhaber: Though he will not be playing this weekend, Benny Feilhaber is a name to keep in mind this weekend. The US midfielder, who was most recently seen with the Danish AGF Aarhus, agreed to an MLS contract on Friday, just making the transfer window. As per allocation rankings, Chivas USA has first dibs, and will have until 5pm on Tuesday to make a move, though the team has stated that they would not be making a decision until after their match against Vancouver at the earliest. Feilhaber is a high caliber midfielder who would be an excellent fit at Chivas, and who could add tons of skill to their midfield.

Revenge: For nearly six months, New York fans have been waiting for the day they could get revenge on the San Jose Earthquakes, whose dominance in the second leg of round one of last year’s playoffs robbed them of advancing towards the MLS cup. That day has come, but definitely not in the fashion that the fans would have liked. the Red Bulls have seen an early slump, with one win in four games and their star striker Thierry Henry having seemingly forgotten how to play soccer. San Jose may have the same record, but seem much more confident coming into this game.

Resilience: When Toronto traded Dwayne De Rosario to New York, they must have known that they were giving up the lynch pin of their offense. Since then, TFC has tied three games. As they take on the visiting DC United, who have seen a clear resurgence with help from Charlie Davies,they will either prove that they still have some offense left or dye trying.

So, what do you think matters this weekend? Good luck, and enjoy the action. I’ll be back with an attendance roundup on Monday or Tuesday.

Category: MLS