Ahead of Sunday's regular season finale against San Jose, SportingKC.com caught up with ESPN.com's Jeff Carlisle to preview the Western Conference clash at Children's Mercy Park. Live coverage starts at 3 p.m. CT on 38 The Spot, SKCTV, 99.3 FM, and La Grande 1340 AM.
These two sides met back in September with Sporting KC earning a 2-1 win at Avaya Stadium. What are your thoughts on that match and any impact it might have on Sunday?
I think it should give SKC a lot of confidence. It wasn’t a pretty match by any means, but Kansas City found a way to get a result against a team it hadn’t beaten on the road in well over a decade. With the home crowd behind them, I think SKC has to like its chances of getting the result it needs.
What’s been the reasons for the Earthquakes offensive struggles?
There just aren’t enough difference makers on this team in terms of creating chances. I do think the early season loss of Clarence Goodson has had an impact as well, as he was a guy they could count on to pass the ball out of the back, and they’ve had to be more direct as a result. That tends to limit the effectiveness of guys like Simon Dawkins. Chris Wondolowski is still as stealthy as ever with his movement, but he’s averaging 2.55 shots per game, that’s the lowest mark he’s had in the last five seasons. I think that speaks to the lack of chance creators on this team.
Sporting KC are coming off a 0-0 draw at Real Salt Lake led by strong performances from Tim Melia and Matt Besler (earned Team of the Week honors). What will Sporting KC need to do on Sunday to earn another clean sheet?
I think SKC could make life easier for itself if it can clean up some of the turnovers it committed in midfield. That created some dangerous transition moments for RSL but Melia was able to bail his team out. RSL carved out some good moments on set pieces too, and the Quakes do have some threats in that area with Fatai Alashe and Henok Goitom (if he starts). They’ll need to keep an eye on Tommy Thompson too. He’s been more incisive in the last half to the season.
On the other end, what areas can Sporting KC exploit against the Earthquakes defense?
The Quakes are super organized. That’s one thing you can count on with a Dominic Kinnear-coached team. I do think Dom Dwyer can give them problems with his movement, but he does that to everyone. One guy I think SKC can attack is Darwin Ceren in the center of midfield. He has some good skills, but his decision making on when to settle the ball and when to play first time is suspect. He just takes too many risks in dangerous areas. If guys like Roger Espinoza can gang up on him, it may force some turnovers that will allow SKC to run at San Jose before the Quakes can recover and get organized.
Overall, what are your thoughts on the match and any predictions or expectations on how things will play out?
I fully expect Kansas City to get the win that will clinch its spot in the playoffs. San Jose has pride, but I think the season can’t really end soon enough for the Quakes. If SKC can get its nose in front, they’ll get the job done. I think Kansas City will win 2-0.
Four teams (SKC, RSL, SEA, POR) are fighting for three playoff spots in the West. How do you see it playing out on Sunday?
I think RSL is really vulnerable at the moment, and will be the team to miss out. They have a tough road game against Seattle, and while they only need a tie, the Sounders have something to play for as well. Granted, Portland has to win, and it hasn’t won on the road all season, which is incredible given they’re the defending MLS Cup champions. I think it will come down to those two teams.
What are your thoughts on the 2016 regular season and any storylines that have caught your eye?
It’s been a crazy season, no doubt, especially with what Colorado and NYCFC have been able to do. Colorado in particular has been a huge surprise, but they’ve really found an identity under Pablo Mastroeni. On the other side it’s amazing that both Portland and Columbus have struggled. Granted, injuries always play a part, but you would have thought that the Crew in particular would have built on what they did last season and it just hasn’t happened for a variety of reasons. Dallas’ staying power has impressed me. Whenever a team has success without spending a lot of money, you wonder if it’s sustainable. But give FCD credit, they’ve been magnificent this season, even in the face of some big time losses in Fabian Castillo and now Mauro Diaz.
