By Evan Ream
I’m genuinely excited for this game, as I am for all MLS Cups, even if something predictable happens. I started watching MLS Cup in 2004 and have never been treated to a bad game. Even the worse games of the seven I have watched live went to overtime. I don’t think this game will be bad, I think it will actually pretty much mirror the best one I have seen: MLS Cup 2008.
The Galaxy will start off strong and get a goal in the first half – Robbie Keane is my pick to get it – and cruise to halftime leading 1-0. After the half, one of the Dynamo’s 394702347230 six footers will equalize setting up a dramatic finish in which Keane will score twice after the 85th minute. Yes, I’m predicting the first hat-trick in MLS Cup history. I think Keane is on really good form and will exploit the Houston backline with smart runs.
Houston still has a chance in this game, but I think that they just don’t have enough quality. They will probably have to score two or three goals on set pieces to win this game, and with Brad Davis out, I just don’t see that happening.
Prediction: L.A. Galaxy 3 Houston Dynamo 1
MVP: Robbie Keane
After recently re-reading The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons (a must read for any sports fan), I studied his Keyser Söze chapter closely. In this chapter, Simmons chooses the ten best teams of all time (number one was the 86 Celtics) in the NBA. Each of these teams were great because they could and would go “Keyser Söze” on opponents; not just beat them, but also humiliating them in the process. I believe we are seeing the first ever “Keyser Söze” team in MLS this year: Real Salt Lake.
MVP: 
David Ferreira may be listed as a forward by some, or a midfielder by others, but he really doesn’t have a position. Ferreira, last year’s league MVP, has the license to roam. He drifts in and out, here and there, gathering the ball deep and distributing it, or creating goals up top. So many teams can’t guard him because he is moving so often off of the ball. Ferreira creates most of their goals, usually from different positions, and he is always the key to the Dallas’ team attack. Milton Rodriguez is a classic target forward who seems to be a somewhat limited player. Rodriguez hasn’t really impressed me, but the team was still successful last year without him making major contributions, so they should be alright without relying on him this year. 
Loyd may be as good as Heath Pearce, and Eric Alexander is a promising young midfield player, but Daniel Hernandez turns 35 this season, and they lost Jeff Cunningham’s off the bench spark as well as Atiba Harris’ versatility. Many young players need to contribute this year. If Kevin Hartman has the same sort of season he did last year, I can see them matching their success, but it just seems like they have lost too much depth and didn’t really try to replace it with anything. They still have their core of players, but losing Dax McCarty will cost them ultimately. I see this team being a lower playoff seed that can upset teams, but due to a lack of depth will not be able to find the consistency they had last year. 
Conor Casey and Omar Cummings. Casey/Cummings combined for 27 goals last year, the most out of any partnership. They were also the only partnership to have both players hit for at least 10 goals. With 34 games this season, I could see them getting 35 goals together. Their midfield projects to be the same that won them the Cup last year with one change. I think that Jamie Smith will be relegated to the bench for Sanna Nyassi. Obviously, Colorado still thinks Smith can play, but with a loaded schedule this year, they would like to have three to four players who can play these positions. Brian Mullen, though getting up there in years, should be the other outside midfield starter. The things in the center of the field are much clearer cut. Pablo Mastroeni and Jeff Larentowicz form one of the best central midfield duos in the league, and their starting places are under no circumstances up for grabs. Their backline is also unchanged with Anthony Wallace, Marvell Wynne, Drew Moor, and Kosuke Kimura leading the way just as they did last year. In goal, the always good but not great Matt Pickens looks to again be the clear starter. 
Jeff Larentowicz in his “
In the 35th minute, Jair Benitez played an excellent switch to Martin Chavez, who was for some reason all alone on the right side. Chavez had the time and space to take a few touches before expertly picking out David Ferreira with a bending cross. Pickens came off his line too slowly and Ferreira finished easily in what was to be the best moment for Dallas all night. Highlights:
From here, the game got quite chippy, with fouls going both ways, but mostly Conor Casey (or Casey Conor?) fouled everyone that he got near. Casey most definitely got under everyone’s skin, leading up to his 57th minute goal, which although scrappy, showed what a true goal scorer is willing to do to score goals. I loved this goal (around 4:25 in the highlights). Casey never thought about anything else but scoring. Even when he was on the ground in between two players, obviously hurting from the collision, he didn’t hesitate for one second. Sometimes games are won by who was stronger mentally and Casey showed that he clearly had a stronger mentality than Jair Benitez who he abused all night.
