Whether or not it was a carry-over from the cup, Presthus must avoid those type of performances and get his act together for the playoffs. At his press conference the day after United's elimination, Blatter was at his diplomatic best when he assessed United's situation. If you don't have a goalkeeper who is a lucky man, he is a lucky loser. And a lucky loser in football does not mean a lot. Of course, getting a better goalkeeper is easier said than done for United, which had to jettison all-stars Raul Diaz Arce and John Harkes the last two years to get under the MLS salary cap.
Fire needs fresh legs Chicago's situation is much more subtle.
The Fire is 18-13 entering the final weekend of this season after winning the title in its first year. It still can happen, but the Fire has shown too many lapses for a championship team, particularly on attack. With the teams focused on the upcoming MLS playoffs, it would be unfair for the coaches to talk about player movement for next season. Given their ages, at least one player probably will be replaced. These players aren't getting any younger, and playing the bulk of the season in the summer makes MLS more and more a young man's league.