Joseph Lowery Twitter Facebook Copy Medically speaking, there are couple of better ways to eliminate off a tryptophan-induced nap than with a Western Meeting Semifinal in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Championship. Okay, that's not really true. Tryptophan isn't some type of instant rest potion, so you can go in advance as well as fill up on that particular turkey, and somehow researchers have not gotten around to testing whether football can assist an examination subject eliminate an oncoming snooze. However the factor is, we've got MLS on Thanksgiving this year! On Turkey Day, the West's top-seeded Colorado Rapids will certainly handle the Combating Sebastian Blancos. erm, I suggest the four-seeded Portland Timbers, that topped Minnesota United 3-1 in Round One. What can we expect to see from these two groups Darren Yapi T-Shirt, between attacks of eco-friendly bean casserole of training course, as they defend a place in the Western Seminar Final? Here's a break down of what awaits Thursday at Dick's Sporting Product Park (4:30 pm ET|FOX, FOX Deportes) Colorado Rapids By the time Thursday rolls around, it will have been 18 days because the Rapids carried out their Decision Day heist that sent them atop the Western Meeting table. The Rapids do not have a conventional star gamer-- lone Designated Player Younes Namli had ankle joint surgery in June as well as has actually contributed 1g/1a in 532 mins this year-- yet they certainly have a team-wide approach. According to 2nd Range, Colorado compiled the second-most anticipated goals in the routine season on counter-attacks. With fast, straight-line gamers in the frontline, the Rapids' personnel fits the counter-attacking mold and mildew. "We're in control of the video game with the round when we have possession, but additionally the greatest thing lacks the ball, " Rapids captain Jack Price informed Burgundy Wave previously this month (emphasis mine). That concentrate on defensive strength while playing without the ball has served Colorado well (they permitted the 7th lowest xG total amount in MLS in 2021) as well as it's worked as a foundation for their hostile transition attacks. But the Rapids do not just attack on the break. They also make use of the area to have and also capitalize on dead-ball situations. In ownership, the Rapids make use of the width of the field to spread the opposition protection and produce spaces. They averaged the 5th largest properties in MLS, just behind 4 real property teams (Austin FC, the LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and Atlanta United) and also they remain in the leading 10 in passes per ownership and also ordinary belongings duration. In spite of spending an above-average amount of time in traditional belongings stages, head coach Robin Fraser's team is below-average at producing goalscoring opportunities from belongings. The Rapids are 20th in MLS in xG developed from accumulation, maintenance, development and also assaulting stages. Still, Colorado's defined belongings form and also structure gives them review that can be beneficial in the postseason-- as well as can aid them carve with a battling Rose city defense. When the round is quit, the Rapids are among the very best set item teams in MLS. They averaged the fourth highest xG per edge kick/free start the regular season and scored 13 objectives from those restarts. Only New York City City FC scored as several goals on corners and free kicks as the Rapids did this year. The Rapids aren't a conventional No. 1 seed, but they absolutely have the devices to carry their regular-season momentum right into a playoff run-- as well as perhaps to MLS Mug on Dec. 11. Portland Timbers When you take a look at the data, few teams left standing in the playoffs have specified, set-in-stone strengths as well as weaknesses like Portland. With the ball, the Timbers are among the most harmful teams in MLS; just five teams compiled more xG from open play than Portland in the regular season. That number is rather remarkable by itself, however when you zoom in to the last two months of the normal period, it begins to look even better. In between Aug. 1 as well as the start of the playoffs, Rose city generated one of the most goals in the league and the third most xG per video game in the league just behind LAFC and their Thanksgiving opponents. A major factor behind that offending outcome is a 5-foot-7 Argentine striking midfielder. I didn't just choose Aug. 1 as a random date over. No, that was when Sebastian Blanco started playing much more continually for the Timbers after rehabbing from a knee injury. With Blanco in the schedule, Portland ended up being increasingly hard to stop. Just ask Minnesota just how tough it is to maintain tabs on the small Argentine. And if you do not rely on Loons fans to offer you a straight answer, well, you can simply consider the numbers. In the last two months of the normal period, Blanco published the fourth most xA in MLS, one of the most xG of any out-and-out striking midfielder, as well as the fifth most objectives added (courtesy of American Football Evaluation) of any routine gamer. Blanco is an actual, genuine danger to remove any type of group in the organization, also a solid defensive team like the Rapids. Add in Felipe Mora, whose motion between the charge spot as well as the objective line makes him among the most harmful No. 9s in MLS, and also you have actually obtained a good, old-fashioned 9/10 combination. For all the good points Blanco and Co. have food preparation in the attack, there are genuine issues about the Timbers' defensive chops. Only three groups surrendered extra open-play xG in the normal season as well as nothing else group permitted much more xG on cost-free kicks and also corner kicks than Rose city. Those open-play defensive problems turned up early in Portland's Round One playoff game against the Loons. Minnesota strung together a 12-pass series that bypassed Blanco and Mora up leading, split Diego Chara and also Cristhian Paredes in central midfield, and also finished with a Franco Fragapane tap-in at the back blog post. 12 passes, 40 seconds, 10 Loons gamers obtained a discuss the ball.One of the most effective team objectives you'' ll see in these playoffs. pic.twitter.com/fvSak2uef1— Matthew Doyle () November 21, 2021 As the game proceeded, Portland shored points up defensively (and also Minnesota stopped attacking so aggressively), however however: Rose city will require to be smarter about just how they play without the ball on Thursday if they want to stop Colorado, that can hit them in a number of various methods. With Blanco's heroics, a possible battle on set pieces, the Rapids' different attacking risks and my needlessly big plate of mashed potatoes, there's plenty to watch throughout Colorado as well as Rose city's Thanksgiving tussle. Joseph Lowery -