{"id":1105500,"date":"2019-09-09T12:21:57","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T11:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1105500"},"modified":"2019-09-09T12:21:57","modified_gmt":"2019-09-09T11:21:57","slug":"mls-week-27-eastern-western-conference-playoffs-nycfc","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/mls-week-27-eastern-western-conference-playoffs-nycfc\/","title":{"rendered":"MLS: New York City finally top Eastern Conference as Cincinnati approach unwanted record"},"content":{"rendered":"

A depleted schedule in MLS week 27 offered up just five games but action was in no short supply nonetheless.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We’re heading to that crunch part of the season where, if a team has serious designs on sneaking into the play-offs, they must do it now.<\/p>\n

Moreover, sides suffering a dip in form at the worst possible time will be nervously looking over their shoulders at the teams behind them as both conferences become increasingly tough to separate.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7360490-squawka-talker-special-champions-league-2019-20-preview<\/p>\n

So, without further ado, let’s get into the best of the action from across the pond….<\/p>\n

1. LA Galaxy slip below the line<\/strong><\/h2>\n

They didn’t even have a game but week 27 was still absolutely huge for LA Galaxy, with Zlatan and Co slipping below the play-off line. Just a few weeks ago, the Galaxy looked nailed on to make it to the post-season, sitting second behind their city rivals LAFC and playing a functional, if slightly jarring, brand of football. It was rudimentary but brought the best out of Ibrahimovic.<\/p>\n

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READ MORE:<\/strong><\/span> Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The face of MLS or a dinosaur figurehead threatening its evolution?<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Now, they’re on a run of just two wins and eight points \u2013 four of which, strangely, came against LAFC \u2013 in eight MLS games, slipping all the way down to eighth in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n

Ibrahimovic is still scoring goals at a record-equalling rate, Jonathan Dos Santos is one of the most consistent midfielders in MLS and Cristian Pavon is a hell of a statement signing. But for one reason or another, manager\u00a0Guillermo Barros Schelotto just can’t find the balance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Galaxy’s final six games of the regular season are quite favourable, against sides mostly battling it out in the lower reaches of their respective conferences. That said, they choked on decision day last season, don’t bet against it happening again.<\/p>\n

2. NYCFC top the East<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Who is the best team in the Eastern Conference<\/a>? It’s a subject that’s been under hot debate for pretty much most of the 2019 season. Some would say it’s Atlanta United \u2013 the Five Stripes are the defending champions and have won two trophies (Campeones Cup and US Open Cup) in the past month. Others could make a case for the likes of Philadelphia Union this season, or maybe even DC United.<\/p>\n

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#NYCFC<\/a>, #TFCLive<\/a>, & #FaceOfCity<\/a> picked up crucial points yesterday. ? pic.twitter.com\/7PYUUQySU2<\/a><\/p>\n

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 8, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n