Lion Links: 10/13/20

Happy Tuesday, everyone. While there were no Orlando City or Orlando City B games this weekend, the Orlando Pride did have a game, although it didn’t end the way any of us were hoping it would. Luckily the Lions are back in action tomorrow, so you’ll be able to get your fix soon enough. There’s lots to talk about today, so let’s get into it.

Miller Finds Consistency

Kamal Miller was asked about his recent run of games in the lineup and how it’s affected him. The Canadian said that he felt that his recent increase in playing time had been very beneficial which is unsurprising, especially since he’s played pretty well lately. He also said that he thought that the increase in games wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it was giving everyone a chance to get into a groove and a rhythm ahead of the season ending. Finally, he spoke about the team’s desire to “make a statement,” something that the Lions hopefully do after their key clash against the Columbus Crew was postponed.

How the Playoffs Would Look Today

The field for the playoffs in Major League Soccer will be set in just under a month from now. But, what would things look like if the postseason started today? As things currently stand, Orlando would be the fourth seed in the East, and would face the team directly below it in the standings, NYCFC. Toronto would be the top seed in the East, with the New York Red Bulls, Montreal Impact, Chicago Fire, and Atlanta United occupying the play-in spots. The Seattle Sounders would go in as the top seed in the Western Conference, with the Colorado Rapids at the other end of things as the eighth seed.

Jonson Barred From RSL Activities

Real Salt Lake forward Sam Johnson is currently banned from participating in team activities after some troubling news came to light. Johnson hosted several house parties at his residence, some of which reportedly had around 100 guests in attendance. Johnson held parties on Oct. 4 and Oct. 7, with RSL finding out about the parties on Oct. 8. There were also reports that a shooting took place at one of the parties that he hosted, although that has not been confirmed. Either way, it’s certainly not a good look for him or the team.

MLS Power Rankings Update

OCSC was hurt by its lack of a match on Sunday in the latest edition of ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings. The team dropped to fourth from its previous spot of second, but given that the Lions didn’t play over the weekend, that’s understandable. Toronto, Philly, and the Portland Timbers occupy the top three spots in that order, with the Sounders rounding out the top five. The other end of the list sees D.C. United stay at the bottom after a 4-1 beating by NYCFC cost Ben Olsen his job. FC Cincinnati is right above D.C., with the LA Galaxy finishing out the bottom three after a 6-1 shellacking at the hands of the Timbers.

Free Kicks

• There’s troubling news out of Peru as members of that country’s national team have tested positive for COVID-19. So far, the Federacion Peruana de Futbol has confirmed two players, including Seattle’s Raul Ruidiaz. Let’s hope El Pulpo stays safe.

• Reggie Cannon says that FC Dallas asked him to apologize for comments he made after the team was booed when it kneeled during the national anthem.

• FiveThirtyEight gives Toronto a 51% chance of winning the Supporters Shield, while Orlando’s chances are at 4%.
• Chris Mueller is currently tied for seventh in the Golden boot race.
• MLS has postponed Colorado’s next three matches, although the good news is that the Rapids have had no new COVID-19 cases. The league is working on trying to find make-up dates.
• Paul Scholes has been named the interim head coach of League Two team Salford City.

That’ll do it for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.