Welcome to Starting XI, our Friday rundown of what to watch for -- and what we're watching.
Our recommended musical pairing this week, as per Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle, is The Buzzcocks' "A Different Kind of Tension."
I. POPPIN' A WHEELER:Aaron Wheeler started once in 2013. He played 129 whopping minutes. He scored once. He was, back then, a burly target forward.
These days, Wheeler is the starting center back (for now, at least) of a Philadelphia Union squad with real playoff dreams. If head coach John Hackworth is to be believed, Wheeler’s not going anywhere despite needing a little prodding last week against Houston. The message? Be aggressive. He’ll be champing at the bit against a Montreal side still in search of their first win on Saturday (4 pm ET; MLS Live).
But is Wheeler really the answer in Philly? Can former Rookie of the Year Austin Berry get back in the XI? This promises to be a week-by-week process. And if it doesn't work out for Wheelz? Well, as the video below shows, he's always got a career in music. -- ANDREW WIEBE
II: JACKMAC IN SCORING MOOD: You know how Mike Magee and Robbie Rogers are now inextricably linked because of their trade last year? Well, the same applies for Jack McInerney and Andrew Wenger since they swapped teams earlier this season. While he's out in Montreal, where limited tickets remain for the Stade Saputo opener, Wenger is going to pick up some clothes he left over. McInerney, in the meantime, has other things on his mind. -- SIMON BORG
X. FROM MUST-SEE TO FLOP?: Prior to the season, the Houston Dynamo-Portland Timbers game this Sunday (3 pm ET; UniMas) looked to be a barnburner. Now? Not so much. Portland are winless through their first seven matches, and the Dynamo are 0-4-1 in their last five. Here’s hoping one of them will get a win. Will it be Houston? If yes, the awful midweek loss to the Red Bulls can be wiped away instantly. What about the Timbers on the road? If they can notch that first victory for 2014, the rising tide of panic can subside, or at least remain level for the moment. -- ALICIA RODRIGUEZ
XI. THE PARTING SHOT:
The transfer market is closed for Round 8, so you're stuck with what you've got this weekend. Be sure to check your lineup before the games begin on Saturday at 4 pm ET, but don't be afraid to make transfers for Round 9 now. Perhaps you'll be able to sell before prices drop and buy before they rise.
