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**This article was first posted on the Redbrick website** Sport Reporter Jake Davies recaps the final day of the MLS regular season and previews the upcoming playoffs The regular season of Major League Soccer 2019 reached its climax last weekend with Decision Day – the final day of the league series. Los Angeles FC had already sealed the Supporters Shield, awarded to the team with the best record in the league, but the dominant side went on to break records on Sunday. Their 3-1 victory over Colorado Rapids ensured they finished with the most goals in a season with 85, and the most points in MLS history with 72. LAFC have been hailed by many as the best team to emerge since the founding of American soccer, and a crucial factor in their success is the league’s top scorer, Carlos Vela. The Mexican netted a hat-trick in Sunday’s win to smash the MLS record for most goals in one season with 34 in 31 games, along with 15 assists. Bob Bradley’s men are favourites to go on and win the M...

A Single Step. The Count was one of my personal favourite villains of this first season of Arrow , so I was extremely disappointed to discover that his screen time would be limited in 'Unfinished Business', as the character was reduced to insane babbling as a result of his OD on Vertigo previously. The plot twist that the Count wasn't actually pulling the strings was a refreshing one however and it was nice to see Oliver finally feel empathy for one of the villains and decide not to kill him. Elsewhere, Tommy and Oliver's fight seemed strange to me. At no point had Oliver suggested he thought Tommy was dealing Vertigo so him snapping at Oliver was out of the blue. I am also gutted that Tommy won't be managing the nightclub anymore, as he is one of my favourite characters in the show and Oliver should probably start showing him some respect. In the past, we get to see a momentous moment as Shado strengthens Oliver's grip and hand in order to allow him to dr...

What's the Difference Between You and Me? Oliver wrestles with his self-imposed isolation this episode, whilst a so-called Savior hunts down those that have wronged the Glades and murders them on camera. It's a fun, serial-killer story which makes the viewer question Oliver's own actions - what makes him so different to the Savior? Roy and Thea are also inadvertently pulled into the madman's plans when Roy is kidnapped, thus we get to see their relationship progress as a result of the trauma. Meanwhile, Moira dobs in Frank, who is immediately killed by the Dark Archer. Moira's breakdown in the car following the incident leaves me confused at whether to feel sorry for her or disgusted by her, but clearly her twisted sense of right and wrong means she is too far gone to be saved. It will be interesting to see how Ollie reacts to the truth about his mother, whenever it comes to light. On the island, we encounter Shado for the first time and thus the love triangle...

Being Happy isn't What's Important Right Now. Helena Bertinelli returns as the Huntress in an episode which can be described as distinctly average. Helena already cringed me out the last time we saw her, so I must admit I wasn't eager to see her return, but it is at least a nice continuity from earlier in the season. As she hunts for her father (who is noticeably absent the entire episode, apart from a clearly-a-different-actor shot of 'Bertinelli' running away from the Huntress), she attacks those closest to Oliver, which riles him up and allows us to see an angry, motivated and wild Hood when he attempts to kill Helena at the end. A dark tone which is much appreciated. Elsewhere, we see both Tommy and Oliver's relationships breaking down as they attempt to keep the Hood a secret. Amell puts in an impressively emotional performance this week as Oliver and admittedly I truly felt for the billionaire playboy when McKenna was shot and announced she was moving...

So... Who Needs Two Bullets in the Chest? 'Dead to Rights' is a solid episode in Arrow 's first season. The episode chooses to refocus upon the Undertaking and the overall running arc of the series, and it is all the better for it. We see fractures in the List organisation, as Moira and Frank turn on Malcolm. Similarly, we see Malcolm struggling to maintain the lie of his identity from his son Tommy, and this conflict plays out well across the 42 minute run time. He kills in front of Tommy and almost reveals his Dark Archer outfit to his son, before Lawton interrupts by shooting Malcolm. Lawton's reintroduction as Deadshot is another excellent move by the showrunners. Deadshot, now missing an eye thanks to his last encounter with the Hood, is a great foe and I'm glad he's back in action and likely to return in the future of the Arrowverse. His new robotic eye is bad-ass, as was the fight scenes between Oliver, the Triad and China White. In the past, little...

I'm Not Robin Hood. The villain this week shares a name with the title of the episode, but Dodger is a lacklustre character to say the least. This is a typical Arrow  trope of dropping a dull, one-off villain in to pad out the 22 episode season. Aside from the adequate main plot revolving around Dodger, we are introduced for the first time to Roy Harper! Roy is a great, grounded character and one that will go on to be a fan favourite, but for now we just learn about his current social status. Additionally, both Diggle and Oliver go on dates this week and it is a nice change of pace to see them in a different environment to taking criminals down. Hilariously, both dates go terribly although in true Arrow fashion, all is resolved by the end of the episode. We get a darker look at Oliver in this weeks flashbacks, as he is forced to accept that trust cannot be given freely to all those in need. Oliver understands the dangers now that the island poses and thus takes a stronger sta...

Nothing is Bred that is Weaker than Man. 'The Odyssey' serves in large part as an extended flashback episode and the series benefits from it. As Oliver lies dying after being shot by his mother, we learn about how he and Slade became friends five years before. The training montage is fun and makes the viewer feel like they are finally seeing some progression in the Hood's origin story. The action in this episode is also worth mentioning, as the clearing of the runway shows Slade's brutality and fighting style, whilst the climactic showdown between Wilson and his old partner Billy Wintergreen is a brilliantly choreographed battle and a satisfying ending to the episode, as Slade finally gets his revenge for being betrayed. Oliver also faces a change of heart in this episode - he resolves to help people, as he feels he owes it to Yao Fei and thus should stop being so selfish. We can see the beginnings of his journey into becoming Starling City's vigilante. Thanks ...