The MLS season is upon us. The League is becoming ever more and more prevalent. This year seems like it is the most hyped in a while. It helps when better and better players even though most of them are aging come to your league. For example Steven Gerrard, David Villa, Kaka, Giovinco, Drogba, and Giovani Dos Santos. It also helps when Chelsea wants Matt Miazga to be a substitute. Bottom line new MLS is here and it needs to impress this year so let’s go over and talk about how this season will play out.
The Western Conference the order these teams are in is the order they will finish in the conference.
Seattle: It’s really a make or break year in the emerald city. With the departure of Obafemi Martins the club may be better off. With a handful of stars picked up from Europe last season and Stephan Frei had a coming out party last year. This team is set up to win now so they better win now.
Vancouver: Octavio Rivero and the Whitecaps defied all expectations last year. This year they are heavy favorites to win the west. It’s going to be all about living up to the hype. That is going to have to happen behind Kekutah Manneh, and Darren Mattocks.
Fc Dallas: Major disappointment the words that describe last season for Fc Dallas. An early Playoff exit forced changes but brought few results in the off season you cant win in this new league with out super stars and Dallas just doesn’t have that many. I have them at third because I think there one super star Fabian Castillo can carry them to third in the west.
Los Angeles: The Galaxy are a model of consistency in the MLS and they are adapting nicely to this new league. This year the pieces of the puzzle assembled last year will start to gel. This team will have the most goals scored in the league and likely the golden boot winner on there roster. The back end will let them down though. They must find an answer at Goaltender.
Portland: The MLS champs have never been the best in the regular season but don’t count them out for a Playoff run. Will Johnson is a solid MLS veteran along with Nat Borchers and if they get a star they may be able to fit in to this evolving league.
Sporting Kansas City: Sporting’s season came to a bad end. After a first round exit this team needs to rebound. How? Outdo this prediction that they will be 6th. It’s going to be hard though without any major stars except Dom Dwyer.
San Jose: The Earthquakes have made strides towards improving there team but in the competitive west just make the playoffs wait until next year.
Houston: Erik Cubo Torres is a rising young star. Key word young, Brad Davis is getting older. Key word older, this team has a good core to build around I think this is a perfect rebuilding year. Go out get some defensive talent to keep Tyler Dereck covered. Find some support for Boniek Garcia in the mid and this team is dangerous for years to come.
Salt Lake: They could go above and beyond this prediction, they have a way of suprising. On paper though before the season this team doesn’t have the fire power to compete with the rest of the table.
Colorado: Made literally 1 or 2 changes this offseason. Why wouldn’t they end up in last again.
Playoff Prediction: Western Conference finals
Seattle 3 Portland 2 aggregate
Eastern Conference
Toronto: This team is stacked with all stars and they just kept getting better last season. They’re only competition may be the Red Bulls. There is no doubt in my mind, The Atomic Ant will win the east.
New York: Losing Matt Miazga to Chelsea hurt the red bulls future no doubt. They’re present looks pretty great though. The Wright Phillips duo will have all year to dominate and Luis Robles is always fantastic.
Montreal: Didier Drogba, is there any thing else that needs to be said?
Columbus
D.C.: This team is filled with aging veterans and never does well in the playoffs. This team needs to rebuild and fast or they won’t be able to keep up with this new kind of league.
Orlando: Kaka, and Kyle Larin. This duo is unstoppable and they will take the team to its first ever playoff berth in its second year. Impressive.
New England: Not enough all stars to get the job done. Charlie Davies still needs to grow up.
New York F.C.: It’s really not a talent issue. They just need to see if they have a decent new head coach the pressure is on playing in the big apple.
Philadelphia: See last year, same results in 2016.
Chicago: Bright side, this team can’t get much worse.
Eastern Conference finals
Toronto 5 Columbus 3 aggregate
MLS Cup 2016
Seattle 4 Toronto 3 PK’s
Champs
Seattle, and really it’s about damn time.