State Of The Rest Of The League

[MagnusPax]

So I was thinking, are the other teams out there just as good, better or worse than last year? How does NYCFC's chances look?

Since NYCFC is completely new and we have a whole forum to talk about them, I thought we could spend in here talking about the other clubs.

I'll start a brief list of the other 19 clubs. Feel free to agree/disagree and tell us why.

WEST
Colorado - Terrible last year, still many question even with a lot of changes. Biggest upgrade might be goalie in Philly's MacMath, maybe not. Still ?s in all positions. I like Brown, Powers, O'Neil and Serna but can they carry this team? Maybe near the bottom again.

SKC - Fell apart late last year after winning it all in the previous year. Collin is a big loss, but they upgraded the GK position with Martin. Can Besler get it done with injure prone Opara? Espinoza the key? Dwyer kinda alone up top with Bieler and Sapong gone.

HOU - Mystery team. first new coach ever. A foreigner also. Usually a recipe for disaster. a few upgrades but I think they still finish near the bottom.

LA - One question: can they survive and make the big runs without Donovan? Almost the entire rest of the team still there. Gerrard mid-season be the final ingredient?

SJ - New stadium and renew interest should help. Signed a few interesting DPs, including a striker from Series A. Might surprise ppl.

SEA - Supporters Shield/USOC defending champs. Didn't lose too much in offseason. Did they do enough to keep the depth strong? Should still be a force in 2015.

Portland - Big let down last year after winning Western conference in 13. Upgraded in goalie and defense. Big loss with DP Veira out until the summer. If they can survive til then they will be strong closing out season.

RSL - they lost 3-4 starters (mostly to NYC). Got back Olave, but then loss top scorer and resident Shireling Plata. Not sure how they do until Plata returns. And do they have depth until end of season? Probably not.

VAN - was better than average last year, and made some good signings to strengthen themselves. I expect a better 2015 for them and will make the playoffs earlier this year.

FCD - was very strong last year and should be even better in 2015. Does Perez have another year in him? Can Tesho pull another great year out? Certainly strong in goal with potential 3 starters on roster.

My guess would be the following in playoffs:

1. Seattle
2. LA
3. FCD
4. Vancouver
5. Portland
   
6. RSL or SKC

Miss out: Houston, Colorado, SJ

I get to East next.

 

[northernburbs]

So I was thinking, are the other teams out there just as good, better or worse than last year? How does NYCFC's chances look?


As always thanks for the time put into your posts and insight into the league.
As someone who has not up till now followed MLS always helpful.
cheers

 

[northernburbs]

As always thanks for the time put into your posts and insight into the league.
As someone who has not up till now followed MLS always helpful.
cheers

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Great summary, magnus

 

[MagnusPax]

Sorry for the terrible grammar in my last post. I'll try to be more coherent while posting my thoughts on the eastern conference today.

Any opinions on my post?

 

[mgarbowski]

Yes, much appreciated.

 

[BxLio91]

The way things are looking COL and SJ won't be making the playoffs anytime soon.

 

[USAfan6]

Sporting KC is a mystery to me. Were they simply not very good or did something happen inside the locker room last year that caused their collapse?

 

[Kjbert]

Houston adds Cubo. Portland should be better. Fc Dallas I think will be 3 rd. I love the young guys. Talent is there. Eventually it will become a great unit. More homegrown player minutes than anyone else. Very bullish on them.

Galaxy sold Marcelo Sarvas in anticipation of landing Sacha Klejstan. They are short 2 midfielders to start the year.

Now they have the second spot in the allocation order. What is feasibly out there for them?

 

[MagnusPax]

Sporting KC is a mystery to me. Were they simply not very good or did something happen inside the locker room last year that caused their collapse?

Now SKC says its because of the WC callups and injuries, which are true, but others had equally gruelling schedules, injuries and call-ups, they still performed (RSL comes to mind: lost Saborio, Beckerman/Rimando gone for WC). I also think Aurellin Collin got really, REALLY jealous of the Besler deal and never forgave SKC for it. Also losing Neilsen and having Gruenenbaum (now retired) and Kronberg replace him failed. Too much focus on Dom Dwyer IMO.

Houston adds Cubo. Portland should be better. Fc Dallas I think will be 3 rd. I love the young guys. Talent is there. Eventually it will become a great unit. More homegrown player minutes than anyone else. Very bullish on them.

Galaxy sold Marcelo Sarvas in anticipation of landing Sacha Klejstan. They are short 2 midfielders to start the year.

Now they have the second spot in the allocation order. What is feasibly out there for them?

Agreed on all counts. It will be interesting what Galaxy do. Sarvas and Donovan were huge parts of this team. Sure Gerrard will be a big add-on when he comes. Right now you have Zardes up top replacing Donovan, which could work. But who replaces Sarvas? Also, right now, zero depth.

 

[Paul]

I think this is how the West will be won:

1. Seattle (best team from top to bottom in the West; depth allows them to compete in all competitions)
2. FC Dallas (a team on the rise but I'm guessing there will be a big gap between FCD and Seattle in pts.)
3. LA Galaxy (defending champs take a step back & will struggle to control midfield until Gerrard comes)
4. Portland (will rebound after poor 2014 with improved defense; could make a run in playoffs)
5. Sporting KC (too dependent on Dwyer; need to add attacking depth)
6. Vancouver (will continue upward swing and will benefit from added playoff spot; will likely lose in 1st round)
7. RSL (not good enough offensively without Plata but will come close to playoffs by relying on strong def & Rimando)
8. Houston (addition of Cubo helps, but I think they are a year or 2 from getting back in playoffs)
9. SJ Quakes (could make some noise but not expecting a lot; hope Thompson gets a lot of playing time)
10. Colorado (still weak; hasn't done enough to improve starting XI or add depth)

 

[MagnusPax]

Okay the East:

1. New England- darlings of the East, only got better with adding Aguedelo. Not sure if Jones is totally committed, recent tweets make it sound like he is sniffing around... still probably #1 in the East

2. DC- Solid team that only added some good parts this offseason. Expect them to fight for #1 this year.

3. Columbus - this is a team I can see making a lot of noise. Only got better in the offseason and made some smart moves. Again I think their defense is suspect.

4. NYRB- Well they lost too much to fix, I still think they can compete but won't be the top team. How do you replace Theirry Henry? You don't. Still need more strikers.

5. NYCFC (see 90% of posts on forum)

6. Orlando- Talk big and have huge momentum going for them (in their own minds). Not sure they have the chemistry they need to compete all season long. Will probably make the playoffs. Can Kaka last all year?

Philadelphia- Has done nothing this off-season except lose players like MacMath and probably Valdes and sign CJ Sapong. I expect them to not make the playoffs again unless there are big changes before March.

Chicago- will be better this year, but that defense still scares me (well I mean its porous). I think Shane Mahoney is a great pick up, Other DPs might be diamonds.

Montreal - they have rebuilt this team and its certainly better in several areas. But GK is essentially the same (Kronberg is not greater than Perkins) and Jack McInerty has yet to prove he is the man.

Toronto - I don't know about them. They have added pieces, defense even has improved. Still don't like their outside backs or goalie. But Bradley, Giovinco and Altidore should tear it up. Let TFC prove it first. They haven't in 8 years. If they get it together this year look for them to bump NYC or Orlando out of playoff picture.

How's that?

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Haha, I love that you have TO last. I think Toronto has to get in the playoffs this year. Chicago will also challenge for a spot. I'm not as bullish on NJ, I think they will be closer to last than fourth.

Honestly, who really knows anything about us and purple mickey, won't be able to tell until a few months into the season.

 

[MagnusPax]

True it's all guesses. Chicago is improved as is Montreal but I still think their missing parts.

As for the bottom 4 I wasn't really ranking them. But it's true I have no idea what to expect from TOR.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

True it's all guesses. Chicago is improved as is Montreal but I still think their missing parts.

As for the bottom 4 I wasn't really ranking them. But it's true I have no idea what to expect from TOR.

Toronto offseason champs. The thing that makes this year hard to predict is that almost all the teams have made significant improvements, with a few glaring omissions that you pointed out, Philly, KC, RSL. So its like the bar has been raised, it will be interesting to see which teams that we don;t expect will be unable to keep up. My pick for surprise stinker is LA. They were not good last year early on, the loss of Donovan and sarvas is bigger than I think most people are giving credit to, and Gerrard is coming midseason (typical fail). I really wouldn't be surprised if they struggle to make the playoffs. Houston is my pick for sleeper in the west.

I thinks Chicago quietly had a good offseason, and i think offense solves a lot of defensive woes in MLS. Toronto is doing the allstar roster thing again, I don't think Jozy is an upgrade over defoe, and it will be interesting to see if Bradley (who can be a ballhog) can coexist with Giovinco.

WEST surprises:
worse than expected: LA
better : Houston

East surprises:
worst than expected: toronto
better: chicago

 

[sbrylski]

1. New England
2. Columbus
3. DCU
4. Toronto
5. Chicago
6. Orlando
7. NYCFC
8. Philadelphia
9. Red Bull NJ
10. Montreal

I think 1-7 will be separated by just about 10 points, and 7-10 separated by more like 20 points. The East will play better against the West than expected, but overall there's no top tier that will run away with the conference (like Seattle will out West).

 

[BxLio91]

The East is going to be a bloodbath. And that's a good thing because it's going to keep our guys on their toes and build our team's character.

 

[MagnusPax]

With 2 of the typically stronger East teams going into the dominant West, I actually think the West will be very complicated this year.

But with SKC and Houston leaving the east and the other teams in flux, there is an opening for NYCFC.

 

[nycmade]

I think all the competing opinions proves that this league is one of the best to watch, its wide open.

I think DC is going to be tough to beat next year, my bets on them.

 

[USAfan6]

Has DC added anyone?