The day has finally arrived, it is matchday 1 for the 2015 MLS season. With that in mind I figured it is time to unveil my utterly useless predictions for this year. I have listed how I believe each team will be ranked at the conclusion of the regular season, followed by playoff predictions, end of the year award winners, and what players to watch out for. Let me know your thoughts. PLAY BALL!!!
Eastern Conference Preview:
- Columbus Crew SC – Massive things are happening in Columbus. Coach Greg Berhalter and new(ish) team owner, Anthony Precourt have reinvigorated the franchise and fan base. Federico Higuain will have an MVP type season. US Men’s National Team prospect, Will Trapp, is destined to have a breakout year. Don’t be surprised if Columbus makes it to MLS Cup in 2015.
- Toronto FC – Is this the year, TFC fans? Will this be the first year of playoffs for the club? Well, I have news for you… This IS the season! Granted, more than half of the league will make the playoffs this year but nonetheless I foresee a top 3 placing in the wide open Eastern Conference. With Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco joining team captain Michael Bradley, this team is destined to take big steps forward.
- New England Revolution – After a surprising run to the MLS Finals last season, coach Jay Heaps, has the Revs banging on all cylinders. I expect much of the same in 2015. Though, we shall see how mid-season acquisition, Jermaine Jones, holds up through the duration of an entire MLS season. The team went so far thanks to his remarkable play after acquiring him midseason last year.
- DC United – The goals may be difficult to come by the first couple months of 2015, as forwards Fabian Espindola and Eddie Johnson are both out. Espindola will be serving his 6 game suspension carried over from last year and Johnson is out with a mysterious medical condition. Regardless, DC has a fantastic mix of youthful exuberance and veteran leadership to have a playoff caliber season.
- Orlando City SC – Everything this franchise has done since being granted MLS citizenship has been nothing short of awesome. From signing Kaka, to rocking purple kits, to accomplishing #FillTheBowl, and everything in between, Orlando City SC will be a team to watch this year. In my humble opinion, this is a playoff team on paper. It will be up to manager Adrian Heath to put it altogether.
- New York Red Bulls – The post-Mike Petke era begins as Jesse Marsch takes the reins. No Thierry Henry, Jamison Olave, and even less of Tim Cahill than we saw last season will bring instability to the squad this season. Originally I had RBNY on the outside looking in for the playoffs, but with the East being such a crapshoot I see Dax, Luis Robles, BWP, and newcomer Sacha Kljestan leading this team to some moderate success.
- Philadelphia Union – Can manager, Jim Curtin, lead Philly to the playoffs for the first time since 2011? It doesn’t look like it. While the team has some talented and hard-working pieces in place the playoffs may be a year away. The likes of Conor Casey, Maurice Edu, Sebastien Le Toux, and Ray Gaddis sure are fun to watch though. Even more intriguing will be seeing who ultimately wins the goalkeeper spot, Andre Blake or Rais M’Bolhi.
- New York City FC – Jason Kries and NYCFC will take the pitch at Yankee Stadium following a lot of hype and fanfare. International superstars David Villa and Frank Lampard will lead the way in the expansion teams first season. Just how far they lead them is the question. I could see NYCFC making a push for the playoffs but ultimately I think this team will just miss out in season one. Not to fret third railers, Jason Kries is bound to take the Man City Yankees to the promise land sooner rather than later.
- Chicago Fire – You’d think a team stacked with the fire power (no pun intended) of Mike Magee, Quincy Amarikwa, Harry Ship, and offseason acquisition, Kennedy Igboananike, that winning would be a forgone conclusion, right? Not to forget a young veteran goalkeeper with the skill and athleticism as Sean Johnson too. Even with all of those positives there is something about this team has me scratching my head. Again, anything can happen in the east this year but if I were a betting man (which I am not) I’d bet against a playoff bound Chicago Fire squad this year.
- Montreal Impact – It seems like no matter how hard team owner Joey Saputo tries he just can’t get it right up there in Montreal. There is something about his diehard will to win attitude that makes me hope I am wrong here but once again I think we will see Montreal staring up at every other team in the conference. All-time team leading goal scorer, Marco Di Vaio retired and his goals will be difficult to replace. Please prove me wrong, Joey, I beg of you.
Western Conference Standings:
- Seattle Sounders SC – SSSC is the team that has won every trophy in Major League Soccer… Except for the one that truly matters. This will be the third year in a row I predict SSSC to win the holy grail of MLS trophies. It is difficult to grasp but even with all of their successes over the years, Seattle has never even appeared in an MLS Cup Final. Is the third time the charm?
- LA Galaxy – LA Galaxy on the other hand is the team that has won everything! Especially when it comes to that pesky MLS Cup thing. Having won 3 of the last 4 MLS Cups, the Galaxy are the bee’s knees of the league. Every other club should aspire to mimic them in all facets of operations. The players love being a part of the organization, the fans are as loyal you’ll ever find in such a façade oriented market and the wins just keep on coming. Replacing Landon Donovan will be no easy task but the Galaxy is a finely tuned machine that won’t be taking many steps backwards. Robbie Keane and Company will be in the hunt once again.
- Sporting Kansas City – Peter Vermes is one of my favorite managers in MLS. He is quite candid, humble, and genuine. His players consistently play at a high level for him. Throw in the fact that SKC fans and the new stadium are sensational, what’s not to love about this franchise? I submit that the market is often overlooked when it comes to its fandom and its propensity for being one of the most difficult places for opposing teams to play. SKC has the players, coach, fan base, and management to be a true contender during the 2015 campaign.
- FC Dallas – Oscar Pareja is a man with a plan. Since leaving Colorado to take over as head coach at FC Dallas, Pareja has been stellar. He simply “gets it” whatever “it” is. He knows how to motivate players, foster a family-like team atmosphere, and win baby win! FCD is my sleeper team to make the MLS Cup finals so watch out Major League Soccer!
- Portland Timbers – In “Porter Ball” I trust! But with both the heart and soul of their team on the mend the green and gold will struggle early this season. Will Johnson and Diego Valeri will both be recovering from major leg injuries suffered last season. And as amazing as newly acquired Nat Borchers and his beard are, that won’t be enough to overcome such a team deficit. Nevertheless, coach Caleb Porter will get it together when it matters most and use that momentum to bring something special to Portlandia in 2015.
- Vancouver Whitecaps – The talent is in place. The beautiful stadium is in place. And the correct gaffer is in charge to lead British Columbia’s soccer boys to success. How can you not love the talent on this squad? Pedro Morales, Matias Laba, Kekuta Manneh, and Russell Teibert just to name a few. And we are all wondering is this the year Darren Mattocks finally becomes a breakout star? Either way, this team can play and will make some noise in the west.
- Real Salt Lake – RSL has been a consistent league powerhouse since 2008 having made the playoffs every year during that span. The one and only year during that time span which they finished outside the top 3 in their conference was 2009 when they won the MLS Cup. Unfortunately this is the beginning of the end for this group. Even after re-acquiring stalwart defender, Jamison Olave, this team is getting older and the west is getting more competitive. I actually hope I am wrong on this one as I have grown to appreciate the magician that is Nick Rimando and the bad ass that is Kyle Beckerman but I believe their time has come and gone.
- Colorado Rapids – Pablo “The Stache” Mastroeni has a young and exciting group at his disposal this season. They are talented, athletic, and a youthful group of players which will lead to a lot of goals both for and against this year. No playoffs this year unfortunately, Pablo. As a former employee of the club and a lover of the city of Denver, this team will always have a place in my heart. I genuinely hope I am wrong on this prediction. If I am, I promise to run up and down Colfax Avenue in just my skivvies and a Rapids jersey next time I visit.
- San Jose Earthquakes – San Jose has a boatload of terrific things going on for them; a brand spanking new stadium, Domminic Kinnear, Wondo, oh and did I mention the stadium? But making the playoffs this year is not one of those things. My apologies E-quake fans. Just enjoy your fancy new digs and realize with Kinnear at the helm the playoffs will be coming ASAP.
- Houston Dynamo – While I apologize profusely to my boss, Total-MLS founder, Dustyn Richardson, I just don’t think this season is going to be much of a memorable one for the Dynamo. The western conference is going to be such a dog fight and I am curious to see how new manager, Owen Coyle, will do in his first year in MLS. Major League Soccer is unlike any other soccer league in the world with its travelling, logistics, financial hurdles, etc. It takes time for foreign managers to catch up. One bright however is Erik ‘Cubo’ Torres, who I am certain will score a slew of goals when he arrives this summer. He is one of my favorite players to watch in MLS, robot dance goal celebration and all.
- Chivas USA – Whoops
MLS Cup Finals
New England Revolution @ Seattle Sounders SC
MLS Cup Champions
Seattle Sounders SC
Awards Banquet
Landon Donovan MVP Award Federico Higuain – Columbus Crew
Golden Boot Winner David Villa – New York City FC
Goalkeeper of the Year Jaime Penedo – LA Galaxy
Defender of the Year Chad Marshall – Seattle Sounders SC
Coach of the Year Greg Berhalter – Columbus Crew SC
Newcomer of the Year Kaka – Orlando City SC
Who 2 Watch 4
- Bradley Wright-Phillips: My crystal ball tells me that BWP will have an underwhelming season in 2015. In comparison to his 2014 campaign anyway. I still envision him scoring 12-14 goals but without Thierry Henry and having to gel with a whole new group of players he will be fortunate to score half of the goals he contributed last season.
- Dan Kennedy: Often over looked due to playing his entire career with Chivas USA, Kennedy will be a Goalkeeper of the Year nominee in 2015. He is as underrated and underappreciated a back stopper as you’ll find in MLS. At Chivas he was often bombarded with a slew of shots on goal game in and game out. Naturally, Dan would try to compensate for his team’s lack of ability by doing too much on his own. He often looked shell shocked. Now with FC Dallas, he will have an actual defense and solid overall team in front of him, allowing Dan the Man to show just how fantastic he can be between the sticks.
- Kaka: Would I be reaching here to think that the last person to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award not named Messi or Ronaldo will have an immediate on-field impact in MLS? Am I grasping for straws to suggest that Kaka will be an MVP candidate in his first year in the league? While he is not the player he once was, he is certainly capable of running the show for Orlando and leading them to the playoff prominence in season one. Lots of hoopla and fanfare has been made about David Villa and Frank Lampard going to NYCFC, not to mention Steven Gerrard eventually making his way to Los Angeles, but Kaka is the signing I am most excited about this year.
- Jozy Altidore: The rollercoaster ride that is Jozy Altidore’s career continues, this time with a stop north of the border with Toronto FC. Little known fact… Jozy Altidore never had a double digit goal scoring season in MLS. During his three seasons in New York he tallied 3, 9, and 3 respectively. Will this be the year he cracks double digits? Absolutely! Barring injury, I envision a 15 goal season for young Mister Altidore. I am so confident in that, if he fails to accomplish such a feat this season I will sing the Canadian National Anthem while drinking a Molson Ice live on YouTube.
