The 2013 MLS season is finally upon us and for Chivas USA the action kicks off at home against the Columbus Crew. With all the headlines and controversies of the offseason, it is also time to see if this new look Chivas USA has what it takes to silence their critics.
Preseason 2013 has been a far cry from what we all witnessed last year. While I initially felt Robin Fraser had built a decent squad going into 2012, my optimism soon faded and we witnessed one of the worst seasons in our history…after a poor preseason. This year however has been different and Chivas USA face the Crew this weekend after going undefeated in preseason.
Now of course it is ‘only preseason’ and the majority of our opposition has not matched the caliber of our MLS competitors but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Optimism can indeed be found in a slight improvement on last year…no matter how relevant.
Watching Chivas return to training was difficult to begin with. With so many new faces on the field that I did not recognize, it was hard to build an idea of what our starting XI could potentially look like.
Chelís has made numerous changes throughout preseason and the club has continued to shed players from the roster since I wrote my season preview for Total MLS. Nevertheless, players who were training with the club have slowly been signed on for the season and the real roster for 2013 is starting to take shape. One thing fans have picked up on though is a lack of numbers. Before Riley, Zemanski, and even Shalrie Joseph left, Chelís stated he was happy with the group he had. But then the club traded those players away (not that I was unhappy with Joseph being moved on). Add to this the lack of MLS experience to a lot of the squad and there is room for worry.
Despite the lack of familiar faces though, I still look forward to not only the new season for Chivas USA but this opening game especially. The excitement over Chelís’ playing philosophy and the way in which he motivates his players has once again got fans of Chivas USA expecting big things this year…maybe more so than any other year. In preseason Chivas USA have looked much improved on last year. The way in which they pass the ball around, move off the ball and the desire shown by the players is completely different from the Fraser era. But will this continue into the season proper?
Chivas USA are quite clearly not the most popular club in MLS and divide opinion on most issues. It is not hard to come across a fan of another club who genuinely wants to see the club fail and/or fold. With the change of direction and philosophy of the club, this has only increased the negativity towards the Rojiblancos. If anything, it is only making Chivas USA stronger. The Goats have a point to prove and critics to silence. The fans have been shown an attractive brand of soccer in preseason and goals to celebrate but this has to transfer into the real games. It has to start against Columbus on Saturday.
Chivas USA are again going to be classed as a ‘work in progress’, and rightfully so. It will take time for things to click into place and for the players to gel, so I for one won’t panic if things don’t go smoothly to begin with. But it is vital that from the word go we see value for money in the soccer we see at the HDC. Fans must be enticed back to the stadium and there is no better time to do that than opening day.
(image courtesy of Getty Images)
