MLS Eastern Conference Preview

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I love soccer. I fell in love as a little boy in Disney, where I watched the US beat Columbia in the 94 World Cup. I didn’t quite understand everything, but I knew I was witnessing history. It wasn’t just me, but America embraced this team of plucky upstarts who thrust themselves on the world stage. With that, Major League Soccer (MLS) was born. The started in 1996, bringing a legitimate First Division the US soil. Let’s just say it wasn’t exactly embraced like the 94 World Cup team. The MLS has struggled, going through expansion, contraction, and expansion yet again. It has the perception of being a league of young American players who need seasoning, coupled with international players at the tail end of their career (to be honest, I thought this a lot). However, the league has come a long way since then, being able to keep home-grown talent like Landon Donovan and Taylor Twellman (though Twellman was almost transferred to England in the offseason) and getting young talent from abroad. We’re not talking kids from England or Germany here, but there is a plethora of talent coming from the U-20 teams in South America and Africa. The league has taken hold, with its small but loyal fan base and soccer specific stadiums popping up all over the place. So I, as your humble correspondent, want to help introduce you to the MLS. I’ll preview the Eastern Conference today and the Western Conference tomorrow. The teams are listed in the order which I feel they will finish.

1) DC United – They were the best team in the MLS last year, but had issues with their defense. This problem should have corrected itself with some key acquisitions. However, the new defense and goalie will need to mesh. They have added depth to the forward position, which was the main thing that torpedoed them last year. I think it all hinges on the health of Ben Olsen (one of the charter members of the “John O’Brien All-Stars” for players who never realized their full potential due to constant injuries). Olsen is the lynch pin for this team when it comes to his contributions on defense and his ability to attack when needed.

2) New England Revolution – I had a tough time between them and New York, but I decided to go with the Revs because I’m a homer. They have to overcome the huge loss of Pat Noonan up front. They do have depth at forward and will find someone who can pair with Twellman, but they won’t click like he did with Noonan. Superliga and the Champions League will be a good test for all the young talent they have. It all rests on Twellman, who along with losing Noonan, also got divorced and his transfer to England got scuttled. If he kicks it into gear, they can do something, and maybe even lose the title “The Buffalo Bills of MLS”.

3) New York Redbull – This is a team that was close to self-destructing last year, which shows you just how important someone like Claudio Reyna can be, even if it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. The Redbulls really didn’t make any quality moves in the offseason (minus Echeverry) and still have holes to fill. They also need to ensure that the defense isn’t as up and down as it was last year (more down near the end of the year). It all comes down to Reyna, who needs to stay healthy and be used properly (unlike last year). Don’t be surprised if they self-destruct or fly to the top.

4) Chicago Fire – This is one of those teams you really can’t say much about. They are a middle of the road team, just good enough to get you to start dreaming of an MLS Cup, just bad enough to dash those dreams. Last year was a perfect example. They finished 10-10-10, but got to the Conference Finals, before being ousted by the amazing bicycle kick by Taylor Twellman. There season rests with Cuauhtemoc Blanco. If he kicks it to another level, they can raise up. I see them finishing right in the middle again.

5) Kansas City Wizards – You have to love KC’s all or nothing approach to the game. They just want to win. I guess to them a tie is like frenching your sister. Anyway, the major loss is Eddie Johnson, who when to Fulham this year (Fulham might as well be an MLS team with the amount of American’s on it). It was just a matter of time. They hope that Claudio Lopez will help fill the gap that Johnson left. They have a solid back-line and one of the better goalies in the game. This team has an issue with consistency, as they tend to get into losing streaks. They will need to avoid this if they want to be successful.

6) Columbus Crew – I just don’t know about this team. They came on strong at the end of the year, but still finished in second to last place in the East. There main problem is injuries and inconsistent play. Basically, they are a team looking to prove themselves. The question seems to be the same everywhere. It is “Can this person step up and play to their potential” whether it be Eddie Gavin, or Brian Carroll or Robbie Rogers. I just have no faith in this team until they prove something.

7) Toronto FC – Last years expansion team was just woeful last year, but they sold out every home game. There defense was horrid, so they used the MLS Superdraft to draft some defensive talent. There problems in goal should have worked themselves out, as long as Greg Sutton can keep himself from being knocked out. The only semi-competent player in midfield left and hasn’t been replaced, leaving the midfield low on depth. The main debate last year was what was worse, the offense or the defense. The main bright spot is they have a new coach. I think it’s safe to say they will be in the basement again this year.