I know it is a bit early, but I figure that I'd like to hear some predictions for the 2008 season. Here are my predictions, they're really just some vague observations of all the teams around the league. What are your thoughts? What teams will do well, what teams will disappoint, who will be the shocker?
Hmmm. D.C. United to win the MLS Cup. Beating Real Salt Lake in the final. Colorado Rapids are going to stink the joint up this season. Ooh.
Really do think RSL will reach the play-offs this season Borchers and Olave sounds a strong centre-back pairing, Morales and Espindola looked good at the end of last season, and Findley should continue to get better
I am still doing research, but from everything that I read, it seems like Chivas USA will be the team to beat with a newly-revamped DC United hovering close behind. The goats added Wicky and Eskandarian to complement the league's best strike tandem in Galindo and Razov and they were able to hang onto all-world goalkeeper Brad Guzan. If only some fans would support them......... Next month I will post a more specific set of predictions, but for now, I can suggest that the league will be divided into four tiers: Tier 1 Chivas USA DC United Tier 2 Houston Dynamo (loss of Jaqua and Ngwenya will drop them away from elite) New England Revolution (Noonan will be missed and Twellman feels unloved) Tier 3 Chicago Fire RSL FC Dallas New York Red Bulls Los Angeles Galaxy (improved if healthy) Colorado Rapids (Gomez will improve the squad) Toronto FC (unbeatable at home and a playoff squad if healthy) Tier 4 Kansas City Wizards (Johnson's departure will really hurt) Columbus Crew (serious talk of relocation will start soon) San Jose Earthquakes (happy just to be back) Chivas and DC will split the Supporters' Shield, MLS Cup, and U.S. Open Cup between them. Chivas will win Superliga but DC and Houston will fall short again in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Give it another month before predictions. Hell, a lot of teams still probably have one or two big signings still to make. However, IMO you have Salt Lake a couple of spots too high and Toronto way too low. Remember, when TFC had all of their players healthy they were a very decent team.
I don't understand how you can place the G's so low. I think that our team will make a run for the championship. Of course I am biased
My predictions: April - All the posts on BigSoccer are about how MLS has really improved since last year and how the intensity of play has increased. June - first bigSoccer complaints about poor atmosphere at many games July - complaining about why MLS didn't pick up "player X" during the transfer window August - widespread complaints about how the level of play in MLS has dropped since last year and how the intensity of play has plateaued or decreased September - lots of complaints about how MLS should institute a single table and that the playoffs do not produce a true champion October - criticism of the coaches whose teams just missed the playoffs or were eliminated early for failing to play creative, imaginative football November - criticism of Nicol for losing in the MLS Cup again Did I miss anything?
I agree with Michigan Bayern Fan's four-tier approach, and also of course where I've placed clubs can change w/ any more major moves. My four tiers: Tier 1 - The True Championship Contenders DC United - seems to be the annual class of the league during the regular season (or at least the first half of it). Gallardo is a great pickup. The question is can they get it done in the postseason this year? Houston Dynamo - a lot of people talk about the loss of Jaqua and Ngwenya being a big deal. Losing Ngewnya does hurt - he had speed and sometime last season developed a finishing touch. But Jaqua is, and always was, garbage. What made this team great, in my estimation, was always its defense. IIRC, the winning streak they went on last year involved a crazy string of shutouts. So yes, this team is probably about to start it's descent from the top, but it's disciplined, well-coached, and I like them to win the West (again). Chivas USA - loaded with talent, but very YOUNG. In sports, young tends to translate to erratic. The Goats are legitimate championship contenders when they're firing on all cylinders (the playoff system helps them here), but over the course of the regular season I don't think they'll be as consistent as Houston and DC. Tier 2 - Locks for the Playoffs New England Revolution - Another year under Steve Nicol. The Revs should finish towards the top of the Eastern Conference, probably 2nd or 3rd, playing fairly exciting soccer, then get to the playoffs, choose to play boring bunkerball and lose. Noonan is a solid player but he didn't do much last year, so I don't think losing him will take them far below last year's level. But DC and Chivas USA have improved over the offseason, and Houston was just better than NE last year anyway. Chicago Fire - Chicago was a completely different team the second half of last season. May have been Blanco, may have been Osorio. Now we'll find out for sure. My bet is on Blanco. This season is probably Chris Rolfe's definitive season - this is his best chance to put himself in the "elite MLS striker" category and you know the service will be there. The Fire should place 3rd in the East. Tier 3 - Battling for a Playoff Spot Los Angeles Galaxy - If Beckham & co stay healthy they should be a playoff team. Beckham looked, when healthy, to be the best player in MLS last year - he and Blanco simply pass the ball at a completely different level. RSL - steadily improving. Defense should be great this year, but can they score enough goals to win games instead of tie them? Kansas City Wizards - losing EJ hurts, but the Wizards are a young, talented team that should be able to make up for those goals (Eloy Colombano, Arnaud, Sealy are solid, if not spectacular, attackers). The man to watch w/ the Wizards in Marinelli - if he stays healthy this season, I think he's the best passer in MLS outside the Blanco/Beckham club. New York Red Bulls - Jozy Altidore + JPA = lethal strike force. But who will get them the ball? Toronto FC - Right there with KC and NYRB for 4th place in the East. If they're as successful at home as they were last year, they'll probably snag it. Maurice Edu could rise to star status this season. FC Dallas - in my eyes, the forwards are the biggest question mark here. But nothing immediately jumps out at you about this team. Curious to see how Davino works out. Tier 4 - Maybe Next Season Colorado Rapids - crap + Gomez = crap. I think the Rapids will get shut out more than any other team in MLS this season. Columbus Crew - I feel so bad for Scheletto (sp?). He's one of the most creative players in this league but has no one competent to work with. San Jose Earthquakes - it's a good thing for MLS as a whole that our league has come far enough that expansion teams can't immediately compete. But welcome back SJ! Predicted Playoffs: 4 teams from each conference this year - the East is the better conference but the decent teams in the West will get more free points (SJ and Colorado). East (1) DC (2) NE (3) Chi (4) Toronto The 4th spot in the East is almost impossible to call for me. I think it's equally likely that NY or KC snag it as Toronto, BUT I put Toronto there b/c if they continue to have a huge homefield advantage they won't need many points on the road to sneak in. West (1) Houston (2) Chivas (3) LA Galaxy (4) RSL MLS Cup: Chivas upsets DC in an open, attacking 2-1 game.
Don't sleep on KC, they're a good squad and if they can pick up another decent forward (they just signed Ivan somethingoranother right?) and one more midfielder than they are going to be dangerous. Also think that RSL will be the surprise team of the season and make it to the western conference finals where they will fall to Chivas. Dax McCarty and Robbie Rogers will have breakout seasons and one of the two will make Bext XI.
May - The rest of the league joins Rapids fans in calling for Clavijo's head, if for no other reason than to keep anyone else from suffering through a game where he's coaching one of the two teams.
Agreed. I mean, if anyone thinks that Houston is going to go to New England with Ching and Wondolowski as its only true forwards, they are nuts. Losing Ngwenya and Jaqua hurts but its not insurmountable. We aren't talking about all-star players here. In addition, as someone else noted, their strength lies in their defense, and their midfield and depth at each ain't too shabby either. All of that said, I'm not predicting any hardware for the Dynamo this year. In fact, I'm not even certain they'll get past Municipal in the CCC. They should still manage to be one of the top 2 teams in the West and get a SuperLiga spot for 2009.
September - Discussions about how certain teams are holding the league back in terms of attendance and should be moved while other teams are accused of looking good on attendance only by inflating the numbers. Frequent use of the phrase "disguised as empty seats".
Everyone will complain about LA's favouritism. Everyone will remind DC fans of the favouritism they have recieved in the past when one of them complains about the Galaxy. The thread will end in political mud slinging that would make the Rep & Dems blush. Watching a match at the Swamp will still be unbearable. Everyone will complain about NY's attendance. Many will mock how far out in the burbs PHP is and how no one shows up. Quakes fans will complain about their team playing in Houston and how AEG is satan as the expansion team struggles. Many will mock the Quakes stadium and how few fans show up. People will say KC is an embarrassment and should move. DC fans will be both incredibly arrogant and yet child like sensitive. DC fans will claim everyone of their Americans should be on the Nats. Columbus....................what's the point. Many will say Rochester deserves a team. NE fans will continue to vehemently claim TT is still just misunderstood when playing for the Nats. People will complain about the sparse fans in NE and those fans will complain about their joke ownership. NE fans will be just a little less annoying than DC fans. TFC fans will quickly displace DC fans as most annoying. Colorado. Clavijo. Nuff said. RSL will still have to convince people in the city that their stadium is actually being built, and it's not taking money away from schools. People will complain how Seattle doesn't play in an SSS. Chicago fans will still hate Steve Guppy, as will NY fans, while other fans will love him. Fire fans will claim Conde was tapped up, NY fans won't care, and pray for the day Claudio's guaranteed contract is up. St. Louis fans will all turn into Fox Mulder overnight. Everyone will play victim while attacking someone else. Everyone will attack someone else and then play victim. SOB's will get their team......and then possibly become more annoying than Rev fans, DC fans and TFC fans before their team plays a match. Philly fans will want their coach fired before they play a match. Philly fans will eventually say the players/staff/stadium are cursed and there is no point to go on....before there are players/staff and a stadium. People will go nuts any time someone calls it The MLS or MSL. Politicians will promise DC a stadium at some point in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015... We will find out that RedBull isn't building a soccer stadium, but an X games stadium. I could go on of course but for my final thoughts...and please add more - People will blame MLS for screwing up everything that happens under the face of the sun, and claim they are dumbest, most clueless, ignorant people alive....... while the game just continues to grow at all levels. Who knows this song and band? Rep for ya. "You're gonna eat a bowl of chow mein and be hungery real soon, I predict. You're gonna take a walk in the rain and you're gonna get wet, I predict." If you weren't alive in the mid 80's it's gonna be tough to get that one, even with google. I predict. Happy 2008. Hail MLS!
You predict poorly. One can get the answer in .38 seconds. Since I was only 4 when that song came out, I won't take the free rep by naming it as I only know the answer because of Google.
2nd page and nobody mentioned this: April - November...Bigsoccer posters will complain about ESPN coverage. Summer...Many will express their disgust at the fact that MLS has an all-star game
Also in the Summer.... Many will complain about why the league doesn't switch to the schedule model of the rest of the world and play through the winter forgetting the weather in the Midwest and Northeast this winter.
There are two reasons why I think it's really hard to predict how teams will do this season: 1. Teams are finished loading up on important talent. Cases in point: --people like to beat on Columbus but if they hired a proven, world-class striker (can anyone say...use a DP slot on Martin Palermo?) then they'd give any team in MLS a run for their money. --NE: imagine if they really use their DP (as the current rumor is) and they not only use it but get themselves either a forward or A-mid worth the slot? Shiver me timbers! --KC: right now not very impressive offensively except....except....if they use a DP on a serious attacker. Probably the only MLS teams who are finished adding talent (ie: guys likely to start) are: --DCU --LAG --Houston --maybe Chivas --maybe Dallas Everyone else is "in play" and could add at least one starter or more or even a DP. 2. Some teams are going to lose key players. I'm going to be very surprised if Guzan doesn't leave in August. He'll likely get more caps between now and then which removes the work permit issue. I think Altidore will be gone in August. You can't say that losing Guzan or Altidore wouldn't be immense for either of those teams. Or take a look at Wilman Conde. Maybe he shows up and gives it his best. Or maybe he mopes all season. Or doesn't show up. If Chicago loses Conde (either as a player or in terms of best effort) that is a HUGE hurt on that team.
I've read enough to know you are old enough. Damn you google. Damn you to hell! You win. Is that a good thing?
My early season prediction: Anyone playing the Beckham drinking game on ESPN telecasts will be drunk.
Just for making me think of Terri Nunne you win. Where is a Nethead with a hot picture of young Terri. Not Take My Breathe Away Terri. I'm A Toy Come and Play With Me Terri.
Until the teams have completed their off season roster building any prediction are at best like a political debate: all smoke and mirrors with about as much substance and class as a grade B movie.