Since we will be so stacked this year, would anything less than an MLS championship be a let down? Since the Bluejackets blow, will the Crew become the next best thing(OSU) for Columbusites? Record predictions???
I think, with winning the US Open Cup, and making it to the conference finals last year, anything less than MLS Cup 2003 would be disappointing.
Well, the only teams that haven't reloaded this year are the Fire and San Jose. I predict that eventhough we're quality, most everyone is quality as well and we'll do about the same as last year.
In my book, I think we can win the conference, which is something I would really like to see. As for the playoffs, I would just like to see an appearance in the Cup. If I was at the helm and setting goals for the season, this is what they would be: 1. Defend the US Open Cup title and repeat that championship. 2. Give up no more than 1.4 GAA at home games. This will lead to more wins and ties than losses. 3. Win the Concacaf Cup 4. Have a 9 point lock on first place before going into the final stretch of games. No more of this losing the division on the last day bullsh!t. Honestly, if you have won the Concacaf, and are set to make a finals appearance in USOC, I think it's been pretty good by the time you get to the end of the regular season. From there, you never know what will happen. But saying anything less than an MLS Cup would be a letdown is rediculous.
Adrulis is hyping Frankie Hedjuk as the best man on the field, saying he brings a whole new dimension to the team. That with our steller keeper, our goals against should be extremely low. Coupled with the fact that our forwards are deadly, more hardware in our trophy case is a must. Now, if we can only get out to a good start.
This may be the most exited I have been for a season ever. Man, I hope I'm not setting up for a let down. But I do think we have as good of chance as any team to win. We have the talent.
I'm with CrewDust. I'm really excited about this season. The Crew has the best midfield options they have ever had to go along with the forwards. The defense still scares me, but I'm optimistic because for the first time since 1999, the Crew have managed to keep the defensive group together and add to the talent level of that group. I hope that last year together will enable them to gel as a unit earlier. The Crew definatly have a chance to win it all and have the best record in the league, they just have to shake that early season slump pattern and play to their potential. I really think the season is going to go the way it will start with Columbus and LA battling throughout the season.
a good point. i am excited for the crew this year for more than a few reasons. solid & deep roster, a coach in whom i have confidence, and something to defend. IMO, overall keys to 2003 are 1) as myshap said, come out stronger than last year, 2) play better at home, and 3) get a better idea of the starting lineup earlier in the season, i.e., consistency. i know that #3 isn't easy, with injuries, performances, and new faces, and a lineup can never be cast in stone. but that doesn't mean you should use a spinner to come up with the starting XI either. last year i had a bug up my a$$ about the left side of midfield; this year it's the right. last year the left was the missing piece of the puzzle; our lack of a left mid pulled someone out of place, which usually pulled someone else out of place... we were unbalanced until garcia stepped up. after that i thought it was pretty obvious our right side was relatively weak. did our play on the right flank inspire anything like the confidence garcia gave us on the left? i didn't think so. we looked a little lopsided. as talented as buddle is, he was not a proper fit on the right. put him in front of goal, not out wide. (i know west was hurt and it was the best we could do -- but it wasn't ideal.) we were a good team by the end of the season, but still a little undisciplined, prone to stretches of professional-caliber chaos. martino needs to put on the pants full-time now that pelusa isn't looking over his shoulder. he can and probably will. we need a little stability on the right, the D needs to prove it can play together, and yes, this team can go all the way. will it? i don't know. i do think this may be MLS's best year ever though. a lot of teams look really good. DC, Metros, Galaxy, Crew in particular. for some reason, my gut is not overly concerned with the Revs, and i think the Rapids may surprise people. it will help our confidence and consistency if we show well and get out of the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. plus, two solid matches before the season starts are a chance to test a lineup before MLS gets underway.
The bottom is always harder to predict than the top, but I think SJ will absolutely stink the league out this season and I will hurt myself laughing. I will be very disappointed if CLB does not win the Division and get home field through the playoffs. In a surprise I think Metros will be the main challeneger, as NE will start strong but fade down the stretch. The Fire will be terrible and DC still doesn't scare me much. I think the Burn is the main challenger in the West, as the Gals are leaning way too much on Ruiz, who will get a REALLY NICE welcome to the season in CCS hopefully the bruises will last for the summer. Without him they're a nice squad, not a great one. He will be a hunted man. People are talking up Colorado, but I just don't see it happening. I think scott's 56 points sounds about right.
Another prediction (and one Jeff Bradley actuallis is right on). Mcbride will score at leats 10 and I'll have a few beers on Zak.
I think taking care of business at home will go a long way toward moving up the standings table. Think of all the points Columbus pissed away at home last season - the late draw with Colorado, the late injury time goal by Deering to earn a draw for Dallas, Davis (I think) scoring for MetroStars in overtime, and I think a Kansas City match towards the beginning of the season (Preki goal, maybe?). Right there is six more points that obviously would have given Columbus the division title. With 15 home matches this season, I'll be disappointed if we don't gain at least 33 points at home.
And his career high is 13, not that it matters. Another thing: Columbus would do themselves a favor if they'd take 9 of 12 possible away points at Chicago and DC United. That might be asking too much, but Columbus needs to stop taking it up the ass at Chicago.
Standings: East - Crew, NY, NE, DC, CHI West - LA, DAL, COL, SJ, KC NY and NE may flip-flop in the East as could SJ and KC in the West. I think the 56 points that Scott and others have mentioned is a very reachable target. The team: I think that Greg will play a 4-3.5-2.5 with Buddle on the right side alternating between wing and forward throughout most of the games. I'd love to see the 3-5-2 but it ain't going to happen. Busch will start in goal and Presthus will return to a 2001 form as he regains his confidence. But Busch will still keep the spot there. The backs will be Hejduk on the right, Dunseth and Clark central and Denton on the left. I think Torres may be gone to make space for Hejduk on the roster. Akwari, McCarty and Leitch will come off the bench with Hejduk seeing some time at left back. The middle will be Martino and Oughton with Garcia left and Buddle right. Lucci will be the sub on the right with Westie gone if Paule gets signed by the Crew. Maze, Walsh and Paule (if signed) will provide depth in the middle as additional d-mids to help protect a lead. McBride and Cunningham will start on top with Buddle, Lucci and Garcia becoming a third forward (or replacements if needed). I think we'll see Dante on the roster as an extra forward. The season: Like I said, I also agree that 56 points is a reasonable target but we may exceed that total before it's all done. Cunningham and McBride will end with at least 10-15 goals each. Garcia and Buddle will add 8-10 each. Martino, Lucci, Maze and Paule will get 4-5 each. And our defenders will add another 2-3 goals from set pieces. Our Goals Per Game will be just over 2 while our defense will be under 1.3 GAA. The Crew has the talent to get to the MLS Cup and to defend the US Open Cup. And I believe they'll be in the final four of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Attendance will start slow in the 14-16K range but will go up to around a 20K average after the Crew takes control of the East by mid-June.
I still don't think that having Buddle playing a wing midfield role (or even a hybrid wing MF/forward role) is the right thing for Edson. It sucks to have such depth up top that we have to try to find other places to play the talented kid. I wouldn't mind seeing a Buddle/Bake combo to start games, then bring in Cunningham off the bench against tired defenders at or about the 70th minute. That might be the best way to handle the crowded situation at the forward position.
All I want to say about that right now is can you imagine starting to fill that place up this summer? The joint will be rocking and the energy will be beyond belief. If the season doesn't start soon I'm going to go nuts. man, am I pumped. Maybe this is the season we finally start singing "You'll never walk alone" It's time we claimed it.
I know a lot of people are down on CHI, I don't think CHI will end up last. I even think they could end up 2 or 3. They still have a very good defense, very solid and their forwards are good as well. Rozav can definetly carry that team the way he did last year and will get help from Faria, if he can get a Visa out of Brazil. Jaqua is going to be a very good striker and will put a few away and Dipsy is a solid backup. Their problem is at midfield, but it is not that big of a problem. They still have Armas at D-Mid and Beasley on the left side. That leaves two midfield spots that are iffy. Mapp could play either right or left if they decide to play Beasley more centrally. Or they could put Kelly Grey or Jesse Marsch in the middle for a more defensive setup. They have a lot of good youngsters as well looking to make an impact. The big IF is, can the starters stay healthy? I still think the worst two teams in the eastern conference are Metros and DC. They will be fighting for last place all year. Look at DC, they still have a good defense, but they never answered their biggest problem from last year. Who is going to score goals? I've never been impressed with Ernie Stewert and Stoikov is over the hill. A healthy Olsen could help, as could Kovelenko if last year was just a fluke. Lots of question marks there. As for the Metros, they have no strikers and no midfield. Bradley can do wonders with little, but he ain't that good. Here's my predictions East CLB NE CHI DC Metros West LA Dallas COL SJ KC
there we disagree. this year i think the east will take more points from the west. the galaxy will keep the points from becoming heavily tilted in favor of the east. also, the race for the eastern conference will be extremely close. this of course is based on my belief that DC and the Metros are going to be very good. Bradley IS that good, and his roster is too. Ray has a good mix of talent. whoever's right, i can't help but think this is going to be an awesome year. it really is.
One thing looks certain: if you liked last year, you'll LOVE this year. Somehow, some way, MLS has accomplished something that other leagues have flailed around for aimlessly for decades: parity. There just is not that much to choose from.An injury here, a hot striker there, a rookie comes up big someplace else and the whole thing can trun on it's head. Hey scott - are you still writing for those clowns at CSN? With all due respect, if it wasn't for you and sometimes Walt, I'd never go there again.