Since there were threads about the strongest team in MLS right now, why not take a look at the other end of the spectrum. Right now I would say the least improved teams are Colorado and New England. Who do you think is the least improved and who is the weakest team right now.
New England and Colorado no doubt have been idle while it seems like every other team in the league has been improving. New England with Twellman, Ralston, the Gambians, and Joseph can handle a lack of moves better, but Colorado fans are in for a tough season. Colorado is the only team I would characterize as "weak" right now. Other teams have been signing talent and/or were at the top last year. Columbus kept everyone except Schmid and Evans, but they may get Palermo; Houston lost De Rosario but have Holden in the starting XI now; Chicago has kept all of their pieces; and the rest of the league has made moves for Gomez, Van den Bergh, Hirsig, Vitti, De Rosario, Escalada, all of LA's new role players, Convey, Keller, Ljungberg, Montero, etc.
I don't see Chicago as significantly improved. I don't think they need to be either, although it's always nice when that happens.
One 'improvement' that New England can claim is (hopefully) having Twellman and Ralston on the same field for more than a handful of games, in addition to the individual impact of having them both back for the majority of the season. Maybe that's grasping at straws, though, in itself indicative of lack of action, but i'm optimistic.
I can't help but think that the Galaxy will struggle. I am hopeful that they will do well because I am a fan of MLS and they are a flagship club, but too many holes to patch up for this fast approaching season. Bruce Arena has done well with bringing in players and on paper they should have a decent starting 11. But with Dunivant and Franklin coming off surgeries, and a slow inexperienced CB in Gonzalez, their Defense will struggle. Not to mention the Beckham saga, and if he should return, he hardly plays as is with injuries and national team call ups. I like the Magee signing, a solid MLS striker in his prime (something Arena should focuss on). He should help out on offensive side, but scoring has never been LA's problem (especially if Donovan returns). Look for them to finish bottom half in the west.
I hear what you are saying, but the Galaxy have improved over last year. They shed a bunch of dead weight from last season, and plugged some holes that needed filling. Granted, they aren't going to challenge for the Cup this year, but they aren't even close to being the least improved. In fact, I'd probably put the Crew at the top of the list. They still are a very good team, but as far as improving from what they were last year, they really haven't raised the bar. The topic is kind of tricky, because bad teams can improve rather easily. It can be difficult to actually improve a team that won a double the year before.
I liken last season for the Galaxy like a runner putting on their uniform when the starting pistol fires - then realizing 1/3 through the race that they had the wrong shoes. Not that Gullit had much of a plan, but Ruiz really gummed up the works when he was injured. Then we spent the season dealing with Gullit, Xavier, no credible d-mid, no credible left mid, no credible scouting program. I don't think we'll be that much better, but we will be better. The fact that we haven't traded or lost Sean Franklin or McDonald is a marked improvement on the Lalas years.
Ha. If it were up to Lalas, we probably would have sent Franklin, McDonald, Ely Allen, and Bryan Jordan to Houston for Pat Onstad and allocation money. We'd then proceed to sit on that allocation money until August of 2012, when we'd blow it all bringing Romario out of retirement.
I like the wizards team, however for me, they need to be deeper. Since they have failed to pickup a forward to pair up with lopez(and wolff would not be my starter, instead a sub), add a midfielder or two(i like espinoza on the left), add 2 defenders(i like conrad in the middle) and i have no problem with their goalkeepers(though if possible, i would add someone better than kronberg). They have added, Zusi, Hirsig, Besler, Cristman which will nice additions to last year's pickups. Just for me, I add four players to make my team deep. For those reasons, I'll say the Wizards are the least improved team.
New England, Houston, and Colorado have had the worst offseasons IMO. Houston will still be in the playoffs come season's end, and they wont slouch in the CCL, but they got weaker in the offseason, not stronger. New England and Colorado didnt really make many positives moves this offseason, NE notably selling parkhurst.
Just for the record, the Revs didn't sell Parkhurst. He left on a free. But you are right.....the Revs have done very little this offseason.
I'm gonna be honest, I don't think my club, Chivas USA, has done enough to shore up it's weak points. 1. We have no decent replacement for our old CB, Claudio Suarez. 2. The goalie issue has yet to be convincingly resolved. 3. Injuries injuries injuries. - None's fault, but it's what killed us last year. Improvements We've made some minimal improvements such as acquiring a starting left back and drafting a promising college kid, Michael Lahud. I still think the core is intact and we can do great things this season, but just like in anything you do in life, there is always room for improvement.
I think the fact that Razov, Wicky, Galindo, and Bornstein should all be healthy does wonders for this team. That gives Kljestan a ton of help. Of course that doesn't really help the defense much at all.
I think DC United is really going to perform below expectations this year. I just can't see that group having any more cohesion than they did last season. They won't be spread as thinly as they were last season, but when you put together a team like that, you've got to have a manager that can really galvanize a group of guys into a strong unit. Not sure Soehn is that guy.