The 2018 Major League Soccer season is upon us at last. It’s only been about two and half months since Toronto FC claimed MLS Cup within the confines of BMO Field, but it feels like an age ago. Since then, we have seen an influx of TAM create a simple pathway for teams all across the league to look internationally for new, fresh talent. We saw a record signing for the league in Ezequiel Barco, as well as other young potential stars in Diego Rossi, Jesus Medina, Josue Colman and Kaku, who look to ignite their own careers as well as the league itself. In this era of “MLS 3.0,” what teams will make the biggest leaps and who did not make necessary improvements to succeed in an evolving league? Read on to find out Access MLS’s take on the 2018 season.

Predicting the West

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC’s 2017 was a mixed bag: silverware was achieved with a US Open Cup, but a Tim Melia injury and a sputtering attack caused a knockout round flame out. Sporting finished with the sturdiest defense in the league, conceding only 29 goals all season. In turn, the defense was left untouched this offseason. The changes come further up the field. I love the acquisitions Yohan Croizet and Johnny Russell to help ignite the attack in the wing areas, and the transfer of Chilean international Felipe Gutierrez will help strengthen an already potent midfield alongside Ilie Sanchez. The obvious wildcard in this equation is the #9 position. Can the likes of Diego Rubio, Daniel Salloi, and ex-NYCFC 2nd overall pick Khiry Shelton do enough up top? I feel that if this team shows the potential as an MLS contender early in the season, Peter Vermes may be tempted to land a big-time striker in the Summer transfer window to propel his team to the top of a contested Western Conference.

2. Seattle Sounders

The two time defending Western Conference Champions obviously finshed their 2017 in disappointing fashion with a poor performance at BMO Field. However, the last two seasons leave Seattle much to be proud of, and they’d love to push for a third straight MLS Cup appearance. The strategy by Brian Schmetzer and Garth Lagerway was stability, as almost the entire roster returns this year minus the talented Joevin Jones. Jones is certainly a loss but Nouhou will prove quite capable at LB. The biggest news is the recent news that Jordan Morris will be lost for the season. This is an signifigant loss, but not an insurmountable one. One man who will be asked to step up in his year-long absence is last year’s midseason signing Victor Rodriguez. He showed flashes ability in choppy minutes last campaign, but will probably be asked to take on a more consistent place in the starting XI. Magnus Wolff Eikrem will also be called on to help produce in the midfield. Seattle is still loaded with talent between a steady defense and playmakers in Nicolas Lodeiro and Clint Dempsey. This team may undergo scoring droughts at times this year, but overall they should still be able to secure a bye out West.

3. Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake could not have started last season worse, garnering one point in three matches and firing coach Jeff Cassar. Mike Petke took over the reins and after some early struggles managed to begin to implement his vision toward the latter end of 2017. If last season’s finish is a preview of 2018, this team is glowing with potential. Young talent is abundant, with Albert Rusnak, Jefferson Savarino, Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad and Danny Acosta. And with Rusnak pulling the strings for a full season under Petke, expect him to breakout as the “Almiron of the West.” His ability to connect with Savarino, Lennon, Joao Plata, Luis Silva, and Alfredo Ortuno will determine their fate, I believe it will be a successful attack. The two concerns for this club are first who will hold down the starting #9 role, as Silva and Ortuno battle it out. Silva offers more creative tendencies and probably has the inside track, but he may ultimately have some value as a super sub if Petke finds he needs a more prototypical finisher up top. Also, two key spots, DM and GK, are headed by 35 year-old Kyle Beckerman and 38 year-old Nick Rimando. Veteran leadership will be key, but will their level of play be sufficient on the pitch?

4. Portland Timbers

Portland underwent a surprise shift this offseason after earning the top overall seed in the West before injuries ravaged their roster amidst a Conference Semifinal exit. Mainstays Caleb Porter and Darlington Nagbe departed during the Winter, and Giovanni Savarese was hired from the New York Cosmos to fill the coaching void. However, aside from Nagbe the starting XI will likely look very familiar. The defense remains steady if captain Liam Ridgewell can stay healthy. The midfield will also look similar with Diego Valeri setting up the attack with support from Sebastian Blanco and newcomer Andy Polo filling Nagbe’s old spot. Diego Chara is key to creating havoc in the middle of the park, so his fitness will prove crucial to the Timbers’ success. Up front Fanendo Adi finally returns after a nagging hamstring injury ruined his 2017 season. If he can return to form and help lighten the load on Valeri’s shoulders, coupled with more consistent play in year two for Blanco, this attack could prove quite formidable. The talent on the roster is undeniable, but some health concerns could hamper the team’s consistency. The playoffs and a home knockout game should still be attainable.

5. LA Galaxy

No team upgraded its roster more than the Galaxy this offseason. The problem is that this team was dead last in the MLS so they had a lot of catching up to do. They needed help from front to back, and did solid job of improving in all areas. The disastrous GK situation was mitigated by trading for David Bingham. Veteran of Scandinavian leagues Jorgen Skjelvic was brought in and Tomas Hilliard-Arce was drafted to solidify the backline. Sebastian Lletget comes back from injury and Perry Kitchen has returned to the states to partner with the Dos Santos brothers and Romain Alessandrini to create a very deep arsenal of midfield talent. Finally, Ola Kamara was acquired from Columbus to fill the desperate need for a true striker up top. The ability level is clearly there now as opposed to last year, can Sigi Schmidt mold it into a capable squad? There may be growing pains, but expect the improved overall group to be above the red line come season’s end.

6. FC Dallas

On paper this team looks similar to the Jekyll and Hyde one we witnessed in 2017. Maxi Urruti still will be looked upon to lead the team up front, while Mauro Diaz and Michael Barrios provide creativity and support. The big addition is 23 year old Santiago Mosquera who is slated to start opposite Barrios. Mosquera should provide a dynamic presence on the left wing that could finally solidify the spot that Fabian Castillo left two seasons ago. Losing Kellyn Acosta to start the season is a big loss for Dallas, as veteran Victor Ulloa will need to fill the void until his return. The backline has been somewhat revamped with the additions of Reto Ziegler and Anton Nedyalkov, but if Oscar Pareja can hold down the ship until Acosta comes back from injury, I believe this team will revert to a form closer to that of old than of last year’s late debacle, and they could sneak into the playoffs as a low seed in the knockout round.

Below the Red Line

7. San Jose Earthquakes

The Earthquakes probably had the strangest season of any team in MLS last year. A coach firing midway through the season, a -21 goal differential good for near bottom of the league, and still a playoff appearance to top off the campaign. After being bludgeoned 5-0 in Vancouver in the knockout round the bizarre season concluded, and new coach Mikael Stahre was brought in. He takes over a group that has an intriguing core of talent, but may be lacking top class individuals. Youngsters Nick Lima, Jackson Yuiell, and Tommy Thompson will fight for minutes to develop their skills. Out wide this team has quality, with Vako heading up one side and new signing Magnus Erikkson on the other flank, who led the Swedish Allsvenskan in scoring. With Chris Wondolowski still heading up the attack and seeking the all-time league scoring record, offense does not seem to be an issue. The concern lays within the backline. With the departure of Victor Bernardez, an unproven CB combo will be tasked with working with Andrew Tarbell to keep potent Western attacks quiet, and I do not see this defense being sturdy enough to get them over the hump and into the playoffs in an improved West.

8. LAFC

The new kids on the block this year are hoping their inaugural campaign follows more closely in the footsteps of Atlanta than Minnesota. The likelihood is that they probably fall in between the two. Like Atlanta a year ago, the top end talent is there: Mexican star Carlos Vela will combine with young DP Diego Rossi in the attack, supported by former SKC man Benny Feilhaber and Egyptian midfielder Omar Gaber. And in the central defense, Laurent Ciman will line up alongside Walker Zimmerman to form a formidable pairing. These names provide both quality and some proven MLS talent. However, like many expansion teams including last year’s Loons, depth is a serious concern. The forward spot is weak and will be headed by Marcos Ureña, and there is a shortage of talent on the wings, midfield, and fullback spots behind the starters. LAFC has the ability to take down strong teams due to the top-end of their roster, but when the inevitable injury-bug hits this sqaud at some point this season, I expect this team to hit some rough patches. Overall, this looks like a quality foundation for the future, but not enough to reach the playoffs in year one, unless Bob Bradley can work some magic in the city of angels.

9. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Carl Robinson’s squad performed admirably last season, finishing third in the West and reaching the Western Conference Semifinals. However, with about 40% possession for the year and an expected goal differential of almost -6 (courtesy of americansocceranalysis.com) it appears this team overperformed. I have concerns with this team replicating their success, starting in the back. Tim Parker is now gone, breaking up a top CB pairing in the league, and Marcel de Jong is aging as well. This team could be a Kendall Watson injury away from a defensive fiasco. The midfield will rely on Aly Ghazal at DM and now Felipe in the middle, which could be an upgrade if he can fit in with Robinson’s counterattacking philosophy. If this team is to be competitive, it needs strong contributions from Yordy Reyna, Christian Techera, young Alphonso Davies, and aging veteran Kei Kamara in the attack. Ultimately I believe this team will fall off a bit and miss out on the playoffs after last season’s success.

10. Houston Dynamo

A late season surge powered the Dynamo over the red line and into a home knockout round game, more than anyone could have asked for in Houston before the season began. They followed that up by beating SKC and then stunning the injury ravaged Timbers on their home turf before being put to bed by Seattle in the Conference Finals. Overall a smashing success for first year man Wilmer Cabrera, which he will look to build on in year two. This offseason Cubo Torres was offloaded to make way for Mauro Manotas up top, but a lack of depth there could be harmful. The pace is still there between injury-prone Romell Quioto and the electric Alberth Elis, who I expect to have a strong season. However, I worry for a lack of creativity in the middle of the park which could lead teams to play more conservatively against Houston to prevent their deadly counter. This in turn would force them to try and break down defenses more conventionally, and I am not sure they can do that consistently. Defensively there could be issues as well, as DaMarcus Beasley (especially) and Philippe Senderos are both climbing in age and will be relied on to hold down a defense that lacks a sturdy GK. A backslide towards the bottom half of the West seems like an acute possibility.

11. Colorado Rapids

After the ousting of Pablo Mastroeni last year, Colorado entered the offseason in need a new manager with a strategic vision. 36 year old Anthony Hudson, formerly manager of New Zealand, was the man for the job. He will look to implement his preferred 5-3-2/3-5-2 system and make his team more dangerous than Rapids teams of the past. However, in analyzing the roster the strength is still at the back. In order to win they will need to stay compact and rely on their bevy of CBs. The wing spots have potential for excitement between Edgar Castillo and Marlon Hairston, but the center of the park may be of concern. Stefan Aigner showed some promise after signing midseason last year, but the combo of Jack Price and Bismark Adjei-Boateng may leave something to be desired. Up top, Joe Mason joins from Wolverhampton to form an interesting partnership with Dominique Badji. If Badji can make a big leap this team could maybe sneak up on people, but I believe this will likely be more of a rebuilding season in Colorado.

12. Minnesota United FC

Saying the Loons limped out of the gate last season would be the understatement of the year. They were bludgeoned early and often, but in fairness they eventually were straightened out enough by Adrian Heath to “climb” to 9th in the West. The problem for this team is that while others around them improved, Minnesota basically stayed put. With their new stadium not opening until 2019, it feels like this season will a stopgap year. One of the main acquisitions for the Loons was 35 year old RB Tyrone Mears. He will round out a defense helmed by Francisco Calvo that will try to prove more sturdy than in 2017. The midfield possesses a few intriguing pieces in Kevin Molino and now a full season of Ethan Finley, but nothing overly dangerous. The most interesting dynamic on this team will be the forward spot. Christian Ramirez tallied a strong 14 goals last season, but 2017’s top pick Abu Danladi will push for time in the XI after his strong finish to last year’s campaign. Heath will have to make water into wine if this team is to push for the playoffs, and I feel a trip to the West’s cellar is the more likely scenario.

Thanks for reading, and check out the full Acess MLS season preview podcast while you’re at it!

Luke Benigno