Every year contains it's own share of surprises, and for Major League Soccer, 2018 was no exception.

Before the new year clocks in, we felt like looking back at the players, clubs, moves, incidents and trends that kept us all on our toes before, during and after the season that just was. Some were pleasant surprises and some were letdowns, but they all contributed to what makes MLS "keep em' guessing" special.

There were a handful of attackers who looked set for career seasons in the summer, only to sadly slump their way down the back stretch.

Houston star man Alberth Elis was en fuego with nine goals and seven assists on July 7, but notched just two and three, respectively, the rest of the way. On the same turning point date, LAFC power forward Adama Diomande had nine goals in his first 472 MLS minutes, but waited three months for another while nursing injuries.

At the end of June, both Teal Bunbury of the New England Revolution and the San Jose Earthquakes’ Danny Hoesen were leading their clubs in goals, having already hit double figures; they each turned ice cold as summer heated up, grabbing just three goals between them over the final four months of the season.

You may notice that three of these players' teams missed the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoff cut, and the fourth was pulled at halftime of a shock home Knockout Round defeat. The lesson: consistency may be boring, but it pays.

No. 9: LAFC, SKC break molds