PDA

View Full Version : 2011 MLS Preview Thread



Yohan
03-07-2011, 05:05 PM
Because I feel like being narcissistic and work isn't keeping me busy enough. :D

(plus a good way to get introduced to the other teams in MLS this season)

This is basically what I think the rankings will be at the end of the season.

1. Real Salt Lake

I'm a big fan of team chemistry. RSL has basically put together a team that has played with each other for 3 years now, going into 4th year. They had retardedly stingy defence last year, combined with one of the strongest, and deepest midfield in the league means RSL should be somewhere near the top of the league in October. It's ridiculous to have guys like Arturo Alvarez and Andy Williams as your bench players. (I think they also have some mysterious voodoo cast over Rio Tinto. Teams just have a hard time getting points at that stadium)

Key arrivals: MF Arturo Alvarex

Key departures: F Robbie Findley

Key players: D Jamison Olave, M Javier Morales, M Kyle Beckerman, F Alvario Saborio
-Olave has gained much experience from rash, red card waiting to happen monster to controlled aggressive and strong as ox defender. Is one of the best at CB in the league.
-Javier Morales runs the offence, and if he gets injured or goes in a slump, RSL offence is going to sputter. He is the best playmaker in the league by lightyears.
-US international Kyle Beckerman is one of the best DMs in the league, and he protects the back 4 well, as well as being able to string passes together. (His wild hair has not slowed him down yet)
-DP striker Alvaro Saborio is in 2nd of MLS, and put in 12 goals last year after arriving on loan, and earned himself a DP contract. He has to put up same numbers as last year or else RSL is going to be in deep trouble.

Things will go well if:
-All key players keep putting up numbers that they do.

Things will go bad if:
-Alvaro Saborio gets injured, or goes in a slump. RSL currently does not have a good 2nd striker to help carry the workload on offence. They have Cody Arnoux and Fabian Espindola, but Arnoux is not MLS proven, and Espindola isn't exactly a good striker. RSL needs to find a replacement for Robbie Findley

Potential player to have a breakout season
-M Luis Gil. Kid is pretty talented and a loan spell at St Louis helped. Don't know how he'll break into a deep RSL midfield, but if he does, it's game on.

Yohan
03-07-2011, 05:28 PM
2. Los Angeles Galaxy

This is the 'it' year for LA Galaxy. This squad is as ready as it is going to get for a MLS Cup run because next year, this squad might not exist. LA probably has the most offensively potent squad, with Landon Donovan, Juan Pablo Angel who can put the ball in the net. And this is David Beckham's last year of contract, so he may be motivated to actually play in MLS and silence his critics for good.

Key arrivals: F Juan Pablo Angel, F Chad Barrett

Key departures: M/D Eddie Lewis, M/D Chris Klein, F Edson Buddle

Key players: D Omar Gonzalez, M/F Landon Donovan, F Juan Pablo Angel
-Omar Gonzalez is turning out to be one stud of CB after impressing in his first two years in MLS. He is the corner stone of LA defence, and a lot rides on him. (heavens forbid if he gets injured for LA)
-Juan Pablo Angel is old, and has gone through a lot of injuries, but he still has goals in him and worthy of respect as one of best strikers in MLS history. He should still score 10-12 goals this season, especially now that he's playing with better offensive team who should provide him with more service. This may be his last year too, so I think he wants to win the MLS Cup.
-LA is Landon Donovan's team. He is their captain, and their primary goal scorer and creative force. He is motivated to always outshine David Beckham and this makes him even more dangerous to the opposition.

Things will go well if:
-JPA and Donovan has their typical year and LA defence does well enough to not get scored on too often.

Things will go bad if:
-Donovan or Gonzalez picks up an injury. Not enough depth on D for LA, and it's hard to replace a guy like Donovan.

Potential player to have a breakout season:
-M David Beckham. It's his last season in MLS, and I think he wants to prove something. If Beckham plays well, LA offence gets a boost. If not, LA will carry on, just like it has past 4 years.
-D AJ DeLaGarza. He can play both RB and CB, and IMO just as important as Omar Gonzalez for LA defence.

Yohan
03-07-2011, 05:48 PM
3. New York Red Bulls

Any team that can boast players like Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez deserves serious consideration. For a supposedly rebuilding year, the Red Bulls put together a strong team and now they are ready to challenge for the MLS Cup.

Key arrivals: M Jan Gunnar Solli, M Teemu Tainio

Key departures: F Juan Pablo Angel, D Mike Petke

Key players: F Thierry Henry, D/M Rafa Marquez, M Joel Lindpere, M Medhi Ballouchy
-Henry needs to start scoring. With JPA gone, the Red Bulls needs Henry to step up and live up to the goal scorer that he is.
-Looks like head coach Hans Backe is going to put Marquez back in defence. And Marquez partnering up with surprisingly good 2nd year Tim Ream should give the Red Bulls a solid defence.
-Winter Joel Lindpere was probably the best newcomer to MLS last year, and now that he's shifted to more natural LW role, he should be able to be as good as he was last year.
-The Red Bulls acquired Mehdi Ballouchy from Colorado last season, paying a heavy price with highly rated striker Mac Kandji going the other way. The Red Bulls need this attacking midfielder to create for Henry, but Ballouchy has not been exactly the most consistent player.

Things will go well if:
-Henry starts scoring buckloads like he can.

Things will go bad if:
-Bouna Coundoul's erratic form gets exposed and the lack of depth at GK position

Potential player to have a breakout season:
-M Teemu Tainio. The former Spurs and Ajax midfielder is brought in to provide some depth at both midfield and right back. And he's got the quality to make an impact this season.

Yohan
03-08-2011, 07:17 PM
4. Seattle Sounders FC

After two years of solid MLS seasons, Seattle Sounders looks to make that extra push to go far in the playoffs. Their starting lineup can win, but their depth is a bit question. But a team with Montero and Nkufo up front, with back up from Jaqua and Zakuani deserves a lot of respect.

Key Arrivals: D Julien Baudet, M Erik Friberg

Key Departures: M Sanni Nyassi, D Tyrone Marshall

Key Players: F Fredy Montero, F Blaise Nkufo, M Alvaro Fernandez, D Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, M Osvaldo Alonso, GK Kasey Keller.
-Seattle is banking on their 3 DPs to do their job. Montero and Nkufo had good offensive output last year, but M Alvaro Fernandez is expected to do more to fill in the void left by Freddie Ljungberg leaving Seattle. If Fernandez cannot be the playmaker, MLS untried M Erik Friberg has to step up.
-D Jhon Kennedy Hurtado is the rock in the defence for Seattle. If he falters, or gets injured, Seattle defence is going to be pretty porous. Seattle keenly felt his absence when Hurtado got hurt last season. The Sounders does have one of the best DMs in the league in Osvaldo Alonso, and still one of better GKs in Kasey Keller, but they can also only do so much.

Things will go well if:
-Montero and Nkufo have 10-12 goal seasons, which they are perfectly capable of, plus whatever from Jaqua, Zakuani and Noonan who can also put the ball in the net.

Things will go bad if:
-Seattle's lack of depth in certain midfield and defence gets exposed, especially at RW. Departure of Sanni Nyassi needs to get filled by someone. Also, Kasey Keller is old, and his expiry time will come soon, and their current stable of GKs aren't good enough for MLS.

Potential Player to have a breakout season:
-M Alvaro Fernandez. He's got the tricks and the tools, but it's still wait and see on this player. Seattle's banking a lot on him.

torontocelt
03-08-2011, 07:38 PM
Nice one, good info.

Yohan
03-08-2011, 09:06 PM
5. Colorado Rapids

The 2010 MLS Cup champions are returning, and they are hungry to prove that last season's victory was not a fluke. (And prove that you can win MLS Cups without DPs)
The Rapids boast the best one two punch up front in Conor Casey and Omar Cummings, as well as a solid midfield led by veteran captain Pablo Maestroeni. Their off season moves added some depth in veteran defender Tyrone Marshall and speedy winger Sanni Nyassi. While their defence may be suspect at times, and a lot of their team is composed of average MLS players, but the Rapids have enough talent and guts to be near the top of MLS standings.

Key arrivals: D Tyrone Marshall, M Sanni Nyassi

Key departures: D Julien Gaudet

Key players: F Conor Casey, F Omar Cummings, M Jeff Laurentowicz, GK Matt Pickens
-Conor Casey and Omar Cummings have been hooking up each other for 3 seasons, entering 4th. Conor Casey's target man abilities and Omar Cummings's deceptive pace and ability to create space with decent passing makes these two deadly duo.
-M Jeff Laurentowicz was probably the best trade of MLS season, proving to be vital to the Rapids success. He can play multiple positions, and is both adept at offence and defence. This year, with departure of Mehdi Ballouchy to NYRB, he may be called to provide more offence.

Things will go well if:
-Casey and Cummings keep lighting up the opposition.

Things will go bad if:
-The Rapids defence get exposed. Or Marvell Wynne at CB experiment turns out to be a fluke.

Potential Player to have a breakout season:
-F Macoumba Kandji. I'm a big fan of this guy, and I consider him MLS version of Drogba. He's big, physical, lots of pace with decent ball skills. His finishing lets him down, as well as lack of consistency. Playing 3rd striker behind Casey and Cummings may hamper his development, and he is returning from a torn ACL injury. But Mac Kandji is due for a breakout year.

Whoop
03-08-2011, 09:55 PM
Keep it up Yohan!

werewolf
03-08-2011, 09:57 PM
thanks for posting this in a thread, and creating a valid resource to the board and quality discussion when you finish. Respect for not directing someone to another link.

drexel10
03-08-2011, 10:37 PM
No Dallas? Hmmm, I bet they will be in the top 5.

Yohan
03-08-2011, 10:41 PM
No Dallas? Hmmm, I bet they will be in the top 5.
I'm working down from 1 to 18...

Yohan
03-10-2011, 05:48 PM
6. FC Dallas

It's hard to rate MLS Cup finalist this low, but there are few things that just haven't convinced me that FC Dallas is going to be near the top of the standings this year.
FC Dallas has developed amazing team chemistry, starting with a run in late 09 culminating to an MLS Cup final appearance last season. I'm a big fan of team chemistry, as FC Dallas and RSL demonstrated. FC Dallas a lot of talent on books, with MLS MVP F David Ferreira leading the line.
But FCD traded fullback Heath Pearce to Chivas USA, and lost F Jeff Cunningham and M Dax McCarty to Columbus and DC United, and question is up in their where they will get their offence and who will step up in defence.

Key departures: D Heath Pearce, M Dax McCarty, F Jeff Cunningham

Key arrivals: F Fabian Castillo

Key players: M/F David Ferreira, M Brek Shea, GK Kevin Hartmann
-FCD offence is basically David Ferreira show now. If he's on his game, he can dominate the game with his passing and scoring ability. He's basically MLS version of Totti.
-M Brek Shea is versatile, but has found a home on LW. Good enough to earn 2 USMNT caps last year. He needs to be the link man for Ferreira in the midfield.
-GK Kevin Hartmann has proven his detractors that he's done. He's 36, but probably the best MLS keeper in history (and has records to prove it) still got something left in tank.

Things will go well if:
-Ferreira has another MVP year, and new signing F Fabian Castillo and veteran Milton Rodriguez picks up the slack from Cunningham's departure.

Things will go bad if:
-Ferreira gets injured and FCD's defence is found to be wanting.

Potential player to have a breakout season:
-M Brek Shea. Now that Dax McCarty's gone, Shea has to step up. But this 21 yr old has the talent to be the creative force in the midfield.

jloome
03-10-2011, 06:21 PM
Because I feel like being narcissistic and work isn't keeping me busy enough. :D

(plus a good way to get introduced to the other teams in MLS this season)

This is basically what I think the rankings will be at the end of the season.

1. Real Salt Lake

I'm a big fan of team chemistry. RSL has basically put together a team that has played with each other for 3 years now, going into 4th year. They had retardedly stingy defence last year, combined with one of the strongest, and deepest midfield in the league means RSL should be somewhere near the top of the league in October. It's ridiculous to have guys like Arturo Alvarez and Andy Williams as your bench players. (I think they also have some mysterious voodoo cast over Rio Tinto. Teams just have a hard time getting points at that stadium)

Key arrivals: MF Arturo Alvarex

Key departures: F Robbie Findley

Key players: D Jamison Olave, M Javier Morales, M Kyle Beckerman, F Alvario Saborio
-Olave has gained much experience from rash, red card waiting to happen monster to controlled aggressive and strong as ox defender. Is one of the best at CB in the league.
-Javier Morales runs the offence, and if he gets injured or goes in a slump, RSL offence is going to sputter. He is the best playmaker in the league by lightyears.
-US international Kyle Beckerman is one of the best DMs in the league, and he protects the back 4 well, as well as being able to string passes together. (His wild hair has not slowed him down yet)
-DP striker Alvaro Saborio is in 2nd of MLS, and put in 12 goals last year after arriving on loan, and earned himself a DP contract. He has to put up same numbers as last year or else RSL is going to be in deep trouble.

Things will go well if:
-All key players keep putting up numbers that they do.

Things will go bad if:
-Alvaro Saborio gets injured, or goes in a slump. RSL currently does not have a good 2nd striker to help carry the workload on offence. They have Cody Arnoux and Fabian Espindola, but Arnoux is not MLS proven, and Espindola isn't exactly a good striker. RSL needs to find a replacement for Robbie Findley

Potential player to have a breakout season
-M Luis Gil. Kid is pretty talented and a loan spell at St Louis helped. Don't know how he'll break into a deep RSL midfield, but if he does, it's game on.

Good pieces Yohan. I'd say "lightyears" is one helluva stretch on Morales, whom I like. David Ferreira's pretty good, for one. Thierry Henry, too.

Yohan
03-10-2011, 06:37 PM
Good pieces Yohan. I'd say "lightyears" is one helluva stretch on Morales, whom I like. David Ferreira's pretty good, for one. Thierry Henry, too.
well, Morales in terms of 'pure' playmaker. David Ferreira is good too, but he's more trequartista a la Totti than pure playmaker. Semantics (and slight exaggeration on my part) ;)

Dave67
03-10-2011, 11:34 PM
Thanks Yohan - I'm enjoying reading these. Look forward to the next ones.

Yohan
03-11-2011, 11:16 AM
7. Houston Dynamo

2010 was a year of disappointment for Houston, missing the playoffs, but they look to bounce back in 2011. A lot of the core players that helped Houston to be one of the dominant team prior to 2010 season are back, led by seemingly ageless Brian Ching up front.
However, question arises from who will replace veteran GK Pat Onslad, who will be the attacking midfielder, and who will partner Brian Ching up front. But Kinnear knows MLS, and any team coached by him is bound to be competitive.

Key Departures: GK Pat Onstad, D Ryan Cochrane

Key Arrivals: D Hunter Freeman, D Kofie Sarkodie

Key Players: F Brian Ching, M Brad Davis, M/D Geoff Cameron, D Bobby Boswell
-Ching is good for 7-10 goals per year, but he needs help. The US international striker is strong in the air and can hold the ball up front. Deadly in set piece situations.
-M Brad Davis is one of the best left wingers in MLS. He is the default set piece taker for the Dynamo, racking up 12 assists in both 09 and 10 seasons.
-M/F Geoff Cameron is effective at both CB and DM positions. He was sorely missed by the Dynamo when he was injured for half the season.
-D Bobby Boswell is one of the better MLS CBs, commanding the backline. If Boswell is paired up with Cameron at CB again, with Hainault at LB and Hunter Freeman at RB, the Dynamo defence may again be one of the best in MLS.

Things will go well if:
-Dynamo finds someone to step up as the attacking midfielder and a second striker to partner Ching. Right now, Cam Weaver and Jason Garey are ok as depth striker only.

Things will go bad if:
-Houston cannot find a GK. None of the 3 GKs in camp are MLS proven.

Potential player to have a breakout season:
-M Danny Cruz. The 21 yr old former US U20 versatile midfielder had a breakout year last season, being a regular in the midfield.

Yohan
03-11-2011, 12:13 PM
8. San Jose Earthquakes

SJ was surprise team of 2010, fueled by Chris Wondolowski coming out of nowhere to pot 18 goals in the net. Maybe more of luck, or maybe Frank Yallop still got what it takes to build a contender. Not much of off season signings yet, but either way, San Jose should be putting up a good fight until the end of the season. (though some attacking midfielders and another depth striker wouldn't hurt)

Key Arrivals: F Steven Lenhart

Key Departures: M Arturo Alvarez, GK Joe Cannon, M/F Geovanni

Key Players: GK Jon Busch, D/M Brandon McDonald, M Bobby Convey, F Chris Wondolowski, F Ryan Johnson
-SJ has a solid group of MLS proven veterans. No real outstanding players in defence (well, Brandon McDonald is good), but SJ defends collectively, plus having a proven veteran in Jon Busch helps.
-Ex Reading midfielder Bobby Convey had a great season in 2010, with 10 assists and establishing himself as one of the best LW in MLS. His creativity will be the driving force for SJ offence this season.
-F Chris Wondolowski came out of nowhere and won the MLS Golden Boot. An expectation of 10 goals this season is more realistic, but he should have more maneuver room with F Steven Lenhart (aka Big Bird) able to tie up opposition defence. Wondo's job will be easier if Ryan Johnson keeps up feeding him (8 assists for Johnson last season) and Johnson rediscovers his scoring form (11 goals in 09)

Things will go good if:
-Wondo has another solid season, and SJ defence holds up. And F Ryan Johnson gets his groove back to help out Wondo.

Things will go bad if:
-Convey and Wondo gets injured or loses form for a long time

Potential Player to have a breakout season:
-D Ike Opara. He started off strong, but lost form and got buried under rather deep SJ defence. He can still make a difference in games and show that he has potential to be a good MLS defender

Yohan
03-16-2011, 08:14 PM
been on vacation. will update once i return on fri